DC  SB  LIBRARY 

v«x^,  v>. 


Quick  as  liphtnins  I  *nw  Fred's  ripht  band  raise*),  and  with  a  "sqwre  pbr>ulder  bit" 
such  as  wouUl  liavu  l^lk'd  au  ux,  be  It-i  it  tall  full  upuu  UuHy's  face.    1'age  2^& 


AUSTEJJJA. 


THE 


GOLD  HUNTERS'  ADVENTURES ; 


OB, 


LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA, 


BY 
WILLIAM    H.  ^T II  O  M  E  8 

A  RETURNED   AUSTRALIAN. 


Illustrated   by  Champneyv 


BOSTON : 
LEE   &   SHEPARD,   PUBLISHERS. 

1876. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1864,  by 

LEE    AND    SHEPAED, 
In  tne  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


CONTENTS. 


FAGS 

INTRODUCTION •.....,..13 

CHAPTER   I. 

FIRST  THOUGHTS  OP  GOING  TO  AUSTRALIA.— DEPARTURE  FROM  CAL- 
IFORNIA. —  LIFE  ON  BOARD  SHIP.  —  ARRIVAL  AT  WILLIAMS 
TOWN.  —  DESCRIPTION  OF  MELBOURNE.  —  A  CONVICT'S  HUT.  .  .  15 

CHAPTER   II. 

A  MORNING  IN  AUSTRALIA. — JOURNEY  TO  THE  MINES  OF  BALLARAT. 
—  THE  CONVICT'S  STORY.  —  BLACK  DARNLEY,  THE  BUSHRANGER.  20 

CHAPTER    III. 

TRAVELLING  IN  AUSTRALIA.  —  AN  ADVENTURE  WITH  SNAKES — CAB- 
RYING  THE  MAILS 29 

CHAPTER    IV. 

EATING  BROILED  KANGAROO  MEAT.  —  AUSTRALIAN  SPEARS  AND 
AMERICAN  RIFLES 34 

CHAPTER    V. 
THB  SOLITARY  STOCKMAN.  —  SHOOTING  A  KANGAROO 41 

CHAPTER    VI. 

ADVENTURE  WITH  A  DOG.  — THE  MURDER  IN  THE  RAVINE.  —  STORY 
OF  AN  OUTRAGED  WOMAN 47 

CHAPTER    VII. 

BLACK  DARNLEY'S  VILLANY.  —  THE  CONVICT  STOCKMAN.  .    .  56 

I'  (5) 


6  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    VIII. 

AN  EXPEDITION. — A  FIGHT  WITH  BUSHRANGERS.  —  DEATH  OF  BLACK 
DARNLEY 61 

CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  STOCKMAN'S  DAUGHTER.  —  MOUNTED  POLICE  OP  MELBOURNE.    .    68 

CHAPTER    X. 
DESPERATE  DEEDS  OF  Two  CONVICTS.  —  LIEUT.  MURDEN'S  STORY.    .    73 

CHAPTER    XI. 
SAGACITY  OF  A  DOG.  —  A  NIGHT'S  ADVENTURES 79 

CHAPTER    XII. 
DISCOVERY  OF  A  MASONIC  RING.  —  FUNERAL  PYRE  OF  BLACK  DARN- 


LEY 87 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  STOCKMAN   AND   HIS  PARROT.  —  DARING  PLOT   OF  A  ROBBER 
CHIEFTAIN 93 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
DISCOVERY  OF  STOLEN  TREASURES  IN  THE  STOCKMAN'S  CELLAR.   .    .  101 

CHAPTER    XV. 
DYING  CONFESSION  OF  JIM  GULPIN,  THE  ROBBER.     .......  107 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
A  FORCED  MARCH  TOWARDS  MELBOURNE 114 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  INTO  MELBOURNE 120 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

LARGE  FIRE  IN  MELBOURNE.  — ENGLISH  MACHINES  AT  FAULT.     .    .  127 


CONTENTS.  7 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

PARDON  OF  SMITH  AND  THE  OLD  STOCKMAN. — GRAND  DINNER  AT 
THE  GOVERNOR'S 134 

CHAPTER    XX. 
DUEL  BETWEEN  FRED  AND  AN  ENGLISH  LIEUTENANT 142 

CHAPTER    XXI. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  SEARCH  FOR  GULPIN'S  BURIED  TREASURES.  .  151 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
DEPARTURE  FROM  MELBOURNE.  —  FIGHT  WITH  THE  NATIVES.     .    .    .  158 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

ARRIVAL  AT  THE  OLD  STOCKMAN'S  HUT.  —  MYSTERIOUS  INTERRUP- 
TIONS DURING  THE  HUNT 164 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

EOBBEHY  OF  THE  CART.  —  CAPTURE   OF  STEEL  SPRING 171 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
STEEL  SPRING'S  HISTORY 176 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 
FINDING  OF  THE  TREASURE 181 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 
CAPTURE  OF  ALL  HANDS,  BY  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 187 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

OPPORTUNE  ARRIVAL  OF  LIEUTENANT  MURDEN  AND  HIS  FORCE — 
ROUT  OF  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 195 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

REVENGE  OF  THE  BUSHRANGERS.  —  FIRING  OF  THE  FOREST 201 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XXX. 

PERILOUS   SITUATION    DURING    THE   FIRE.  —  STEEL   SPRING   TURNS 
UP 208 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 

CAPTURE  OP  THE  BUSHRANGERS,  AND  DEATH  OP  NOSEY 213 

CHAPTER    XXXII. 

.RETURN  TO  THE  STOCKMAN'8  HUT.  —  SMITH  IN  LOVE 219 

CHAPTER    XXXIII. 
RECOVERY  OP  THE  GOLD. —  ARRIVAL  AT  BALLARAT 226 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 
THE  BULLY  OP  BALLARAT.  —  FRED  FIGHTS  A  DUEL.  .......  234 

CHAPTER    XXXV. 
BALLARAT  CUSTOMS,  AFTER  A  DUEL 242 

CHAPTER    XXXVI. 
ARRIVAL  AT  BALLARAT.  —  MR.  BROWN'S  STORY 249 

CHAPTER    XXXVII. 
FINDING  OP  A  110  LB.  NUGGET.  —  CAVING  IN  OP  A  MINB 257 

CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 
INCIDENTS  IN  LIFE  AT  BALLARAT 265 

CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

ATTEMPT  OP  THE  HOUSEBREAKER.  — ATTACK.  BY  THE  SNAKE.     .    .    .  272 

CHAPTER    XL. 
DEATH  OF  THE  BURGLAR  BY  THE  SNAKE 278 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER    XLI. 
VISIT  TO  SNAKES'  PARADISE 284 

CHAPTER    XLII. 

FLIGHT  FROM  THE  SNAKES.  —  ATTACKED  BY  THE  BUSHRANGERS.    .    .  291 

CHAPTER    XLIII. 

TRIUMPHANT  ENTRY  INTO  BALLARAT,  WITH  THE  BUSHRANGBBS.    .   .  299 

CHAPTER   XLIV. 
THRASHING  A  BULLY 305 

CHAPTER    XLV. 
A  YOUNG  GIRL'S  ADVENTURES  IN  SEARCH  OP  HER  LOVEE.    ....  312 

CHAPTER    XLVI. 
A  MARRIAGE,  AND  AN  ELOPEMENT 318 

CHAPTER    XLVII. 
COLLECTING  TAXES  OP  THE  MINERS 326 

CHAPTER    XLVIII. 
MURDEN  AND  STEEL  SPRING  ARRIVE  FROM  MELBOURNE 363 

CHAPTER   XLIX. 

CATCHING  A  TARL  AS  WELL  AS  A  CASSIOWARY 340 

CHAPTER    L. 

ARRIVAL  OP  SMITH.  — ATTEMPT  TO  BURN  THE  STORE 346 

CHAPTER    LI. 
ATTEMPT  TO  BURN  THE  STORE.  .  353 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    HI. 

THB  ATTEMPT  TO  MURDER  MB.  CEITCHET.     .    . 


CHAPTER    LIU. 

OPPORTUNE    ARRIVAL   OP  MB.   BROWN. —  THEY  SEND  FOB  STEEL 
SPRING 366 

CHAPTER    LIV. 
THE  WAY  THE  COLONISTS  OBTAIN  WIVES  IN  AUSTRALIA.  .  .        .    .  372 

CHAPTER    LV. 
ADVENTUREB  AT  DAN  BRIAN'S  DRINKINO-HOUSB 378 

CHAPTER    LVI. 
ADVENTURES  CONTINUED 383 

CHAPTER    LVII. 
MORE  OP  THE  SAME  SORT 390 

CHAPTER    LVIII. 

CONVALESCENCE  OF  MB.  CRITCHET,  AND  OUR  DISCHARGE  FROM  THE 
CRIMINAL  DOCKET 398 

CHAPTER    HX. 

* 

OUR  TEAMSTER  BARNEY,  AND  HIS  WIFE.  .    .    • 408 

CHAPTER    LX. 

MIKE  FINDS  THE  LARGE  "NUGGET." 410 

CHAPTER    LXI. 

THE  RESULT  OF  GROWING  RICH  TOO  RAPIDLY 414 

CHAPTER    LXII. 

THE  FLOUR  SPECULATION.  —  MR.  CRITCHET-'S  STORY 419 


CONTENTS.  H 

CHAPTER    LXIII. 
THE  SAME,  CONTINUED 427 

CHAPTER   LXIV. 

MB.  BROWN'S  DISCHARGE  PROM  THE  POLICE  FORCE.  —  BILL  SWIN- 
TON'S  CONFESSION *3* 

CHAPTER    LXV. 
THE  EXPEDITION  AFTER  BILL  SWINTON'S  BURIED  TREASURES.  .    .    .  439 

CHAPTER    LXVI. 
JOURNEY  AFTER  THE  BURIED  TREASURE 445 

CHAPTER    LXVII. 
THE  HUNT  FOR  THE  BURIED  TREASURE 451 

CHAPTER    LXVIII. 
THE  ISLAND  GHOST.  —  NARROW  ESCAPE  OF  MR.  BROWN 456 

CHAPTER    LXIX. 
CAPTURE  OF  THE  GHOST 461 

CHAPTER    LXX. 

THE  GHOST  AND  THE  BUSHRANGERS 468 

CHAPTER    LXXI. 
SAM  TYRELL  AND  THE  GHOST 474 

CHAPTER    LXXII. 
FINDING  THE  BURIED  TREASURE 484 

CHAPTER    LXXIII. 
THE  ESCAPE  FROM  THE  FIRE.  .    .    .    .490 


12  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    LXXIV. 

ARRIVAL  AT  MR.  WEIGHT'S  STATION *. 496 

CHAPTER    LXXV. 
SUPPER.  —  RETXJEN  OP  ME.  WEIGHT'S  SCOUTS 601 

CHAPTER    LXXVI. 

MlKE  TUMBLES  INTO  THE   RlVER.  —  ARRIVAL   OF  THB   BUSHRANGERS.  511 

CHAPTER    LXXVII. 
CAPTURE  OF  THE  BUSHRANGERS 517 

CHAPTER   LXXVIII. 
PUNISHING  THB  BULLY 524 

CHAPTER   LXXIX. 
MR.  WEIGHT'S  FARM.  ~- DEATH  OF  KELLY. 629 

CHAPTER    LXXX. 
JOURNEY  BACK  TO  BALLARAT 636 

CHAPTER    LXXXI. 

STEEL  SPRING  IN  THE  FIELD.  —  ATTEMPT  OF  THE  COMMISSIONER  TO 
CONFISCATE  OUR  HORSES 542 

CHAPTER    LXXXII. 
SAME  CONTINUED.  —  DEATH  OF  Ross 649 

CHAPTER    LXXXIII. 

A.HREST  OP  FRED.— TRIP  TO  MELBOURNE,  AND  ITS  RESULTS.    .    .    .  655 


INTRODUCTION. 


SINCE  my  return  from  Australia,  I  have  been  solicited  by  a  number 
of  friends  to  give  them  a  history  of  my  adventures  in  that  land  of  gold, 
where  kangaroos  are  supposed  to  be  as  plenty  as  natives,  and  jump  ten 
times  as  far,  and  where  natives  are  imagined  to  be  continually  lying  in 
ambush  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  hearty  meal  upon  the  bodies  of 
those  unfortunate  travellers  who  venture  far  into  the  interior  of  the 
country  —  where  bushrangers  are  continually  hanging  about  camp  fires, 
ready  to  cut  the  weasands  of  those  who  close  their  eyes  for  a  moment  — 
and  lastly,  where  every  other  man  that  you  meet  is  expected  to  be  a 
convict,  transported  from  the  mother  country  for  such  petty  crimes 
as  forgery,  housebreaking,  and  manslaughter  in  the  second  degree. 

My  friends  have  all  desired  to  hear  me  relate  these  particulars,  and 
have  honored  me  with  a  large  attendance  at  my  rooms,  and  sat  late  at 
night,  and  drank  my  wine  and  water,  and  smoked  my  cigars,  with  a 
relish  that  did  me  great  credit,  as  it  showed  that  I  am  something  of  a 
connoisseur  in,the  choice  of  such  luxuries.  And  then  they  laughed  so 
loudly  at  my  jokes,  no  matter  how  poor  they  were,  that,  for  a  few  days 
after  my  arrival  home,  I  really  thought  the  air  of  Australia  had  improved 
and  sharpened  my  wit. 

I  should,  no  doubt,  have  continued  feasting  those  who  listened  so 
patiently  to  my  yarns,  had  not  a  sudden  idea  entered  my  head,  one 
night,  when  the  company  were  the  most  boisterous.  I  was  in  the  act 
of  raising  a  glass  of  wine  to  my  mouth,  when  it  occurred  to  me  that 
before  I  left  this  country  for  Australia,  via  California,-  scarcely  one  of 
those  present  had  assembled  on  the  dock  to  bid  me  farewell. 

I  placed  the  untasted  wine  upon  the  table  again,  lighted  a  cigar,  and 
was  soon  buried  in  smoke  and  reflection.  I  thought  of  the  time  when 
I  had  not  money  enough  to  pay  my  passage  to  the  Golden  State  —  of 
the  exertions  I  had  made  to  raise  the  amount  necessary,  and  the  many 


14  INTUODUCTIOBT. 

refusals  that  I  had  met  with  at  the  hands  of  those  who  now  professed 
to  be  my  friends. 

I  blew  aside  the  smoke  that  enveloped  my  head,  and  fixed  my  eyes 
upon  one  red-faced  cousin,  who  owned  bank  shares,  and  bought  stocks 
when  low,  and  sold  them  when  a  rise  had  taken  place.  He  had  laughed 
at  me  for  my  impertinence  in  supposing  that  he  could  loan  me  money, 
and  now  he  was  seated  at  my  table,  chuckling  at  my  jokes,  and  swear- 
ing, while  he  helped  himself  to  liquor,  that  I  was  the  beet  fellow  alive, 
and  that  there  was  nothing  but  what  he  would  do  for  me. 

Could  it  be  possible  that  the  possession  of  fifty  or  sixty  thousand 
dollars  had  wrought  such  a  change  ?  I  was  forced  to  believe  it,  and  I 
grew  sad  at  the  thought,  and  no  more  jokes  escaped  my  lips  that  night ; 
but  the  company  remained  as  late  as  usual,  and  declared  by  a  unanimous 
vote  that  they  would  meet  again  at  the  same  place  the  next  evening,  and 
hear  further  particulars. 

Before  sunset  the  next  day  I  had  changed  my  apartments,  and  taken 
private  lodgings  with  a  friend  who  had  visited  me  but  once  since  my 
return,  and  had  then  refused  to  accept  of  the  hospitalities  that  I  was 
disposed  to  offer  him.  He  had  lent  me  money  without  security  —  he 
had  declined  taking  interest  for  the  same  —  he  had  welcomed  me  on  my 
arrival  as  warmly  as  I  expected  —  he  did  not  ask  me  how  much  dust  I 
had  brought  back;  and  he  never  said  a  word  about  his  wish  to  be  repaid 
the  few  hundred  dollars  that  he  had  advanced  me  when  I  left  home  to 
seek  my  fortune.  When  I  did  offer  him  the  money,  and  thrust  a  dia- 
mond ring  upon  his  finger  as  a  token  of  my  esteem,  he  blushed  like  a 
young  school  girl,  and  declared  that  he  didn't  deserve  it. 

At  his  house,  then,  I  took  up  my  abode ;  and  while  his  family  treat 
me  with  respect,  they  possess  none  of  the  fawning  which  characterizes 
my  other  friends.  As  the  latter  have  frequently  expressed  their  sorrow 
for  my  sudden  removal,  and  their  anxiety  to  know  what  events  befell  me 
in  the  mines  of  Australia,  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  would  put 
them  in  print ;  and  now  those  who  used  to  drink  my  liquor  and  feast  at 
my  table  will  learn  how  I  acquired  my  fortune,  and  then,  if  so  disposed, 
they  can  follow  in  my  footsteps  and  gain  a  competence  for  themselves. 

This  much  I  have  told  the  reader  in  confidence,  and  with  the  hope 
that  it  will  not  be  repeated,  as  my  red-faced  cousin,  who  every  day  is  to 
be  seen  on  'Change,  might  be  seriously  angry  if  he  was  suspected  of 
mercenary  motives.  With  this  introduction  I  will  commence  mj  nar- 
rative. 


LIFE  IN  AUSTRALIA; 


OB, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES. 


CHAPTER    I. 

FIRST  THOUGHTS  OF  GOING  TO  AUSTRALIA. — DEPARTURE  FROM 
CALIFORNIA.  —  LIFE  ON  BOARD  SHIP.  —  ARRIVAL  AT  WILLIAMS 
TOWN.  —  DESCRIPTION  OF  MELBOURNE.  —  A  CONVICT'S  HUT. 

IT  was  as  hot  an  afternoon  on  the  banks  of  the  American  Fork  as 
ever  poor  mortals  could  be  subjected  to  and  still  retain  sufficient  vital- 
ity to  draw  their  breath.  Under  a  small  tent,  stretched  upon  their 
backs,  with  shirt  collars  unbuttoned,  boots  off,  and  a  most  languid  ex- 
pression upon  their  faces,  were  two  men  —  both  of  them  of  good  size, 
with  a  fair  display  of  muscle,  broad-chested,  hands  hard  and  blackened 
with  toil,  yet  not  badly  formed ;  for  had  they  been  but  covered  with 
neat  fitting  gloves,  and  at  an  opera,  ladies  might  have  thought  they  were 
small. 

These  two  men,  one  of  whom  was  reading  a  newspaper,  while  the 
other"  was  trying  to  take  a  siesta,  were  Frederick  Button,  and  his  jaith- 
ful  companion,  the  writer  of  these  adventures,  whom  we  will  distin- 
guish by  the  name  of  Jack,  as  it  is  both  familiar  and  common,  and  has 
the  merit  of  being  short. 

As  I  was  reading  the  paper,  the  contents  of  which  interested  me,  I 
paid  but  little  attention  to  my  friend,  until  I  suddenly  laid  it  down,  and 
said, — 

"  Fred,  let's  go  to  Australia." 

"  Go  to  the  d 1,"  he  replied,  turning  on  his  side,  his  back  towards 

me,  and  uttering  a  long  w-h-e-w,  as  though  he  had  found  it  difficult  to 
catch  his  breath,  it  was  so  hot. 

"  We  should  find  it  hotter  in  the  regions  of  his  Satanic  Majesty  than 
here  ;  but  that  is  something  that  concerns  you  alone,  as  no  doubt  you 
are  fully  aware." 

Fred  uttered  a  grunt  —  he  was  too  warm  to  laugh,  and  I  again  re- 
turned to  the  charge. 

"  Gold  mines  have  been  discovered  in  Australia,  and  ships  are  up  at 
San  Francisco  for  Melbourne.  A  party  of  twenty  left  there  kst  week, 
and  more  are  to  follow." 

as) 


16  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

There  was  no  reply,  and  I  continued  :  — 

"  It  is  stated  in  this  paper  that  a  man  took  out  a  lump  of  gold  weigh, 
ing  one  hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  and  that  he  had  been  but  ten  days 
in  the  mines  when  he  found  it." 

"  What  ?  "  cried  Fred,  suddenly  sitting  up,  and  wiping  the  perspira- 
tion from  his  brow. 

I  repeated  the  statement. 

« it's  a  d d  lie,"  cried  Fred. 

"  Then  let's  go  and  prove  it  so." 

"  How's  the  climate  in  that  part  of  the  world  —  hot  or  cold  ?  " 

"  About  the  same  as  here." 

Fred  meditated  for  a  few  minutes,  lighted  his  pipe,  and  smoked  on 
in  silence ;  and  as  there  was  nothing  better  to  do,  I  joined  him. 

"  We  are  not  making  a  fortune  here  in  California,  and  if  we  don't  do 
any  thing  in  Australia,  we  shall  see  the  country,  and  that  will  be  worth 
something,"  I  said. 

"  Then  let's  go,"  cried  Fred,  refilling  his  pipe ;  and  that  very  evening 
we  commenced  selling  our  stock  of  superfluous  articles  to  our  numer- 
ous neighbors,  saving  nothing  but  tent,  revolvers,  rifles,  and  a  few  other 
articles  that  would  stand  us  in  need  when  we  reached  Australia. 

A  week  from  the  day  that  we  made  up  our  mind  to  try  what  luck 
there  was  in  store  for  us  in  Australia,  we  were  on  board  of  a  clipper 
ship,  and  with  some  two  dozen  other  steerage  passengers  (for  Fred 
and  myself  were  determined  to  be  economical)  we  were  passing  through 
the  Golden  Gate  on  our  way  to  a  strange  land,  where  we  did  not  pos- 
sess a  friend  or  acquaintance  that  we  knew  of. 

"  Well,"  said  Fred,  as  he  stood  on  deck  at  the  close  of  the  day,  and 
saw  the  mountains  of.  California  recede  from  view,  "  it's  precious  little 
fun  I've  seen  in  that  country ;  and  if  our  new  home  is  not  more  ex- 
citing, I  shall  be  like  the  Irishman  who  pined  away  because  he  couldn't 
get  up  a  fight." 

"  Don't  give  yourself  any  uneasiness  on  that  score,"  replied  the  mate, 
who^hanced  to  overhear  the  remark.  "  I'll  warrant  that  you'll  see  as 
many  musses  as  you'll  care  to  mix  in." 

"  Then,  Australia,  thou  art  my  home,"  cried  Fred,  with  a  theatrical 
wave  of  his  hand,  as  though  bidding  adieu  to  the  Golden  State  forever. 

Fred  was  one  of  the  most  peaceable  men  in  the  world,  and  never 
commenced  a  quarrel ;  but  when  once  engaged  in  a  conflict,  he  was  like 
a  lion,  and  would  as  soon  think  of  yielding  as  the  royal  beast. 

For  nearly  fifty  days  did  we  roll  on  the  Pacific,  amusing  ourselves  by 
playing  at  "  all  fours,"  speculating  on  the  chances  of  our  arrival,  and 
making  small  wagers  on  the  day  that  we  should  drop  anchor  ;  and  after 
we  had  all  lost  and  won  about  an  equal  amount,  we  were  one  morning 
overjoyed  by  the  sight  of  land.  Standing  boldly  in  towards  a  low 
coast,  with  no  signs  of  a  harbor,  it  was  not  until  we  were  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  shore  that  we  discovered  a  narrow  entrance  that  opened  into 
Hobson's  Bay ;  when  we  dropped  anchor  opposite  to  a  town  consisting 
of  a  dozen  or  twenty  houses,  and  over  one  of  them  floated  the  flag  of 
England. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Mate,"  asked  Fred,  as  the  men  went  aloft  to  furl  sails, 
"  do  you  call  that  densely-populated  city  Melbourne  ?  " 


A    GOLD    HUNTER'S    ADVENTURES.  IT 

"  That ! "  replied  the  mate,  with  a  look  of  contempt  at  the  scattered 

houses.  "  That  he  d d.  That's  Williams  Town.  Melbourne  is  a 

fine  city,  seven  miles  from  here,  and  where  all  the  luxuries  of  lite  can  be 
obtained ;  but  tobacco  is  the  dearest  one  —  so  be  careful  of  your  weed." 

As  the  officers  of  the  custom  house  were  even  then  coming  on 
board,  we  thanked  him  for  the  hint,  and  put  ours  out  of  their  reach. 

Williams  Town  is  situated  at  the  mouth  of  the  River  Zarra,  on  Hob- 
son's  Bay,  and  at  one  time  actually  threatened  to  become  a  place  of 
considerable  importance ;  but  the  water  for  domestic  use  was  too  bad  to 
be  tolerated,  and  most  of  those  who  had  settled  there  were  glad  to 
retrace  their  steps  to  Melbourne,  where  a  better  sort  of  article  exists. 

"  How  are  the  mines  ?  Do  they  still  hold  out  ?  "  I  inquired  of  one  of 
the  crew  of  the  custom  house  boat,  who  was  leaning  against  the  rail  in 
a  languid  manner,  as  though  he  had  been  overworked  for  the  past  six 
months. 

"  Yes,  I  s'pose  so,"  he  answered ;  and  he  spoke  as  though  each  word 
cost  him  an  immense  amount  of  labor. 

"  Then,  Fred,  we  are  in  luck,"  I  cried,  turning  to  my  partner  who 
stood  near  at  hand. 

"  Intend  going  to  the  mines  ?  "  the  man  asked,  with  a  sudden  show 
of  interest. 

"  Such  is  our  intention,"  I  replied. 

"  'Mericans,  I  suppose,"  he  inquired. 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  don't  go  if  you  want  to  keep  the  number  of  your  mess,"  the 
boatman  said. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  Fred  ventured  to  inquire. 

"  'Cos  they  kill  Yankees  at  the  mines.  Jim,"  he  continued,  turning 
to  a  comrade,  "  how  many  'Mericans  were  killed  week  afore  last  at 
Ballarat?" 

"  O,  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  individual  referred  to.  "  A  dozen  or 
twenty,  I  believe.  Might  have  been  more  or  less.  I'm  not  'ticular 
within  a  man  or  two." 

"  Thank  you  for  your  information,"  cried  Fred.  "  And  now  one 
question  more.  Can  you  tell  me  how  many  Englishmen  were  killed  by 
those  same  Americans,  before  they  died  ?  " 

This  question  appeared  to  astonish  the  men ;  for  they  looked  at  each 
other,  and  then  examined  Fred  with  scrutinizing  glances. 

"  I  guess  he'll  do,"  they  said,  at  length ;  and  finding  that  we  were  not 
to  be  frightened,  they  turned  their  attention  to  passengers  more  credu- 
lous, and  actually  made  some  of  them  believe  what  they  said  was  true. 

The  next  morning  we  hired  a  boat  to  take  our  luggage  to  the  wharf, 
where  the  steamers,  which  ply  between  Sydney,  Geelong,  and  Melbourne^ 
stop.  Our  traps  did  not  amount  to  much,  as  we  had  no  money  to  spare 
for  freighting,  and  when  we  first  stepped  upon  the  soil  of  Australia,  our 
worldly  possessions  consisted  of  four  shirts,  do.  pants,  two  pairs  of  boots, 
blankets,  tents,  &c.,  the  whole  weighing  just  one  hundred  and  fifty 
pounds  —  not  a  large  amount,  but  sufficient  for  two  men,  whose  wants 
were  easily  supplied. 

There  ware  a  dozen  rough,  loaferish  looking  men,  whiling  away  their 
time  upon  the  wharf;  but  as  they  confined  themselves  to  simply  asking 

2* 


18  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

a  few  questions  as  to  what  part  of  the  world  we  came  from,  and  received 
satisfactory  answers,  they  soon  lost  all  interest  in  us,  and  began  to  spec- 
ulate what  time  the  steamer  would  arrive. 

She  did  not  reach  the  dock  until  noon ;  and  as  we  had  seen  enough 
of  Williams  Town,  we  readily  embarked,  and  in  an  hour's  time  were  at 
Melbourne,  gazing  with  interest  at  every  thing  that  met  our  view. 

The  city  was  full  of  life  and  business :  heaps  of  goods  were  exposed 
ready  for  transportation  to  the  mines,  and  large,  lumbering  carts  of 
English  build  were  crawling  slowly 'through  the  streets,  drawn  by  five 
and  six  yoke  of  oxen,  while  the  drivers,  armed  with  whips,  the  lashes 
of  which  were  of  immense  length,  though  the  stock  or  handle  was  barely 
two  and  a-half  feet  long,  whirled  them  over  the  frightened  animals' 
heads,  and  whenever  they  struck  the  poor  brutes,  a  small,  circular  piece 
ef  skin  was  taken  out,  leaving  the  quivering  flesh  exposed  to  the  sun, 
<md  a  prey  for  the  numerous  insects  that  hovered  in  the  air. 

We  carried  our  stuff  on  shore,  and  then  considered  what  was  neces- 
sary to  get  to  the  mines ;  and  while  we  rested  upon  our  bundles,  and  ate 
a  portion  of  the  salt  junk  and  biscuit  that  the  cook  of  the  ship  had 
insisted  upon  our  taking  with  us,  we  took  a  calm  survey  of  Melbourne 
—  its  advantages  and  disadvantages.  The  city  occupies  two  sides  of  a 
valley,  called  East  Hill  and  West  Hill,  and  is  well  laid  out. 

The  streets  are  broad,  unpaved,  and  formed  so  that  during  the  heavy 
rains,  the  water  will  centre  into  the  gutters,  which  are  flagged  with  a 
substantial  kind  of  stone  to  prevent  the  sidewalks  from  washing  away 
during  the  rainy  season,  when  the  gutters  resemble  small  mountain  tor- 
rents, and  enough  head  is  obtained  to  carry  half  a  dozen  sawmills. 

At  the  place  where  we  landed  there  is  barely  sufficient  room  for  the 
steamer  to  turn  round  for  the  bay,  or  arm,  of  the  River  Zarra  is  smalt, 
and  the  water  shoal.  Every  available  place  near  the  landing  was 
crowded,  however,  with  crafts  of  all  descriptions,  from  the  light-draughted 
schooner  to  huge  launches,  with  loads  of  goods  which  they  had  received 
from  ships  lying  in  Hobson's  Bay.  Altogether,  the  scene  reminded 
one  very  much  of  San  Francisco ;  and  so  our  spirits  rose  as  we  contem- 
plated the  bustle  going  on. 

"  Well,  my  men,  are  you  in  want  of  work  ?  "  asked  a  well-dressed 
elderly  gentleman,  who  had  arrived  in  a  carriage  driven  by  a  coach- 
man in  livery,  and  a  footman,  dressed  in  the  same  garb.  He  appeared 
to  own  every  thing  that  he  looked  at ;  for  we  had  seen  half  a  dozen  men 
take  his  orders,  and  then  proceed  to  obey  them  with  alacrity. 

"  We  thought  we'd  try  the  mines  first,"  I  replied,  in  answer  to  his 
question. 

"  Hard  work  —  hard  work,"  he  said,  with  a  smile.  "  Americans,  I 
see  —  smart  men  in  that  country.  Hope  you'll  do  well  here.  Afraid 
not  if  you  go  to  the  mines.  Want  men  to  help  get  these  goods  under 
shelter.  Like  to  employ  you  ;  "  and  off  he  bustled. 

"  A  pretty  good  sort  of  man,  I  guess,"  remarked  Fred. 

"  I  say,  stranger,"  I  asked,  turning  to  a  person  with  a  cartman's  frock 
on,  who  was  seated  on  a  box  smoking  a  pipe,  "  can  you  tell  me  who 
that  gentleman  is  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  see  any  gentleman,"  he  answered,  without  even  taking  his 
pipe  from  lu's  mouth. 


4-  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  19 

"Why,  I  mean  the  one  who  just  spoke  to  us  —  the  man  with  the 
white  vest  and  gold  buttons." 

"  Him  —  he's  a  ticket-of-leave  man,  and  has  more  money  than 
half  of  the  merchants  in  Melbourne,"  replied  the  cartman. 

"  What,  that  man  a  convict  ?  "  I  asked,  with  surprise. 

"  Just  so  —  transported  for  fourteen  years  for  house-breaking.  Be- 
haved himself,  and  so  got  liberty  to  enter  into  business ;  and  now  he  is 
at  the  top  of  the  heap.  In  two  years  his  time  will  be  out,  and  then  he 
can  stay  or  go  where  he  pleases." 

After  this  piece  of  news  the  convict  became  an  object  of  curiosity  to 
us,  and  we  watched  him  until  he  entered  his  carriage  and  drove  off,  his 
coachman  treating  him  with  as  much  respect  as  he  would  the  governor  , 
general. 

11 1  say,"  asked  Fred  of  our  new  acquaintance,  "  do  all  convicts  get 
rich  ?  Because  if  they  do  I  want  to  become  one  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  Not  all,"  replied  the  man ;  "  but  some  blunder  into  luck,  and  others 
are  shrewd  and  look  after  the  chances.  I  don't  suppose  I  shall  ever  be 
rich,  although  I  am  doing  pretty  well." 

"  And  are  you  a " 

I  didn't  like  to  say  convict,  and  so  I  hesitated. 

"  O,  yes ;  I  was  sentenced  to  ten  years'  transportation  for  writing 
another  man's  name  instead  of  my  own  on  a  piece  of  paper." 

"  That  is  forgery." 

The  convict  smiled,  as  much  as  to  say,  you  have  hit  it,  and  continued 
to  smoke  his  pipe  with  infinite  satisfaction. 

"  I  should  like  to  know  if  the  company  we  are  likely  to  meet  in  the 
mines  are  of  the  same  class  ?  "  muttered  Fred. 

"  Most  of  them,"  replied  the  man,  who  appeared  to  be  a  man  of  ed- 
ucation ;  "  and  you'll  find  them  more  honest  than  those  never  sen- 
tenced, because  they  know  that  their  freedom  depends  upon  their  repu- 
tation." 

We  sat  staring  at  our  informant  for  some  time ;  but  after  a  while  he 
knocked  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  and  arose  as  though  going. 

"  If  you  want  your  traps  taken  to  the  mines  at  a  reasonable  rate,  I'll 
do  it  for  you,  as  I  start  to-morrow  with  a  load  of  goods  for  Ballarat," 
he  said,  after  a  moment's  hesitation. 

"  Is  that  mine  productive  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  It's  as  rich  as  any  of  them.  You  may  sink  a  shaft  and  strike  a 
vein,  and  you  may  get  nothing.  It's  all  a  lottery." 

We  consulted  together  for  a  few  minutes,  and  concluded  to  try  our 
fortunes  at  Ballarat,  and  so  signified  to  our  acquaintance. 

"  Then  shoulder  your  traps,  and  I'll  show  you  my  shanty.  You  can 
sleep  there  to-night,  and,  let  me  tell  you,  it's  a  favor  that  I  wouldn't 
grant  to  half  of  my  countrymen." 

As  we  considered  pride  out  of  place  in  that  country,  we  readily  ac- 
cepted his  offer,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were  walking  through  the  streets 
of  Melbourne  with  a  convicted  felon. 

We  found  his  hut  to  be  built  of  rough  boards,  with  but  one  room  ; 
and  the  furniture  consisted  of  a  stove,  wooden  benches,  a  pine  table, 
and  a  curiosity  in  the  shape  of  a  bedstead. 

That  night  we  learned  more  of  the  customs  of  the  Australians  from 


20  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

our  host,  who  gave  the  name  of  Smith  as  the  one  which  he  was  to  be 
called  by,  than  we  should  have  found  out  by  a  six  months'  residence. 

Over  a  bottle  of  whiskey,  which  was  made  in  Yankeeland,  we  spent 
our  first  night  in  Australia. 

"  Come,"  said  Smith,  about  ten  o'clock,  "  it's  time  we  were  asleep, 
for  we  start  early  in  the  morning,  and  before  to-morrow  night  you'll 
not  feel  as  fresh  as  you  do  at  present." 

As  he  spoke  he  removed  the  whiskey,  and  in  half  an  hour  deep  snor- 
ing was  the  only  sound  of  life  in  the  convict's  hut. 


CHAPTER    II. 

A  MORNING  IN  AUSTRALIA.  —  JOURNEY  TO  THE  MINES  OF  BALLA- 
RAT. — THE  CONVICT'S  STORY.  —  BLACK  DARNLEY,  THE  BUSH- 
RANGER. 

"  HALLO  ! "  cried  a  gruff  voice,  accompanied  by  a  gentle  shake,  which 
was  sufficient  to  arouse  Fred  and  myself  from  a  deep  sleep,  that  was 
probably  caused  by  the  whiskey. 

The  time  had  passed  so  swiftly  that  it  did  not  seem  an  hour  since  we 
had  first  stretched  ourselves  upon  our  blankets  on  the  floor. 

We  rubbed  our  eyes  and  sat  up,  looking  around  the  Australian's  hut, 
almost  fancying  that  we  were  still  dreaming.  A  spluttering  tallow  can- 
dle was  dimly  burning,  stuck  in  the  neck  of  a  porter  bottle,  and  a  fire 
was  lighted  in  the  old  broken  stove,  on  which  was  hissing  a  spider 
filled  with  small  bits  of  beef  and  pieces  of  potatoes.  A  sauce  pan  was 
doing  duty  for  a  coffee-pot,  and  the  fragrant  berry  was  agreeable  to  the 
nostrils  of  hungry  men.  Our  host,  the  convict  Smith,  after  he  had 
aroused  us,  seated  himself  upon  a  three-legged  stool,  and  was  busily 
employed  stirring  up  the  savory  mess,  and  trying  to  make  a  wheezy  pipe 
draw ;  and  as  the  tobacco  which  he  was  smoking  was  damp,  and  the 
meat  was  liable  to  burn,  his  time  was  fully  occupied. 
.  "Come,  rouse  up."  Smith  said,  when  he  saw  that  we  were  awake; 
and  while  he  spoke,  he  was  trying  to  coax  a  coal  into  the  pipe,  but  it 
obstinately  refused  to  go. 

"  We'll  be  off  in  an  hour's  time  ;  so  I'm  getting  a  little  bit  of  break- 
fast ready  before  we  start.  Get  up,  and  help  me  set  the  table." 

We  rolled  up  our  blankets,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had  drawn  the  rough 
table  to  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  placed  thereupon  our  tin  plates 
and  quart  pots. 

As  breakfast  was  not  quite  ready,  I  strolled  out  of  doors,  and  found 
that  the  first  streaks  of  daylight  were  just  visible,  and  the  stars  looked 
white  and  silverish.  There  were  no  clouds  to  obscure  the  sight,  and 
for  a  short  time  I  stood  watching  the  gradual  changes  that  were  taking 
place  as  the  sun  edged  its  way  towards  the  horizon.  First  long  streaks 
of  a  bright  golden  color  were  extended  like  huge  arms,  and  then  they 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  21 

changed  lo  a  subdued  pink  tint  that  defied  the  art  of  a  painter  to  trans- 
fer to  canvas.  Glorious  are  the  views  to  be  obtained  in  Australia  at 
sunrise,  and  if  those  of  Italy  excel  them,  it  must  indeed  be  a  lahd  for 
poets  and  painters. 

A  heavy  dew  had  fallen  during  the  night,  and  refreshed  the  aromatic 
plants  that  sprouted  beneath  my  feet ;  and  as  they  were  crushed  by  my 
heavy  tread,  they  yielded  up  their  life  with  a  perfumed  breath  that 
filled  the  air  with  fragrance,  and  made  me  regret  that  I  had  no  other 
means  of  locomotion  beside  my  feet. 

Th°  heavy  rumbling  of  carts  over  the  dry  streets  was  heard,  and  an 
occasional  crack  of  the  dreadful  whip  and  the  fierce  shout  of  the  driver 
proved  that  there  were  others  stirring  as  early  as  ourselves. 

"  Breakfast  is  ready,"  shouted  Fred  from  the  door  of  the  hut ;  and  I 
retraced  my  steps  to  the  home  of  the  convict,  whom  I  found  still  suck- 
ing his  pipe  and  pouring  out  the  coffee. 

Our  meal  was  soon  over,  for  the  delicacy  of  civilized  life  was  not  par- 
ticularly observed,  and  our  long  seclusion  from  the  society  of  females 
had  rendered  us  little  better  than  savages,  as  far  as  manners  were  con- 
cerned. 

"  Jjbw,  then,  pack  up  your  traps,  and  be  ready  for  a  start.  I'll  be  along 
here  with  my  team  in  half  an  hour,  as  my'xfreight  is  already  loaded." 

"  But  we  shall  need  provisions  for  the  route,"  I  said. 

"  Of  course  you  will ;  but  as  I  have  to  take  some  for  myself,  I'll  get  a 
quantity  for  you  also,  and  charge  just  what  I  pay.  At  Ballarat  you'll 
find  enough  to  eat,  and  men  to  trust  you  if  short  of  money." 

Smith  left  to  get  his  cattle,  and  while  absent  we  washed  the  tin  pans 
and  got  all  ready  for  a  start.  Our  rifles  were  reloaded,  and  revolvers 
examined,  and  after  we  had  indulged  in  the  luxury  of  a  smoke,  we 
heard  the  voice  of  the  convict  shouting  in  no  gentle  tones  to  his  oxen, 
as  they  stopped  in  front  of  the  hut. 

"  All  ready  ?  "  asked  Smith,  coiling  up  his  long  whip,  at  the  sight  of 
which  the  cattle  fairly  trembled,  and  pricked  up  their  ears  as  though 
ready  for  a  stampede. 

"  All  ready,"  we  answered,  bringing  out  our  traps  and  lashing  them 
on  the  team. 

The  coffee  pot  and  skillet  were  not  forgotten,  as  we  calculated  if  we 
met  any  game  they  would  both  be  of  service.  A  keg  of  water,  a  bot- 
tle of  whiskey,  a  bag  of  ship  bread,  a  large  piece  of  pork,  a  few  pota- 
toes, coffee,  a  bag  of  flour,  and  a  bag  of  sugar,  were  the  articles  needed 
for  our  long  journey  to  the  mines  of  Ballarat. 

Smith  locked  the  door  of  his  hut,  hung  the  key  about  his  neck 
attached  to  a  thick  cord,  and  then,  uncoiling  his  dreadful  whip,  he 
sounded  the  signal  for  an  advance.  •** 

The  cattle  strained  at  their  yokes,  and  the  huge,  clumsy,  English- 
built  team  creaked  over  the  road,  and  groaned  as  though  offering  strong 
remonstrance  against  the  journey. 

There  were  five  yoke  of  oxen  attached  to  the  cart,  and  as  they  were 
in  fair  condition  and  had  not  been  worked  for  a  few  days,  they  took  the 
load  along  the  level  road  at  a  brisk  walk  ;  and  it  was  not  until  we  had 
got  beyond  the  city's  limits  and  left  Melbourne  in  the  distance,  that  the 
animals  fell  into  their  accustomed  steady  walk. 


22  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  I  suppose  that  there  is  but  little  use  in  our  carrying  our  rifles  in 
our  hands  ?  "  I  asked  of  Smith,  as  he  walked  by  the  side  of  the  cattle. 

"  I  have  been  waiting  for  you  to  ask  the  question  ever  since  we  left 
Melbourne,"  Smith  replied  ;  "  I  thought  I  wouldn't  say  any  thing  until 
you  got  tired  of  carrying  them.  There  is  but  little  fear  of  our  meeting 
with  bushrangers  so  near  the  city ;  and  as  for  game,  we  may  see  some, 
but  not  within  rifle  range.  Put  your  guns  in  the  cart,  and  don't  touch 
them  until  we  camp  to-night." 

We  gladly  followed  his  advice,  for  the  sun  had  risen,  and  began 
scorching  us  with  its  rays,  although,  when  we  started,  the  air  was  quite 
cool,  and  a  jacket  was  not  uncomfortable. 

"  How  far  is  Geelong  from  Melbourne  ?  "  I  asked,  after  we  had  re- 
lieved ourselves  of  the  rifles. 

"  Between  fifty  and  sixty  miles." 

"  Do  we  pass  near  the  town  ?  " 

"  No,  we  branch  off  near  Mount  Macedonskirt,  the  range  of  moun- 
tains by  that  name,  and  which  you  can  see  in  the  distance ;  cross  a  bar- 
ren tract  of  country,  where  no  water  but  sink-holes  is  to  be  found  for 
forty  miles ;  strike  the  mines  of  Victoria ;  and  then  we  are  near  the 
gold  fields  of  Ballarat." 

"  Where  I  hope  we  shall  make  a  fortune  and  return  to  Melbourne  in 
less  than  six  months,"  Fred  cried. 

"  Amen,"  ejaculated  Smith ;  but  he  smiled  as  he  thought  what  a 
slight  chance  there  was  of  our  prayers  being  answered. 

We  met  some  half  a  dozen  teams  on  their  way  back  to  Melbourne 
from  the  mines,  and  we  surveyed  the  drivers  as  we  would  rare  animals, 
for  they  were  covered  with  a  thick  coating  of  white  dust  that  had  filled 
their  hair  and  whiskers,  and  looked  as  though  a  bushel  of  corn  meal 
had  been  scattered  over  their  heads. 

Each  cart  contained  two  or  more  invalids,  who  appeared,  by  their  de- 
jected air,  to  have  taken  farewell  of  the  world,  and  didn't  think  it  worth 
while  attempting  to  live  any  longer ;  and  when  a  question  was  asked 
them,  it  was  with  great  reluctance  that  they  returned  an  answer,  and  if 
they  did  speak,  it  was  in  tones  so  faint  that  with  difficulty  they  could 
be  understood. 

Three  times  did  the  convict  stop  his  cart  to  supply  some  little  luxury 
to  the  invalids ;  and  while  he  declined  payment  for  his  refreshments,  it 
did  not  prevent  him  from  requesting  the  sick  men  to  say,  when  they 
reached  Melbourne,  that  they  had  been  befriended  by  himself.  We 
were  struck  by  this  peculiarity,  and  as  soon  as  the  teams  moved  on,  we 
resolved  to  inquire  the  reason. 

"  Why  are  you  so  particular  that  those  men  should  mention  your 
name  for  the  charities  that  you  perform  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

Smith  smiled,  but  it  was  of  the  melancholy  sort  of  mirth,  and  did 
not  come  from  his  heart.  He  hesitated,  as  though  considering  whether 
he  should  make  a  full  expression  or  reserve  his  confidence.  At  length 
he  said,  — 

"  I  told  you  that  I  was  sentenced  to  transportation  for  ten  years. 
Five  of  them  have  passed,  and  I  am  at  liberty  to  trade  on  my  own  ac- 
eount,  yet  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  remanded  back  to  my  old  station, 
and  work  worse  than  a  slave  on  the  docks,  or  at  any  menial  employment. 


A    GOLD    HUNTER'S    ADVENTURES.  2? 

I  have  so  far  managed  very  well.  I  have  saved  money,  and  own 
shares  in  the  Royal  Bank  of  Melbourne,  besides  two  good  nouses  that 
are  paying  me  a  large  percentage.  The  property  is  mine,  and  govern- 
ment cannot  touch  a  penny  of  it ;  yet  I  would  willingly  give  all  that  I 
possess  to  be  at  liberty  to  call  myself  a  free  man,  and  to  know  that  I 
am  no  longer  watched  by  those  in  power.  When  I  received  my  sen- 
tence I  determined  upon  the  course  I  would  adopt.  I  never  murmured 
at  my  work,  no  matter  how  disagreeable  it  was  —  I  was  respectful  and 
obedient,  and  after  a  year's  hardship  I  was  favorably  reported  at  head 
quarters,  and  was  then  allowed  to  live  with  a  man  who  kept  cattle,  and 
had  made  a  fortune  as  a  drover.  I  served  him  faithfully  for  two  years, 
and  upon  his  report  I  was  allowed  a  ticket  of  leave,  and  commenced 
business  for  myself.  I  am  comparatively  a  free  man ;  but  if  any  unfa- 
vorable report  should  be  heard  concerning  me,  farewell  to  my  present 
liberty.  For  five  long  years  I  should  be  used  like*a  brute,  and  before 
my  term  expired  I  should  be  in  a  felon's  grave ;  for  a  man  must  possess 
a  constitution  of  iron  to  endure  the  tasks  that  are  inflicted  upon  a  con- 
vict remanded  back  to  the  tender  mercies  of  overseers  whose  hearts  are 
harder  than  the  ball  and  chain  which  many  of  their  prisoners  wear." 

"  And  you  really  think  that  the  relief  you  afford  to  those  returned 
miners  will  be  heard  of,  and  that  it  will  mitigate  your  sentence  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  The  poor  fellows  will  go  to  the  hospital,  and  while  there 
I  shall  be  held  in  grateful  remembrance.  The  physician  will  hear  of  my 
name,  and  one  of  these  days  I  hope  to  receive  a  full  pardon.  But 
•whether  I  do  or  not,  I  shall  be  conscious  that  I  have  done  my  duty,  and 
in  some  measure  atoned  for  the  crime  that  I  committed." 

Smith  cracked  his  long  whip  to  let  the  oxen  know  that  he  was  not 
asleep,  and  the  cattle,  rousing  from  their  snail  pace  at  the  sound  of  the 
scourge,  accelerated  their  steps,  and  strained  at  their  yokes  as  though 
they  would  tear  them  from  their  necks. 

We  remained  silent  while  getting  over  a  mile  of  the  dusty  road ;  but, 
as  the  oxen  fell  into  their  slow  pace  again,  we  renewed  the  conversation. 

"  You  think  that  the  system  of  letting,  convicts  have  leave  tickets  is  a 
good  one,  then  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  In  some  cases  I  think  that  it  works  well ;  but  all  men  are  not  alike, 
and  while  some  play  the  hypocrite  and  profess  good  conduct,  others  are 
never  allowed  their  liberty  because  they  brood  over  their  past  life  so 
much  that  they  never  smile.  They  are  marked  as  sullen  and  discon- 
tented, and  are  worked  until  their  spirits  are  broken,  and  they  no  longer 
hope  for  freedom.  The  energy  and  enterprise  of  liberated  felons  have 
increased  the  trade  of  Australia  until  she  is  no  longer  a  burden  to  the 
mother  country,  and  I  hope,  before  I  die,  to  see  this  island  conducted  as 
an  independent  government.  It  would  bft  better  for  England,  and  I 
need  not  tell  you  how  much  better  it  would  be  for  us." 

"  Are  the  bushrangers,  that  we  hear  so  much  about,  really  dangerous 
fellows  to  meet  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  They  are  the  very  scum  of  the  great  cities  of  England  —  desperate 
men  who  are  usually  sentenced  for  life,  and  therefore  have  no  hope  of 
mercy ;  and  many  of  them  desire  none.  As  soon  as  they  can  eifect  an 
escape  they  do  so,  and  fleeing  to  the  wilds  of  the  island,  either  join  a 
band  of  ruffians  like  themselves,  or  else,  fearful  of  trusting  to  men  that 


24  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

are  as  treacherous  as  wolves,  will  roam  without  companions  for  many 
days,  living  upon  sheep,  which  are  easily  obtained  from  herds  without 
the  knowledge  of  the  shepherds,  and  very  often  with  their  consent,  to 
be  at  last  betrayed  and  shot  by  the  very  man  who  was  trusted  most. 
There  are  hundreds  of  them  upon  the  very  route  that  we  must  take, 
and  every  day  there  are  murders  and  robberies  committed,  and  all  the 
vigilance  of  the  guard,  who  escort  gold  dust  from  the  mines  to  Mel- 
bourne, is  necessary  to  insure  its  protection. 

"  Teams  like  our  own,  however,  are  most  attended  to,  and  if  we  should 
wake  up  in  the  night,  and  by  the  light  of  the  camp  fire  see  half  a  dozen 
ferocious-looking  fellows  standing  over  us,  it  would  be  better  to  let  them 
take  what  they  want,  and  go  their  way  in  peace,  than  to  trust  to  an 
appeal  to  arms  or  oppose  them.  Once  rouse  them  to  anger,  and  our 
lives  would  not  be  worth  a  sixpence;  for  they  think  no  more  of  shedding 
the  blood  of  a  man.-than  they  would  that  of  a  sheep." 

"  I  think  it  would  be  better  to  give  them  a  trial  than  be  robbed, 
especially  when  we  possess  weapons  like  these,"  cried  Fred,  touching 
his  revolver,  which  he  carried  in  a  belt  around  his  waist. 

Smith  looked  at  my  companion  for  a  moment  in  silence,  as  though 
trying  to  satisfy  himself  whether  Fred  was  in  earnest,  or  only  taJ'dng 
because  danger  was  remote. 

"  I've  carried  many  men  to  the  mines,"  he  said  at  length,  "  and  been 
robbed  some  half  a  dozen  times ;  but  I  always  found  that  while  my  pas- 
sengers were  firm  for  resistance  at  the  beginning  of  the  journey,  yet  at 
night  a  different  opinion  was  formed,  and  the  boldest  has  consented  to 
give  up  a  shirt  or  pair  of  boots  without  a  murmur." 

Fred  laughed  good  naturedly,  and  spoke  jestingly  in  reply. 

"That  was  because  you  never  freighted  Americans.  Englishmen 
may  consent  to  have  their  boots  pulled  off,  but  Yankees  would  be  apt 
to  remonstrate." 

"  I  hope  that  we  shall  have  no  occasion  to  test  your  courage,"  said 
Smith ;  "  but  if  we  meet  Black  Darnley,  I  shall  not  blame  you  for  keep- 
ing quiet." 

"  And  who  is  Black  Darnley  ?  "  we  asked. 

"An  escaped  convict,  who  has  been  at  large  for  three  years;  and,  in 
spite  of  the  two  hundred  pounds  reward,  no  one  has  ventured  to 
attempt  his  capture.  He  swears  that  he  will  never  be  taken  alive,  and 
he  will  keep  his  word.  He  has  no  fear  of  two  or  even  three  ordinary 
men,  for  he  possesses  the  strength  of  a  Hercules  and  the  desperation 
of  a  wounded  tiger.  Of  all  the  bushrangers  on  the  island,  he  is  the 
worst ;  and  yet  he  always  treats  me  well,  and  lets  me  pass  without  levy- 
ing toll,  for  he  and  I  are  old  acquaintances,  and  often  have  a  social  chat 
together  about  times  gone  by." 

"  Tell  us  where  you  first  met  him,"  we  said,  crowding  nearer  the  con- 
vict to  hear  his  story. 

"  Wait  until  we  halt  for  a  rest  and  feed  the  cattle.  Half  a  mile  from 
here  is  a  small  stream  of  water,  and  under  the  shade  of  some  trees  near 
at  hand,  we'll  boil  our  coffee,  and  then  I'll  tell  you  about  my  first  meet- 
ing with  Black  Darnley."* 

As  it  was  about  noon,  and  we  had  travelled  near  twelve  miles,  the 
proposed  halt  was  any  thing  but  disagreeable.  Besides,  the  sun  was 


A   GOLD    lIUNTKIt's    ADVENTURES.  25 

nearly  overhead,  burning  and  scorching  us  with  its  intense  rays,  and 
causing  the  oxen  to  protrude  their  tongues  and  drag  their  weary  feet 
along  as  though  they  hardly  possessed  life  enough  to  reach  the  water 
spoken  of. 

A  sharp  crack  of  Smith's  whip  and  the  cattle  started  into  life  again; 
and  as  he  continued  to  flourish  the  dreaded  lash  over  their  heads,  they 
kept  up  their  speed  until  we  reached  the  stream,  which  slowly  trickled 
through  dry  plains,  with  scorched  grass  and  withered  shrubs ;  but,  near 
the  banks  of  the  river,  which  during  the  rainy  season  became  a  mighty 
torrent,  green  trees  and  rank  grass  afforded  an  agreeable  shade  from  the 
burning  sun. 

The  cattle  were  unyoked,  and  allowed  to  wander  where  they  pleased, 
Smith  being  confident  of  finding  them  near  the  water  when  he  got 
re:idy  to  start. 

"  Black  Darnley,  as  he  is  called,  owing  to  his  swarthy  complexion," 
began  Smith,  after  a  fire  was  made,  and  water  for  the  coffee  started  to 
boiling,  "was  transported  in  the  same  ship  as  myself;  but  our  conduct 
during  the  passage  to  Australia  was  widely  different.  He  was  rebel- 
lious, and  I  docile.  He  was  half  the  time  wearing  irons,  and  when  free 
from  fetters  endeavoring  to  create  a  muti.iy.  I  never  meditated  any 
such  project,  and  threatened  one  time  to  disclose  his  plans  if  he  did  not 
give  them  up. 

"  He  swore  vengeance  against  me,  and  after  that  I  always  avoided 
him.  Six  different  times  during  the  passage  he  was  severely  flogged, 
and  when  that  was  found  to  have  no  effect,  he  was  starved  into  a  respect- 
ful demeanor ;  but  as  soon  as  he  had  recruited  his  exhausted  strength, 
he  would  again  commence  his  old  career  of  insolence,  and  once  more  be 
punished.  He  is  a  strong  man,  and  stands  nearly  six  feet  six,  with 
shoulders  broad  and  arms  covered  with  muscle,  while  not  a  pound  of 
surplus  flesh  is  on  his  body.  Before  he  committed  the  crime  for  which 
he  was  transported,  he  was  a  prize-fighter ;  but  having  lost  a  battle,  he 
turned  his  attention  to  house-breaking,  as  an  agreeable  diversion  from 
his  former  course  of  life.  He  was  betrayed  by  a  comrade,  and  sentenced 
for  fourteen  years.  He  will  never  live  to  see  his  sentence  expire ;  for, 
cunning  as  he  is,  his  day  of  capture  will  not  long  be  delayed. 

"  Upon  our  arrival  at  Sydney,  he  was  branded  with  a  black  mai'k 
against  his  name,  and  the  most  laborious  work  was  his  daily  task, 
besides  the  privilege  of  dragging  a  chain  and  ball  after  him.  He  man- 
aged to  secrete  a  knife  about  his  person  one  day,  and  when  the  guard 
the  next  morning  ordered  him  to  perform  some  heavy  work,  he  struck 
the  man  to  the  heart  with  his  weapon,  broke  his  chain,  and  fled. 

"  A  horse  standing  near  the  dock  where  he  was  employed,  he  mounted, 
and  escaping  the  shower  of  balls  that  flew  after  him,  and  defying  all 
opposition,  he  reached  the  wilds  of  Australia. 

"  It  was  a  bold  strike  for  liberty,  and  only  one  time  in  a  thousand 
could  it  be  achieved. 

"  Before  he.  effected  his  escape  I  had  been  taken  into  the  service  of  a 
man  who  owned  large  herds  of  sheep,  and  on  one  of  his  immense 
tracts  of  land  was  I  stationed  to  look  after  a  flock  of  nearly  ten  thou- 
sand. I  in  fact  became  a  stockman,  and  lived  a  solitary  We,  with  no  one 

3 


26  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

to  speak  to  unless  it  was  to  those  who  brought  me  a  few  necessary  arti- 
cles once  a  month,  and  then  departed  to  supply  other  stations. 

"  I  was  not  discontented  with  my  lot,  and  yet  at  times  I  longed  to  see 
a  human  face  and  hear  a  voice  speak  in  my  native  tongue.  I  used  to 
receive  visits  occasionally  from  the  miserable  natives,  who  hang  around 
a  sheep  station  ;  but  as  I  never  encouraged  their  intrusions,  and  watched 
their  doings  with  a  sharp  eye,  they  generally  avoided  me.  Twice  they 
tried  to  murder  me,  but  I  was  wary  and  escaped. 

"  The  hut  in  which  I  lived  was  built  of  logs,  plastered  on  the  outside 
with  clay  to  keep  out  the  rain,  ana  contained  one  room,  with  a  fireplace, 
a  bed  made  of  sheep  skins,  a  table  and  two  stools.  The  door  was  a 
•tout  one,  made  expressly  to  resist  a  siege  in  case  the  natives  grew 
vicious,  and  was  secured  on  the  inside  by  a  large  bar. 

"  I  have  been  thus  particular  in  my  description  of  my  habitation, 
because  one  night,  when  the  rain  was  pouring  down  in  torrents,  and  the 
wind  beat  against  the  hut  as  though  it  would  take  it  from  its  foundation, 
I  was  startled  by  hearing  a  loud  knock  at  the  door. 

"  I  had  been  sitting  before  the  fire  for  a  long  time,  trying  to  picture 
out  my  future  life,  for  my  past  was  already  too  well  known,  when  the 
summons  disturbed  me.  I  started  to  my  feet,  and  sought  the  door, 
where  my  dog  was  already  snuffing  and  uttering  angry  growls,  as  though 
suspicious  that  the  person  on  the  outside  was  not  exactly  such  a  guest 
as  his  master  would  wish  for  in  that  lonely  habitation.  While  I  was 
uncertain  what  to  do,  another  knock,  louder  than  the  first,  startled  the 
dog  into  a  howl ;  but  I  hushed  his  noise,  and  taking  down  my  gun,  that 
hung  over  my  bed,  I  asked  what  was  wanted. 

"  '  In  the  name  of  God  give  me  shelter,'  cried  a  voice  that  I  thought 
I  recognized,  although  I  could  not  call  to  mind  where  I  had  heard  it. 

"  '  Who  are  you  ? '  I  asked. 

"'A  stranger  who  has  been  to  various  stations  for  the  purpose  of 
buying  cattle,  and  has  lost  his  way.  Give  me  shelter  for  the  night,  and 
God  will  reward  you.' 

"  The  latter  part  of  the  solicitation  sounded  as  though  uttered  in  a 
hypocritical  tone,  and  I  was  undecided  whether  to  comply  with  the 
request,  or  send  him  to  the  next  station,  about  ten  miles  distant.  A 
fresh  gust  of  wind  influenced  me ;  I  slipped  off  the  bar  and  opened  the 
door;  but  next  moment  I  would  have  given  all  the  sheep  under  my 
charge  to  have  had  my  guest  where  he  was  five  minutes  previous,  with 
the  oak  bar  across  the  door;  for  by  the  flickering  fire  that  blazed  upon 
the  hearth  I  saw  that  my  visitor  was  Black  Darnley. 

"  He  was  greatly  altered  since  I  had  seen  him  last.  His  clothes  hung 
fn  tatters  about  his  body,  while  his  large  feet  were  shoeless  and  bleeding 
profusely ;  but  the  fire  of  his  black  eyes  was  unquenchcd,  and  the  bony 
iorm,  still  upright  in  (ipite  of  the  hard  labor  to  which  he  had  been  sub- 
jected, gave  assurance,  to  my  dismay,  that  he  still  possessed  his  giant 
strength. 

"  The  instant  he  entered  the  hut  he  closely  scrutinized  my  face,  and 
then  cast  hurried  glances  around  the  room  to  see  if  I  were  alone.  Sat- 
isfied that  I  was,  he  strode  to  the  fire,  and  seated  himself  near  its  cheer- 
ful blaze. 

"'I  have  seen  your  face  somewhere,'  he  said,  looking  at  me  keenly. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  27 

" '  I  should  think  you  would  remember  it,'  I  replied,  '  for  we  were 
both  passengers  in  the  same  ship.' 

"  He  started  up  with  a  fearful  oath,  and  would  have  rushed  upon  me; 
but  I  brought  my  gun  to  my  shoulder,  and  kept  him  at  bay. 

" '  I  remember  you  now,'  he  said,  and  seemed  inclined  to  dash  at  me 
in  spite  of  the  weapon  which  I  held  in  my  hand.  '  You  are  the  one  that 
threatened  to  betray  me  when  I  wished  to  take  the  ship.  I  swore  to 
have  your  life  for  your  cowardice ;  but  I  retract  the  oath,  and  now  let  us 
be  friends.  Give  me  shelter,  and  something  to  eat,  and  to-morrow  I 
will  leave  you  for  a  distant  station.' 

" '  You  are  deceiving  me,'  I  said,  still  retaining  my  hold  of  the  gun, 
and  looking  at  him  suspiciously. 

" '  No,  by ,  I'm  not,'  Darnley  cried,  with  a  look  of  sincerity : 

'  here,  let  me  prove  it.  Ten  days  ago  I  murdered  one  of  the  guards, 
and  fought  my  way  to  this  part  of  the  country  in  hopes  of  joining  a  gang 
of  bushrangers.  Since  that  time  I  have  been  pursued  and  hunted  like 
a  wild  beast ;  but  they  haven't  captured  Black  Darnley  yet.' 

"  He  laughed  triumphantly  as  he  spoke,  and  thought  of  the  long 
chase  that  he  had  given  the  police  of  Sydney. 

" '  You  are  a  strong  man,  much  stronger  than  myself,  and  if  I  am 
upon  an  equal  footing  with  you,  could  crush  me  as  easily  as  an  eggshell.' 

"  I  still  retained  my  hold  of  the  gun,  but  I  no  longer  covered  his  huge 
body  with  its  barrel. 

"  '  Look  at  me  ! '  he  said,  baring  his  arms,  which  were  shrunken,  and 
holding  them  up  for  my  inspection.  '  For  three  days  I've  not  tasted 
food,  or  closed  my  eyes  in  sleep.  I've  run  and  skulked  from  tree  to 
tree  during  that  time,  and  heard  the  tramping  of  horses  as  the  police- 
men strove  to  follow  my  trail.  I  am  weak,  exhausted,  and  a  child  could 
overcome  me  now.' 

"  '  But  after  your  strength  is  recruited,  you  may  act  the  part  of  a  ser- 
pent, and  sting  the  one  that  warmed  you  into  life,'  I  answered,  half 
resolved  to  trust  him. 

" '  I  don't  blame  you  for  your  suspicions,'  he  cried,  moodily,  seating 
himself  by  the  fire  again,  and  holding  his  hands  towards  the  blaze  to  dry 
his  ragged  shirt.  '  I  am  defenceless,  and  you  hold  a  loaded  gun.  Dis- 
charge its  contents  into  my  body,  and  then  go  and  obtain  a  full  pardon 
from  government  for  the  murder  of  Black  Darnley.' 

"  He  bowed  his  head  and  sat  scowling  at  the  fire,  as  though  he  cared 
not  what  became  of  him,  and  was  rather  anxious,  than  otherwise,  that  I 
should  end  his  career  of  crime. 

" '  I'll  trust  you,'  I  said,  replacing  my  gun  over  the  bed  and  taking  a 
seat  beside  him,  and  I  did  so  with  perfect  confidence. 

"  '  Your  clothes  are  wet  and  ragged,'  I  remarked,  after  a  few  moments' 
silence,  (luring  which  he  did  not  remove  his  eyes  from  the  fire. 

"  '  A  starving  man  cares  but  little  about  his  dress,'  he  answered,  glan- 
cing over  his  ragged  suit,  and  stooping  to  wipe  the  gravel  from  his 
bloody  feet. 

"  '  You  shall  have  all  that  you  want  to  eat,'  I  answered ;  and  I  hastily 
put  a  kettle  of  water  upon  the  fire  to  make  him  a  cup  of  tea,  and  then 
laid  upon  the  table  nearly  the  whole  carcass  of  a  lamb  which  I  had 
roasted  that  day.  He  still  sat  by  the  fire  and  gazed  at  the  flames  as 


28  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

though  he  read  his  past  life  amid  the  coals  that  glowed  upon  the  hearth, 
and  was  trying  to  read  the  future.  I  went  to  my  small  stock  of  cloth- 
ing and  took  out  a  flannel  shirt  and  pair  of  trousers,  much  the  worse 
for  wear,  but  still  warm  and  dry. 

" '  Strip  off  your  wet  garments,'  I  said,  '  and  accept  of  these.' 

"  He  started,  and  looked  me  full  in  the  face,  as  though  reading  my 
thoughts. 

" '  I  have  wronged  you,'  he  cried,  while  doing  as  I  directed.  '  I 
thought  when  I  proposed  to  take  the  ship,  that  you  were  a  coward, 
because  you  refused  to  join  me.  You  are  a  braver  man  than  myself.' 

" '  It  was  because  I  knew  that  certain  death  not  only  awaited  you  and 
I,  hut  half  of  those  who  were  not  aware  of  the  plot.  The  innocent 
and  guilty  would  have  been  massacred  without  mercy  by  our  task-mas- 
ters.' 

" '  But  .we  could  have  slain  half  a  dozen  of  them  before  dying  our- 
selves,' he  exclaimed,  with  a  touch  of  his  old  fierceness,  and  a  wave  of 
his  long  arms,  as  though,  even  then,  weak  as  he  was,  he  would  like  to 
strangle  his  oppressors.  I  made  no  reply,  but  assisted  him  to  dress;  and 
after  he  had  squeezed  his  body  into  my  clothes,  which  were  two  sizes  too 
small  for  him,  the  water  on  the  fire  boiled,  and  I  made  a  strong  cup  of 
tea,  and  then  bade  him  eat  to  repletion.  He  needed  no  second  invita- 
tion, but  fell  to  work  like  a  wild  animal,  and  craunched  bones  and  flesh 
between  his  strong  teeth  in  such  a  ravenous  manner  that  I  had  expecta- 
tions of  his  choking  himself;  and  I  don't  know  that  I  should  have 
been  sorry  if  he  had.  The  lamb  rapidly  disappeared,  but  not  until 
every  bone  was  picked,  and  half-eaten,  did  he  evince  that  he  was  satis- 
fied, and  again  drew  towards  the  fire,  into  which  he  continued  to  gaze 
until  he  began  to  nod  with  weariness. 

" '  You  are  sleepy,'  I  said.  '  Occupy  my  bed  to-night,  and  I'll  sit  by 
the  fire.' 

"  '  The  floor  will  do  for  me.  Give  me  a  sheep-skin  and  let  me  stretch 
myself  before  the  fire.' 

"  Finding  that  be  was  resolved  not  to  deprive  me  of  the  bed,  I  spread 
half  a  dozen  skins  upon  the  hearth,  and  giving  him  a  pipe  well  filled 
with  tobacco,  retired  to  my  couch,  and  lay  watching  his  huge  form  by 
the  faint  flicker  of  the  fire,  which  had  begun  to  grow  dim. 

"  In  a  few  minutes  Darnley's  head,  which  he  had  supported  upon  his 
hand,  sank  upon  his  pillow ;  the  pipe  dropped  from  his  mouth,  and  by 
his  heavy  breathing  I  knew  that  he  slept.  Wicked  thoughts  Jhen 
crowded  upon  my  mind.  Within  my  reach  was  a  gun,  well  charged 
with  slugs,  and  there,  lying  upon  the  hearth,  was  an  escaped  convict, 
whose  life  was  forfeited  by  the  laws  of  Australia,  and  pardon  and  offi- 
cial patronage  granted  to  any  man  that  shed  his  blood.  Nay,  more,  I 
had  the  means  of  purchasing  my  freedom  by  exhibiting  proofs  that  I 
had  taken  his  life,  and  I  thought  of  the  many  years  that  must  elapse 
before  my  term  would  expire. 

"  I  reached  towards  the  gun,  and  considered  that  I  should  but  do  my 
duty  in  slaying  him  as  he  lay ;  but  other  thoughts  succeeded,  and  I  now 
thank  God  that  my  hands  are  not  stained  with  the  blood  of  a  man  who 
trusted  to  my  goodness  of  heart.  I  fell  asleep  during  my  meditations, 
and  when  1  awoke,  Darnley  was  still  sleeping  in  front  of  the  cold  fire, 
place. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  29 

0 1  moved  about  the  room  as  gently  as  possible,  and  tried  to  avoid 
awakening  him ;  but  while  I  was  endeavoring  to  kindle  a  fire,  he  sud- 
denly started  up,  his  countenance  inflamed  with  passion,  and  his  deep- 
set  eyes  glaring  like  those  of  a  tiger. 

" '  I'll  never  be  taken  alive,'  he  shouted,  throwing  his  huge  form  upon 
mine,  and  crushing  me  to  the  ground  with  his  weight,  while  his  hand 
sought  my  throat  which  was  compressed  in  his  grasp  until  my  eyes 
started  nearly  from  their  sockets. 

"  In  his  half-awakened  madness  I  should  have  been  strangled,  had  it 
not  been  for  my  dog,  that  flew  at  his  leg,  and  inflicted  a  savage  bite  that 
caused  Darnley  to  relinquish  his  hold  and  turn  upon  the  brute ;  but  by 
the  time  that  he  had  staggered  to  his  feet,  he  awakened  to  his  situation, 
and  became  calm  and  penitent,  and  asked  my  pardon  a  dozen  times  for 
his  mistake.  I  forgave  him,  but  resolved  to  keep  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance the  next  time  he  slept. 

"  I  gave  him  a  hearty  breakfast,  and  when  he  got  ready  to  leave  placed 
a  pair  of  sheep-skin  shoes  upon  his  feet ;  but  all  my  arguments  did  not 
induce  him  to  accept  of  the  garments  that  belonged  to  me,  as  he  feared 
that  in  case  he  was  taken  they  would  be  traced  and  involve  me  in 
trouble.  It  was  considerate  in  him  certainly,  b.ut  from  that  day  to  this 
he  has  baffled  all  attempts  at  capture ;  but  how  much  longer  he  will  be 
permitted  to  go  at  large  is  only  known  to  God." 

"  And  did  he  ever  pay  you  another  visit  at  the  hut  ? "  I  askbd,  as 
Smith  paused. 

"  Quite  frequently ;  but  he  always  came  alone,  and  would  not  allow 
one  of  the  gang  whom  he  gathered  about  him  to  molest  my  flocks.  I 
saw  him  on  my  last  trip  to  the  mines,  and  he  tried  to  bribe  me  to  pur- 
chase him  a  pair  of  revolvers ;  but  I  refused,  and  he  left  me  without  a 
word  of  reproach." 

It  was  nearly  four  o'clock  when  Smith  finished  his  account  of  the 
oushranger ;  and  as  the  heat  was  not  so  oppressive  as  at  noon,  we  de- 
cided to  travel  eight  or  ten  miles  farther  that  evening,  before  we  camped 
for  the  night. 

The  oxen  were  found,  driven  towards  the  cart,  and  yoked  ;  and,  with 
many  a  sharp  crack  of  the  stockman's  whip,  we  crossed  the  stream,  and 
once  more  pursued  our  way  towards  Ballarat. 


CHAPTER    III. 

TRAVELLING  IN  AUSTRALIA.  —  AN  ADVENTURE  WITH  SNAKES. — CAR- 
RYING THE  MAILS. 

DURING  the  rainy  season  in  Australia,  the  roads  leading  to  the  mines 
are  almost  impassable,  as  the  soil  is  light  and  the  water  easily  penetrates 
to  a  great  depth.  Teams,  with  half  a  dozen  yoke  of  cattle,  can  scarcely 
draw  a  heavy  cart,  as  the  brutes  sink  to  their  knees  in  mud  at  every 

3* 


80  V-1*M£    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

step,  and  the  wheeis  of  the  vehicle  are  buried  to  the  axletree  most  of 
the  time.  Five  or  ten  miles  per  day  is  as  great  a  distance  as  animals 
can  travel ;  and  even  at  that  rate  it  is  quite  common  for  the  oxen  to 
give  out,  and  be  left  by  the  roadside,  a  prey  for  dogs  and  other  wild 
animals. 

The  natives  cf  the  island,  —  for  the  race  bears  no  resemblance 
to  that  class  of  people  to  whom  we  are  wont  to  ascribe  an  elastic 
step,  a  noble  bearing,  and  undaunted  courage  —  have  been  known  to  fol- 
low a  team  for  twenty-four  hours,  expressly  for  the  purpose  of  picking 
the  bones  of  an  ox  which  they  imagined  would  soon  give  out ;  and  when 
the  poor  brute  is  left  to  die,  they  crowd  upon  him  like  vultures,  and 
hack  off  huge  strips  of  quivering  flesh  before  his  breath  has  departed. 

In  the  summer  season,  when  no  rain  falls  to  lay  the  dust  or  irrigate 
the  earth,  the  streams,  which,  during  the  winter,  are  like  mountain  tor- 
rents, and  sweep  every  thing  opposed  to  them  towards  the  ocean,  become 
puny  little  rivulets,  and  as  the  summer  advances,  disappear  altogether 
from  sight,  and  nothing  but  deep  gulches  mark  the  spot  where  but  a 
few  months  before  a  large  body  of  water  flowed. 

Then  the  roads  become  hard,  and  dry,  and  the  light  earth,  pulverized 
by  the  numerous  wheels  which  are  continually  passing  over  it,  ij  taken 
up  by  the  hot  winds  and  whirled  along  the  vast  plains,  obscuring  the 
sight  as  effectually  as  though  there  was  a  deep  eclipse.  The  eyes  and 
nostrils  of  the  traveller  become  irritated  by  the  fine  particles,  and  the  dust 
is  sifted  into  his  ears  and  mouth.  The  latter  gets  coated  with  dust,  and 
all  moisture  is  denied  the  palate.  Vainly  the  tongue  is  rolled  from  side 
to  side  to  check  the  burning  thirst,  until  at  last  the  member  gets  so 
swollen  that  it  becomes  incapable  of  motion,  and  then,  unless  relief  is 
soon  afforded,  death  ensues.  Water,  slimy,  stagnant  water,  is  drank 
with  as  much  eagerness  as  a  glass  of  iced  Cochituate  in  summer. 

The  various  sink  holes  with  which  the  prairies  abound  are  drained  of 
their  contents,  and  if  the  traveller  is  unacquainted  with  a  mii>er's  life,  he 
does  not  wait  until  the  liquid  is  strained  and  boiled,  and  thus  relieved 
of  many  of  its  bad  properties,  but  swallows  a  large  quantity  of  the  nau- 
seous filth,  and  for  many  days  after  repents  of  his  folly.  He  that  drinks 
at  a  sink  hole,  and  suffers  long  and  repeated  attacks  of  fever  and  ague, 
or  dysentery,  in  consequence,  learns  to  avoid  it  in  future. 

As  Fred  and  myself  were  old  miners,  and  had  tramped  over  a  large 
portion  of  California,  and  knew  the  dangers  of  such  indulgence,  we 
were  not  likely  to  be  caught ;  although  we  had  a  good  guide  with  us  in 
the  person  of  the  convict,  who  really  appeared  to  take  an  interest  in  our 
welfare,  and  gave  us  much  friendly  advice. 

The  sun  did  not  set  for  three  hours  after  we  started,  on  the  afternoon 
that  we  crossed  the  gulch ;  and  while  we  found  the  heat  growing  less 
oppressive,  we  certainly  did  not  feel  much  refreshed  by  its  disappear- 
ance, as  our  legs,  unaccustomed  for  many  days  to  long  walks,  began  to 
grow  stiff,  while  blisters  formed  upon  our  feet  and  galled  us  extremely. 

We  would  have  given  a  small  sum  to  have  been  enabled  to  halt  for 
the  night ;  but  pride  prevented  us  from  asking  Smith  to  do  so.  We 
were  fearful  that  he  would  laugh  at  us,  and  we  had  our  reputation  as 
Americans  at  heart  too  much  to  let  him  think  that  we  were  failing  even 
on  the  first  day  from  Melbourne.  But  as  mile  after  mile  of  ground  was 
got  over,  we  could  keep  silent  no  longer. 


A  GOLD  HUNTKK'S  ADVENTURES.  31 

"  How  much  farther  do  you  intend  going  before  camping  for  the 
night  ?  "  I  asked  of  the  convict  in  a  careless  sort  of  way,  although  I 
could  hardly  prevent  limping. 

"  Feel  tired  ?  "  he  inquired,  with  a  grin. 

"  O,  no,"  I  answered,  with  an  indifferent  air. 

"  Well,  as  you  are  not  tired,  and  night  is  the  best  time  to  travel,  sup- 
pose we  keep  on  until  daylight  ?  " 

"  I'll  be if  I  do,"  broke  in  Fred.  "  I've  got  a  great  blister 

now,  on  my  great  toe,  bigger  than  a  silver  dollar,  and  my  boot  seems 
inclined  to  raise  others.  I'll  tell  you  what  it  is,  Smith,  for  the  last  two 
months  we've  been  on  shipboard,  and  not  walked  five  miles  during  that 
time,  and  if  you  think  we  can  compete  with  you  as  a  pedestrian,  you  are 
mistaken." 

Fred  jerked  out  his  words  as  though  each  step  he  took  cost  him  an 
immense  amount  of  pain,  and  I've  no  doubt  it  did.  The  convict  laughed 
silently,  and  relieved  his  feelings  by  cracking  his  long  whip,  bringing 
the  end  of  the  lash  to  bear  with  great  precision  upon  the  flanks  of  the 
leading  yoke  of  cattle,  which  testified  their  appreciation  of  his  attention 
by  kicking  at  the  heads  of  those  following ;  and  as  such  playful  amuse- 
ment was  calculated  to  inspire  vitality  in  the  animals,  they  started  off 
with  renewed  speed,  and  Fred  and  myself,  with  many  groans,  limped 
after. 

"  I  can't  stand  this,"  cried  my  companion,  after  a  few  minutes'  brisk 
walk.  "  My  feet  are  raw,  and  getting  worse  every  moment.  I'll  try  an 
experiment." 

He  sat  down  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  and  while  the  team  rolled  on, 
jerked  off  his  boots  and  stockings,  and  declared,  as  we  hastened  to 
overtake  Smith,  that  he  felt  he  could  walk  all  night,  and  that  hereafter 
he  would  go  barefooted. 

"  Well,"  cried  Smith,  as  we  reached  the  team,  "  how  do  you  feel 
now?" 

"  Fresh  as  a  daisy,"  returned  Fred,  clapping  his  boots  together  as 
though  they  were  a  pair  of  cymbals. 

"  What  have  you  got  in  your  hands  ? "  asked  Smith ;  for,  it  being 
already  dark,  it  was  hard  to  distinguish  objects  at  a  short  distance. 

"  My  boots,"  cried  Fred,  triumphantly. 

"  Are  you  barefooted  ?  "  asked  the  convict  in  surprise. 

«  Yes." 

"  Then  if  you  value  your  life,  put  on  your  boots  again,  and  keep  them 
on  as  long  as  you  are  in  the  mines.  You  are  liable  at  any  moment  to 
step  upon  a  poisonous  snake ;  and  if  bitten,  no  power  on  earth  can  save 
you.  The  natives  pretend  to  cure  bites,  but  I  have  some  doubts  on  the 
subject." 

Smith  spoke  seriously,  and  as  there  might  be  much  truth  in  what  he 
said,  Fred  willingly  complied,  although  he  groaned  with  pain  as  he  drew 
on  his  boots,  and  once  more  hobbled  along  beside  the  team. 

"  About  three  months  ago,  I  was  freighting  a  party  up  to  the  mines," 
said  Smith,  "  and  a  youngster  became  foot-sore.  He  took  off  his  boots, 
although  I  told  him  there  was  danger  of  treading  upon  snakes  in  the 
dark.  He  laughed  at  me ;  but  before  his  mirth  had  ceased,  he  uttered  a 
yell,  and  sprang  wildly  towards  the  team,  which  I  had  suffered  to  get  a 
little  in  advance. 


32  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  When  he  started,  I  suspected  the  cause,  and  groping  carefully  about 
in  the  dust  with  my  whip,  soon  discovered  a  small  snake,  not  larger  hi 
circumference  than  my  lash,  but  which  I  readily  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  poisonous  in  the  country.  The  natives  call  them  capi-ni-els,  or  what 
signifies  little  devils.  As  the  impudent  scamp  was  hissing  and  darting 
out  his  tongue  at  me,  I  gave  him  a  blow  on  the  head,  ground  him  into 
powder  with  the  heel  of  my  boot,  and  then  passed  on  to  overtake  the 
team. 

"  It  had  got  some  distance  from  me ;  but  before  I  reached  it,  my  young 
passenger  could  no  longer  walk,  and_  by  the  time  I  had  checked  the 
oxen,  he  had  swollen  to  twice  his  usual  size,  and  was  lying  panting  by 
the  side  of  the  road,  incapable  of  moving  or  speaking.  I  got  a  large 
quantity  of  brandy  down  his  throat ;  but  it  had  no  effect,'  and  in  twenty 
minutes'  time  he  was  a  dead  man.  We  buried  him  where  he  fell, 
and  I'll  show  you  his  grave  when  we  reach  it." 

"  I  for  one  shall  take  good  care  to  keep  my  boots  on,"  I  replied,  after 
the  convict  had  finished  his  story. 

"  Why  do  they  frequent  a  road  in  preference  to  other  pai  ts  ?  "  asked 
Fred,  who  seemed  to  have  almost  forgotten  his  lameness,  while  listening 
to  Smith's  yarn. 

"  Because  the  light  dust  over  which  we  are  passing  retains  the  heat  of 
the  sun  longer  than  the  soil  by  the  road.  Snakes  are  fond  of  dragging 
their  forms  over  it,  as  it  is  soft,  and  keeps  them  warm  during  the  night. 
I  have  known  teams  to  be  stopped,  and  obliged  to  seek  a  route  on  the 
prairie,  simply  because  a  large  number  of  snakes  were  not  disposed  to 
yield  the  right  of  way. 

"  The  first  load  that  I  ever  carried  to  the  mines,  and  when  I  was 
anxious  to  make  as  much  money  as  possible  in  a  very  short  space  of 
time,  I  was  stopped  in  this  same  way.  I  was  jogging  along  one  night, 
all  alone,  and  urging  my  oxen  to  their  utmost  speed,  when  all  at  once 
the  leaders  shied  out  from  the  road,  and  then  stopped.  I  cracked  my 
whip,  and  roared  at  them  frantically,  but  it  was  of  no  use. 

"  Forward  they  would  not  budge,  and  at  last  they  fairly  turned,  and 
•were  making  very  good  time  towards  Melbourne ;  but  I  soon  stopped 
that  game,  and  once  more  got  them  headed  the  way  I  wanted  them  to  go. 
When  they  arrived  at  the  spot  at  which  they  had  balked  a  few  minutes 
before,  they  went  through  with  the  same  antics,  and  then  I  thought  it 
best  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  Walking  forward,  I  was  saluted  with 
a  hissing  sound,  that  greatly  resembled  the  noise  which  an  enraged 
gander  emits  when  a  stranger  trespasses  upon  his  brood. 

"  I  paused  for  a  moment,  and  tried  to  discover,  through  the  darkness, 
what  occasioned  the  noise,  but  could  not,  although  I  thought  I  saw  some- 
thing moving  not  far  from  me.  i  retreated,  quieted  my  cattle,  took  my 
lantern  and  gun,  and  walked  back  to  the  spot.  By  the  light  of  the 
candle  I  saw  about  half  a  bushel  of  snakes,  coiled  up  in  a  heap,  and  all 
alive  with  rage  at  being  disturbed.  I  hardly  knew  what  to  do.  There 
they  were,  and  gave  no  indications  of  leaving  the  road ;  and  I  no  longer 
wondered  at  the  reluctance  of  the  oxen  in  refusing  to  pass  over  them. 
Had  they  done  so,  it  is  very  probable  I  should  have  lost  every  one  of  the 
animals,  for  they  could  not  have  escaped  being  bitten ;  and  then  they 
would  have  died  in  a  few  hours,  and  I  should  have  suffered  a  great 
pecuniary  loss. 


A  GOLD  HUNTSE'S  ADVSNTUEES.  35 

"  I  had  a  quantity  of  fine  shot  in  my  wagon-box,  which  I  used  for  small 
birds.  I  drew  the  charge  I  had  in  the  gun,  and  instead  of  a  bullet,  put 
in  about  a  handful  of  the  shot,  and  then  setting  my  lantern  as  near  the 
mass  of  snakes  as  I  dared  venture,  I  retreated  a  few  paces,  and  taking 
deliberate  aim,  fired  at  them. 

"  The  charge  made  dreadful  havoc,  and  dozens  of  them  were  killed 
and  cast  out  of  the  heap  by  those  unharmed  ;  but  instead  of  causing 
them  to  escape  to  the  prairie,  they  only  seemed  more  determined  to  dis- 
pute the  right  of  way,  and  hissed  and  ran  out  their  thin,  forked  tongues 
as  though  defying  me  to  do  my  worst.  Their  eyes  sparkled  like  pre- 
cious stones,  and  by  the  light  of  the  lantern  I  could  see  them  change, 
as  they  moved  their  position  to  face  me,  and  assume  a  hundred  different 
hues.  It  was  a  terrible  and  fascinating  sight,  and  for  a  few  minutes  I 
stood  and  watched  them  twist  and  writhe  themselves  into  a  thousand 
different  shapes.  Seeing  that  I  should  have  to  make  a  regular  business 
at  slaughtering  them,  I  went  to  work  after  a  while,  and  poured  volley 
after  volley  into  the  mass,  until  not  more  than  half  a  dozen  escaped 
alive. 

"  Even  after  they  were  dead  I  could  not  get  my  cattle  along  the  road, 
until  I  had  first  taken  a  shovel  and  thrown  the  bodies  a  considerable 
distance  from  the  spot.  I  never  saw  such  a  large  collection  of  serpents 
before,  and  I  have  often  wondered  why  they  were  gathered  in  such  a 
mass." 

"  Have  you  ever  arrived  at  any  conclusion?"  I  asked. 

"  I  have  thought  that  they  expected  an  attack  from  some  enemy  of 
the  serpent  tribe,  and  so  formed  themselves  into  that  shape  for  re- 
sistance." 

While  Smith  was  speaking,  we' heard  a  team  behind  us  that  appeared 
to  be  tearing  along  at  a  rapid  rate ;  and  even  before  we  could  discover 
its  outlines,  we  distinguished  the  cracking  of  a  whip  as  though  the 
driver  was  anxious  to  see  how  many  times  he  could  snap  it  in  a 
minute. 

"  I  hear  you,"  muttered  Smith,  driving  his  oxen  to  one  side  of  the 
road,  and  stopping  them.  "  There  is  no  occasion  for  you  to  make  so 
much  noise  to  let  people  know  that  you  are  coming." 

Even  while  Smith  was  grumbling,  a  light-bodied  cart,  with  lamps  on 
each  side,  drawn  by  a  span  of  horses,  and  driven  by  a  man  who  wore 
a  sort  of  uniform,  whizzed  past  us,  and  by  the  side  of  the  team  rode 
two  soldiers,  dressed  in  the  livery  of  England.  They  were  out  of  sight 
in  a  moment,  but  they  threw  a  jest  at  us  as  they  passed,  and  before 
Smith  could  reply,  the  soldiers  were  lost  to  view. 

"  A  hard  time  you  have  of  it,"  cried  Smith,  as  he  started  his  team 
again. 

"  Who  are  they?  "  we  asked. 

"  That  is  a  government  team,  and  carries  the  mail  between  Melbourne 
and  Ballarat.  Day  and  night  they  are  upon  the  move,  and  only  stop 
long  enough  to  change  horses  and  escort.  To-morrow  at  this  time  the 
miners  will  be  in  possession  of  their  letters  and  papers,  and  I  need  not 
tell  you  how  anxiously  news  is  looked  for  from  home." 

"  But  are  we  to  keep  on  day  and  night  until  we  reach  Ballarat  ?  * 
asked  Fred. 


34  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OK 

X 

"  No,"  replied  Smith,  touching  up  his  cattle.  "  Do  you  see  yonder 
li^ht  far  ahead  ?  "  he  cried,  pointing  with  his  whip. 

«  Yes." 

'"  Well,  at  that  light  we'll  prepare  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  sleep  until 
morning.  Cheer  up  ;  it's  only  a  mile  distant,  and  there  is  where  you 
will  get  your  first  view  of  the  natives  of  Australia." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

EATING   BROILED   KANGAROO  MEAT.  —  AUSTRALIAN   SPEARS    AND 
AMERICAN  RIFLES. 

THE  natives  of  Australia  are  remarkable  for  the  slight  quantity  of 
clothing  which  they  wear,  and  the  thinness  of  their  limbs.  Their  dross 
consists  of  a  dirty  piece  of  cloth,  or  skin  of  kangaroo,  tied  about  their 
waists,  leaving  the  upper  and  lower  parts  of  their  bodies  naked.  Their 
color  is  a  dingy  black,  although  what  exact  shade  they  would  represent 
were  they  washed  quite  clean  is  a  matter  of  conjecture.  A  more  filthy 
race  of  beings  I  never  saw ;  and  if  we  adopt  the  hypothetical  theory  of 
eminent  medical  gentlemen,  that  when  the  pores  of  the  skin  are  closed, 
and  perspiration  ceases  to  flow,  the  patient  dies,  then  the  natives  in 
Australia  should,  according  to  that  reasoning,  have  all  been  under 
ground  years  ago ;  for  I  am  confident  that  during  my  residence  on  the 
island,  I  never  saw  one  guilty  of  ablution,  or  manifest  the  slightest 
anxiety  to  mingle  a  little  water  with  their  dirt. 

With  grease  upon  their  faces,  filling  their  long  black  hfiir,  shining 
upon  their  hands,  and  smeared  upon  their  bodies,  they  are  as  disgust- 
ing a  race  as  can  be  found  upon  the  globe ;  and  after  a  brief  survey  of 
their  huts  and  habits,  men  of  a  cleanly  nature  never  desire  to  see  them 
more.  Their  limbs  bear  about  as  great  a  proportion  to  their  bodies  as 
the  stem  of  a  pipe  to  the  bowl ;  and  to  see  them  walking,  is  apt  to  sug- 
gest an  idea  that  th"ir  legs  were  never  intended  to  carry  their  frames. 
The  latter  part  of  their  bodies  presents  a  protuberance,  even  in  the 
youngsters,  caused  by  their  inordinate  gluttonous  nature,  which  prompts 
them,  when  fortunate  enough  to  have  killed  game,  to  gorge  themselves 
to  repletion,  as  though  they  never  expected  to  eat  again,  and  were  de- 
termined to  -fill  their  stomachs  even  if  they  burst. 

We  soon  saw  a  party  of  natives  of  this  description  seated  around  a 
fire,  black  with  dirt,  and  gorged  with  the  flesh  of  a  kangaroo.  The 
stockman,  Smith,  was  busy  with  his  team,  and  had  declined  our  assist- 
ance, as  he  saw  that  we  were  tired  and  nearly  exhausted  with  travel. 
Telling  us  to  go  to  the  fire  and  see  how  we  liked  the  looks  of  the  na- 
tives, we  followed  his  advice,  and  walked  towards  them.  There  were 
ten  or  twelve  of  them  huddled  together  in  a  circle,  squatted  upon  their 
haunches,  each  with  a  piece  of  raw  flesh  lying  upon  the  ground,  while 
other  junks  were  broiling  on  the  coals,  to  be  transferred  from  thence  to 
the  fingers  of  those  claiming  them. 


A  GOLD  IIUNTETC'S  ADVENTURES.  35 

They  manifested  no  surprise  or  curiosity  when  Fred  and  myself 
halted  within  a  few  feet  of  them,  and  regarded  their  feeding  operations 
with  considerable  disgust.  Their  minds  appeared  to  be  too  much  oc- 
cupied to  pay  the  least  attention  to  outward  objects,  and  as  thoy  poked 
their  burning  food  among  the  ashes,  and  licked  their  fingers,  and 
grunted  with  satisfaction,  they  certainly  did  not  seem  better  than  so 
many  swine.  At  least  they  were  not  half  so  clean. 

"  Well,  of  all  the  eating  I  ever  saw,  this  is  the  worst,"  cried  Fred, 
after  a  few  moments'  contemplation. 

"  Even  the  Indians  of  California  would  be  ashamed  to  look  so  dirty," 
I  remarked. 

"  Hullo,"  cried  Smith,  advancing  with  the  sauce  pan  filled  with 
water,  which  he  had  obtained  somewhere  in  the  vicinity,  nlthough  we 
could  not  in  the  dark  see  any  evidence  of  a  stream.  "  Hullo,"  he 
cried ;  "  what  is  the  matter  ?  Why  don't  you  sit  down  and  join  the  gen- 
tlemen? Well,  old  Bulger,  how  are  you  getting  along?"  address- 
ing a  native  that  looked  older  than  the  others,  and  consequently  more 
dirty. 

The  brute  grunted,  and  paid  no  farther  attention  to  the  address ;  but 
Smith  was  not  to  be  bluffed  that  way. 

"  Let  me  have  a  chance  at  your  fire,"  he  said,  holding  the  sauce  pan 
towards  him  ;  but  the  native  gave  no  attention  except  to  his  burning 
meat,  which  he  turned  over  in  the  ashes  with  a  stick,  and  apparently 
had  a  great  desire  to  eat  raw. 

"  I  know  of  a  way  to  start  him,"  muttered  Smith.  "  Stand  by  and 
watch  the  fun,"  he  continued,  addressing  Fred  and  myself. 

He  canted  the-  sauce  pan  a  little  one  side,  and  allowed  the  water  to 
run  over  the  rim,  and  strike  upon  the  native's  naked  shoulder.  The 
fellow  uttered  a  howl  as  though  seared  with  a  hot  iron,  and  scrabbling 
away  from  the  fire,  left  the  convict  free  access. 

"  There  is  nothing  like  water  to  start  them,"  cried  Smith,  laughing, 
as  he  put  his  dish  upon  the  coals,  while  those  who  still  kept  their 
places  watched  his  motions  with  their  little  glittering  eyes,  as  though 
Fearful  they  should  also  be  subjected  to  a  bath. 

The  native  whom  the  convict  called  "  Bulger  "  lingered  around  the 
fire  for  a  short  time,  as  though  he  had  not  entirely  relinquished  all  hope 
of  again  joining  the  circle  ;  but  when  he  found  that  Smith  showed  no 
indication  of  yielding  his  place,  he  grunted  his  displeasure,  got  one  of 
his  companions  to  rake  from  the  ashes  his  lump  of  flesh,  and  placing 
the  burning  mass  upon  leaves,  walked  towards  some  rude  huts  which 
were  built  of  branches  of  trees  and  leaves  of  the  giro 

"Good  night,  Bulgy,"  shouted  Smith,  as  the  latter  toddled  off;  buf 
the  native  paid  no  attention,  and  soon  disappeared  within  the  pile  ot 
leaves. 

"  You  have  met  these  poor  devils  before  —  haven't  you  ?  "  I  inquired 
of  the  convict. 

"  For  the  last  three  months  they  have  been  camped  on  this  spot,  and 
as  water  is  convenient  here,  I  generally  manage  to  reach  them  in  the 
course  of  the  night.  Besides,  I  make  them  useful  in  case  my  cattle 
stray  away ;  and  for  a  piece  of  tobacco  not  larger  than  my  thumb  thoy 
are  willing  to  run  all  day." 


36  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OK 

"  Bah,"  grunted  half  a  dozen  voices  in  chorus,  apparently  roused  to 
animation  by  some  word  that  Smith  hod  spoken. 

They  extended  their  small  hands,  not  larger  than  the  paws  of  an 
orang-outang,  and  greatly  resembling  them  in  formation  and  looks. 

'•  What  do  they  want  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  They  heard  me  mention  tobacco,  and  now  they  are  begging  for 
some.  They  love  the  needful  as  well  as  I  do  ; "  and  Smith  proceeded 
to  fill  his  pipe,  and  then  coolly  replaced  the  tobacco  in  his  pocket,  much 
to  the  disappointment  of  the  natives,  who  had  followed  his  motions 
•with  anxious  eyes. 

"  Give  them  a  piece,"  I  said,  quick  to  trace  disappointment  in  their 
expressionless  faces. 

"  Not  I,"  returned  Smith.  "  If  I  want  them  to-morrow  to  run  after 
my  cattle,  I  shall  have  to  give  them  more,  for  they  would  not  recollect 
that  I  had  supplied  them  to-r,ight  without  compensation." 

"  Then  I'll  stand  treat,"  cried  Fred,  handing  a  small  piece  of  the 
needful  to  the  nearest  native,  who  grunted,  but  whether  as  an  expres- 
sion of  thanks,  or  disappointment  that  it  was  not  larger,  is  unknown. 

The  glittering  eyes  of  the  gorged  natives  were  instantly  fastened 
upon  the  fortunate  possessor  of  the  tobacco,  greatly  to  the  injury  of 
their  broiling  meat.  But  the  native  upon  whom  the  present  was  be- 
stowed showed  no  signs  of  making  a  dividend.  He  carefully  con- 
cealed the  tobacco  in  a  small  pouch  at  his  girdle,  and  after  sitting  a  few 
minutes  in  silence,  staggered  to  his  feet,  and  waddled  off. 

"  '  It  is  get  all  you  can  and  keep  what  you  get,'  with  them,"  said 
Smith,  as  he  watched  the  native  enter  his  hut. 

The  water  in  the  sauce  pan  at  this  moment  gave  indications  of  boil- 
ing, and  as  we  all  felt  hungry,  we  determined  to  have  supper  before 
stretching  our  forms  under  the  shelter  of  the  cart.  Our  stock  of  cof- 
fee was  produced,  the  pork  and  bread  unpacked,  and  while  the  convict 
busied  himself  frying  slices  of  the  former,  we  soaked  cakes  of  the  lat- 
ter in  a  pan  of  water,  and  sliced  a  few  potatoes  to  add  a  relish  to  our 
meal. 

At  length  our  supper  was  cooked  ;  when  seated  within  the  light  of 
the  blazing  fire,  we  prepared  to  enjoy  ourselves  and  perhaps  emulate 
the  natives  in  their  feasts. 

"  How  do  you  like  your  coffee  ?  "  asked  Smith,  as  I  raised  my  tin  pot 
to  my  mouth. 

Before  I  could  reply,  my  attention  was  directed  to  a  blaze  that  sud- 
denly enveloped  one  of  the  huts,  and  which  threatened  to  extend  to  the 
others.  As  the  materials  of  which  it  was  built  were  light  and  dry,  but 
few  minutes'  time  would  be  necessary  to  consume  it ;  so  I  started  up, 
intending  to  assist  in  extinguishing  the  flames. 

"  Let  it  burn,"  exclaimed  Smith,  leisurely  sipping  his  coffee,  and 
watching  the  progress  of  the  fire  ;  and  even  the  natives  kept  their 
places,  and  nppoared  unmoved  at  the  sight. 

"  There  may  be  somebody  in  the  hut,"  cried  Fred,  rising. 

"  Then  let  them  get  out  the  best  way  they  can,"  answered  Smith. 
"  If  these  dirty  scamps  can't  assist  a  comrade,  I  don't  see  why  we  should 
bother  our  heads." 

We  waited  to  hear  no  more,  but  rushed  towards  the  flames ;  and 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  37 

our  steps  were  quickened  by  hearing  what  we  thought  was  the  cry  of 
a  child. 

We  seized  the  dry  branches,  of  which  the  hut  was  built,  and  tore 
them  from  their  fastenings,  scattering  the  leaves  that  formed  the  roof, 
and,  regardless  of  the  heat,  continued  to  work  ;  the  flames  were  too 
powerful  for  us,  and  we  were  obliged  to  beat  a  retreat. 

We  were  about  to  return  to  our  supper,  when  we  heard  a  shrill  ory 
issue  from  the  hut  —  not  a  loud,  prolonged  sound,  such  as  a  man 
would  utter  when  in  agony,  but  a  sharp,  short  yell,  like  the  wail  of  an 
infant. 

"  Smith,"  I  shouted,  turning  to  the  convict,  who  was  still  eating  his 
supper,  "  there  is  a  child  burning  to  death." 

"  The  deuce ! "  he  cried,  springing  to  his  feet,  and  rushing  quickly  in 
the  direction  of  the  fire.  "  Let  us  save  the  young  'un  at  any  rate." 

Upon  the  ground  in  front  of  the  hut  were  half  a  dozen  long,  sharp- 
pointed  spears,  belonging  to  the  natives,  and  almost  their  only  weapons 
for  defence  or  attack.  We  seized  those,  and  charging  on  the  fire  as 
though  it  was  an  enemy,  we  poked  away  branch  after  branch,  until  we 
had  made  an  entrance  sufficiently  large  to  admit  one  of  us,  when  Smith, 
reckless  of  the  heat,  rushed  forward  and  entered  the  hut. 

We  waited  anxiously  for  his  reappearance,  and  when  he  did  emerge 
from  the  smoke  and  flames,  instead  of  carrying  a  child  in  his  arms,  he 
was  drugging  the  inanimate  form  of  the  native  whom  Fred  had  made 
happy  with  a  present  of  tobacco  a  short  time  before. 

The  native  was  apparently  insensible ;  but  as  Smith  dragged  him 
along  the  ground,  and  let  his  body  drop  when  beyond  reach  of  the 
fire,  he  uttered  a  groan,  as  though  half  disposed  to  remonstrate  against 
being  saved. 

"  Well,  of  all  the  lazy  scamps  that  I  ever  saw,  he  is  the  worst,"  cried 
Smith,  wiping  his  brow  with  has  hand,  and  looking  towards  us  for  a 
confirmation  of  his  words. 

"  At  least  you  have  the  gratification  of  knowing  that  you  have  saved 
his  life,"  cried  Fred,  almost  inclined  to  laugh  at  the  rueful  look  of  the 
convict. 

"  His  life  ?  "  repeated  Smith ;  "  why,  if  I  had  let  him  roast  he  would 
have  been  much  more  gratified  than  he  will  be  when  he  awakes.  He  is 
going  through  with  a  fit  of  digestion  now,  and  is  as  torpid  as  a  toad 
in  winter.  Ah,  you  brute,  eat  until  you  can't  move  another  time, 
will  you  ?  " 

The  convict  hit  the  native  a  kick  with  his  foot,  and  then  went  to 
finish  his  supper,  grumbling  as  he  did  so  at  being  disturbed. 

The  natives,  who  had  retained  their  positions  around  the  fire  in  spite 
of  the  burning  hut,  and  danger  of  their  comrade,  uttered  a  low  grunt 
when  they  saw  Smith  drag  the  brute  from  the  flames  ;  but  whether  that 
expression  was  intended  for  satisfaction  or  regret,  I  was  too  little  ac- 
quainted with  the  customs  of  the  tribe  to  tell.  They  took  no  further 
notice  of  either  their  torpid  companion  or  our  party,  until  suddenly  an 
idea  appeared  to  enter  the  head  of  one,  smarter  looking  than  his  fel- 
lows. He  got  with  difficulty  upon  his  feet,  leaving  his  burning  meat 
upon  the  coals,  and  waddling  towards  the  insensible  native,  knelt  be- 
side him. 

4 


88  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

"  Look ! "  cried  Fred,  suspending  the  operation  of  eating  supper  to 
call  attention  to  the  fact.  "  Look,  and  never  say  that  the  natives  are 
destitute  of  feeling  again." 

Fred  intended  to  be  particularly  severe  upon  Smith ;  but  that  worthy 
merely  glanced  in  the  direction  indicated,  and,  after  a  brief  shrug  of  his 
shoulders,  took  himself  to  his  meal  with  renewed  energy. 

"  You  are  convinced,  I  suppose  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Convinced  that  the  lazy  scamp  recollects  where  the  tobacco  was  put, 
and  is  determined  to  rob  the  over-fed  brute  of  his  treasure." 

We  found  that  the  convict  was  right,  for  the  native,  after  fumbling  at 
the  insensible  man's  girdle  for  a  moment,  reappeared  at  the  fire,  and 
something  like  a  grin  of  triumph  lighted  up  his  greasy  features,  as  he 
exposed  to  the  admiring  gaze  the  piece  of  tobacco  which  Fred  had  given 
away. 

Tired  with  our  day's  journey,  and  feeling  sleepy  after  our  meal,  we 
soon  returned  to  the  shelter  of  the  cart  for  a  night's  rest ;  but  before  we 
went,  we  were  careful  enough  to  pack  up  all  of  our  cooking  apparatus, 
and  also  to  place  our  rifles  close  at  hand,  although  Smith  told  us  that 
the  precaution  was  useless,  as  the  natives  never  waged  warfare  upon  full 
stomachs. 

It  was  long  past  daylight,  when  the  hearty  voice  of  the  convict  roused 
us  from  a  deep  sleep,  where  dreams  of  home  and  comforts  of  civiliza- 
tion were  much  pleasanter  things  to  contemplate,  than  the  half-naked 
bodies  of  ten  natives,  who  were  lying  upon  the  ground,  circling  the  cold 
ashes,  where  the  night  before  a  fire  blazed.  They  lay  like  black  snakes 
gorged  with  carrion — lifeless  and  torpid,  and  nothing  but  repeated  doses 
of  water  upon  their  naked  backs  would  rouse  them. 

"  Go  and  take  a  bath,"  cried  Smith,  as  we  sat  upright  and  rubbed  our 
eyes,  and  yawned  sleepily. 

He  pointed  to  a  small  stream  of  water,  ten  or  fifteen  rods  distant,  and 
as  we  thought  it  would  be  likely  to  relax  our  muscles,  and  relieve  us  of 
a  portion  of  the  soreness  which  we  felt,  we  took  his  advice,  and  upon 
returning  from  our  aquatic  excursion,  found  coffee  boiling,  and  salt  pork 
hissing  in  the  spider,  and  potatoes  roasting  in  the  ashes. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast,  we  were  ready  to  think  about  starting ;  but 
the  cattle  had  strayed  to  a  considerable  distance,  and  the  convict  deter- 
mined not  to  run  after  them,  when  he  had  aids  so  near  at  hand,  who 
could  be  induced  for  a  trifle  to  undertake  the  job. 

"  Hullo ! "  he  shouted,  giving  the  nearest  native  a  nudge  with  his 
foot ;  but  the  fellow  only  grunted,  and  went  off  to  sleep  again. 

Smith  in  a  rage  seized  a  pail  of  water  that  was  near  at  hand,  and 
dashed  part  of  its  contents  over  the  head  and  shoulders  of  the  sleeping 
native,  who,  not  being  accustomed  to  shower  baths,  started  up  with  a 
cold  shiver,  and  hurriedly  wiped  the  water  from  his  face. 

"  Run  and  collect  the  cattle,"  cried  Smith,  who  appeared  to  have  for- 
gotten that  not  a  word  of  English  was  understood  by  the  native. 

But  a  series  of  telegraphic  signals  was  carried  on  by  the  convict,  that 
at  last  gave  the  barbarian  to  know  what  was  wanted,  and  the  sight  of 
half  a  hand  of  tobacco  sharpened  his  faculties  wonderfully. 

He  picked  up  his  spear  that  was  lying  near  at  hand,  and  with  the  end 
pricked  into  life  half  a  dozen  of  his  torpid  companions ;  and  although 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  39 

blood  flowed  where  the  sharp-pointed  wood  touched,  yet  they  bestirred 
themselves  very  slowly,  and  did  not  appear  to  think  that  their  brothel 
had  used  them  any  ways  cruelly. 

A  short  series  of  guttural  grunts  —  for  no  other  term  will  apply  to 
express  the  sound  of  their  language  —  was  carried  on  for  a  moment,  and 
then  off  started  three  of  the  natives  to  find  the  cattle  of  the  convict, 
which  were,  perhaps,  half  a  dozen  miles  down  the  stream,  attracted  by 
the  sweetness  of  the  grass  which  grew  on  the  river's  banks. 

"As  we  shall  have  to  wait  some  time,  let's  have  a  little  amusement," 
cried  Smith,  who  appeared  to  take  the  straying  of  his  cattle  in  the  most 
philosophical  manner. 

"  Agreed ! "  we  cried.     "  What  shall  it  be  ?  " 

"  I'll  make  the  natives  show  us  a  specimen  of  their  skill  with  the 
spear,"  the  convict  said,  in  the  true  style  of  Englishmen,  who  gener- 
ally think  that  all  creation  was  created  expressly  for  their  service. 

"  Are  they  expert  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  You  shall  see ; "  and  forthwith  Smith  commenced  another  series  of 
telegraphing,  and  an  admirable  imitation  of  throwing  the  spear  was  not 
forgotten,  although,  to  tell  the  truth,  even  the  natives  did  not  disdain  to 
grin  slightly  at  the  clumsy  gestures  of  the  stockman. 

They  comprehended  him,  however,  and  pinning  a  small  piece  of  paper 
upon  a  huge  tree,  whose  trunk  had  served  many  times  as  a  fireplace  for 
parties  of  emigrants,  like  ourselves,  bound  to  the  mines,  and  by  that 
means  had  nearly  destroyed  the  vitality  of  the  noble  cedar,  the  native 
who  had  received  the  shower  bath  motioned  to  one  of  the  youngsters  of 
the  tribe  to  try  his  hand  at  the  target. 

He  selected  his  spear,  and  retired  from  the  tree  about  two  rods ;  and 
then,  for  the  first  time,  did  he  appear  to  rouse  himself,  and  wear  the  air 
of  a  human  being.  His  eyes,  which  were  dull  a  few  minutes  before,  now 
lighted  up,  and  imparted  an  animation  to  his  face  that  I  had  not  believed 
possible ;  there  was  an  activity  and  grace  in  his  position,  as  he  faced  the 
target,  that  proved  there  were  some  traits  in  their  character  which  would 
have  made  them  formidable  enemies. 

The  youngster  balanced  his  body,  throwing  his  right  leg  back  as  a 
brace,  and  advancing  his  left  foot,  holding  his  spear  upon  an  angle 
with  his  eye,  and  drawing  it  back  and  forth,  as  though  testing  the 
strength  of  his  little,  skinny  arm,  until  he  had  apparently  got  the  right 
balance,  when,  with  a  quick  motion,  he  hurled  it  at  the  mark ;  and  as 
the  spear  sped  through  the  air,  it  produced  a  humming  sound,  like  the 
noise  of  a  stone  when  thrown  from  a  sling  by  the  vigorous  arm  of  » 
strong  man. 

So  quick  was  the  motion,  and  rapid  the  movement  of  the  spear,  that 
the  eye  could  not  follow  its  flight ;  but  we  could  hear  the  dull  sound 
that  it  produced  within  two  inches  of  the  mark,  which  was  not  larger 
than  a  man's  two  hands. 

"  Well  done,"  shouted  Fred  and  myself  in  a  breath ;  but  the  natives 
manifested  no  applause,  and  even  Smith  shook  his  head  and  muttered,  — 

"  He  can  do  better  than  that ;  but  the  youngster  is  nervous  and  hardly 
awake.  Come,  old  boy,"  turning  to  the  older  native,  "  try  your  hand 
at  the  business,  and  let's  see  what  you  can  do." 

After  the  usual  telegraphing,  he  was  made  to  understand  what  was 


40       *  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

wanted ;  and  taking  a  spear  a  trifle  heavier  than  the  one  before  used, 
retreated  nearly  ten  paces  farther  from  the  mark,  and  without  appar- 
ently using  the  same  precautions  for  accuracy,  let  it  fly. 

It  struck  the  piece  of  paper  nearly  in  the  centre,  and  penetrated  the 
tree  four  or  five  inches,  quivered  for  a  moment,  but  before  it  had  ceased, 
the  native  had  snatched  up  another  spear  and  hurled  it  after  the  first. 
The  second  struck  within  an  inch  of  its  companion,  and  the  united 
strength  of  Fred  and  myself  was  necessary  to  draw  them  from  the  tree. 

"  Now  let  them  see  what  Americans  can  do  with  rifles,"  cried  the 
convict,  as  he  saw  that  the  natives  were  rather  jubilant  over  the  feat  of 
their  companion. 

Neither  Fred  nor  myself  were  what  was  called  crack  shots,  either  with 
revolver  or  rifle  ;  but  we  were  fair,  and  had  no  need  to  feel  ashamed  of 
our  shooting.  Determined  to  let  the  natives  witness  a  specimen  of  our 
skill,  we  pinned  a  piece  of  white  rag,  not  larger  than  the  palm  of  my 
hand,  upon  the  tree,  discharged  our  rifles  and  carefully  reloaded  them 
to  be  sure  that  they  were  not  foul,  and  then  retreated  until  we  could 
just  see  the  rag. 

The  natives  watched  our  proceedings  in  silence,  but  with  considerable 
curiosity,  squatting  upon  the  ground,  and  looking  first  at  the  target  and 
then  at  ourselves  with  an  expression  which  seemed  to  say,  "  if  you  hit 
that  rag  you  are  smarter  than  we  think  you  are." 

Indeed,  so  important  did  they  consider  the  occasion,  that  they  dragged 
from  the  huts  half  a  dozen  women,  and  as  many  naked  children,  to  wit- 
ness the  exhibition. 

I  was  to  fire  first ;  and  as  I  drew  a  bead  upon  the  mark,  I  carefully 
calculated  the  distance,  and  with  such  accuracy  that  the  bullet  cut  the 
end  of  the  mark,  and  carried  a  portion  of  the  rag  far  into  the  body  of 
the  tree. 

"  Hurrah  for  the  rifles,"  shouted  Smith,  waving  his  hat,  after  he  had 
pointed  out  to  the  natives  what  had  been  done. 

The  crowd  which  had  clustered  around  the  tree  stepped  back  as  Fred 
took  his  station.  He  was  not  so  long  sighting  as  myself,  but  his  bullet 
struck  about  an  inch  above  my  own,  and  nearly  in  the  centre  of  the 
mark. 

"  Better  and  better,"  cried  Smith,  in  tones  of  surprise  ;  and  when  we 
joined  him,  we  saw  by  his  actions  that  we  had  risen  in  his  estimation, 
while  the  natives,  still  squatting  on  their  haunches,  looked  as  though  we 
were  gods,  or  beings  of  a  superior  order. 

"  Here  come  the  oxen,"  cried  Smith,  after  a  few  words  of  congratula- 
tion. "  We  must  get  over  thirty  miles  of  ground  before  twelve  o'clock 
to-night." 

"  We  are  willing,"  we  said. 

"  And  the  lameness  and  blisters  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  The  lameness  is  nearly  gone,  and  the  blisters  are  broken." 

"  Good  ;  help  me  yoke  the  cattle,  and  before  to-night  you  will  taste, 
for  the  first  time,  broiled  kangaroo;  and  I'll  tell  you  beforehand  it's  no 
mean  dish.  Ge-long,  ye  brutes,"  and  with  hard  cracks  of  the  whip  the 
cart  rumbled  on,  and  we  left  the  natives  still  squatting  upon  the  ground, 
and  looking  after  us,  as  though  wondering  why  we  would  travel  when  it 
was  so  pleasant  to  sit  still. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEB'S  ADVENTURES.  41 

CHAPTER    V. 

THE  SOLITARY  STOCKMAN.  —  SHOOTING  A  KANGAROO. 

ABOUT  ten  o'clock  on  the  morning  that  we  took  our  leave  of  the.  na- 
tives, after  witnessing  their  extraordinary  skill  at  spear-hurling,  the  sun 
shone  out  with  a  brilliancy  and  power  that  caused  the  cattle  to  protrude 
their  tongues,  and  lift  their  feet  as  though  they  were  shod  with  fifty-sixes. 

At  twelve  o'clock,  when  it  seemed  impossible  for  the  oxen  to  go 
much  further  without  drink,  our  eyes  were  gladdened  by  the  sight  of 
green  trees  and  shrubs,  which  grew  as  if  marked  by  a  straight  line,  far 
off  on  the  prairie.  The  convict  pointed  to  the  well  known  signs  of 
water,  with  an  encouraging  smile,  it',  indeed,  a  smile  could  be  seen  when 
a  man's  face  is  plastered  over  an  inch  thick  with  dust ;  but  at  any  rate 
we  were  willing  to  consider  it  as  an  expression  of  joy ;  although,  per- 
haps, some  people  might  have  thought  our  countenances  resembled 
those  of  fiends  rather  than  human  beings,  for  no  flesh  was  visible,  and 
the  eyes  looked  any  thing  but  inviting,  inriamed  as  they  were  by  heat 
and  dust. 

"  There  is  water  close  at  hand  ?  "  I  gasped,  as  the  convict  pointed  to 
the  dark  green  line. 

"  Yes ;  and  plenty  of  it,"  he  replied,  snapping  his  long  whip,  and  en- 
couraging his  tired  animals  with  a  hoarse  shout. 

The  brutes  appeared  to  sniff  water  even  in  the  hot  air,  for  they  bent 
their  sturdy  necks  to  the  yoke  with  renewed  energy,  and  plodded  along 
at  a  rate  that  required  all  of  our  exertions  to  keep  beside  the  team. 

In  an  hour's  time  we  were  standing  upon  the  banks  of  a  stream  that 
had  forced  its  way  through  the  level  prairie,  and  which,  during  the 
rainy  season  was  unfordable  ;  but  now,  when  the  hot  sun  had  drank  up 
most  of  its  water,  a  child  could  have  passed  over  and  not  wet  its  knees. 

It  required  the  united  exertions  of  all  three  of  us  to  prevent  the 
oxen  from  rushing  down  the  banks  of  the  rivulet,  and  quenching  their 
thirst  before  the  formality  of  unyoking  had  been  gone  through  with. 
The  stock-whip  was  often  raised,  and  its  long  lash  exercised  with  terri- 
ble severity,  and  every  time  it  touched  the  flanks  of  the  brutes,  a  small 
piece  of  skin  not  larger  than  a  sixpence  was  clipped  from  their  quiver- 
ing flanks,  leaving  the  flesh  exposed  to  the  mercy  of  the  numerous  in- 
sects which  hovered  in  the  air  and  darted  upon  the  defenceless  spots 
with  the  greediness  of  starvation. 

"  It's  a  shame,"  cried  Fred,  indignantly,  "  to  torture  poor  animals 
that  way." 

"  Would  you  have  them  plunge  down  the  banks  of  the  stream,  over- 
turn the  cart,  spoil  my  cargo  of  goods,  and  perhaps  lose  two  or  three 
animals  by  strangulation  ?  "  demanded  the  convict,  with  the  first  symp- 
toms of  irritation  that  we  had  witnessed  during  our  journey. 

"  No,  I  would  not  certainly  desire  to  witness  any  thing  of  the  kind  j 
but  I  still  think  that  it  is  a  harsh  way  of  treating  animals,"  cned  Fredj 
dogmatically. 

4* 


42  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  I  used  to  think  so,  and  perhaps  am  of  the  same  opinion  still ;  but 
I  have  too  much  confided  to  my  charge  to  suffer  loss  for  the  want  of  a 
few  applications  of  the  whip.  After  you  have  been  in  the  country  a 
few  years,  you  will  not  feel  so  tenderly  for  the  sufferings  of  others." 

"  God  grant  that  I  may  never  be  insensible  to  others'  woes,"  cried 
Fred,  with  a  genuine  burst  of  feeling. 

"  Spoken  like  a  man,"  exclaimed  the  convict,  enthusiastically.  "  Here," 
he  continued,  extending  his  hand,  "  is  a  palm  soiled  by  the  commission 
of  crime  ;  but  I  have  lived  long  enough  to  repent  of  the  errors  of  which 
I  have  been  guilty,  and  at  times  think  of  a  mother's  prayers  when  I 
was  a  boy.  Your  words  have  recalled  the  days  when  I  used  to  sit  upon 
her  knee  and  listen  to  her  words,  and  promise  that  when  I  grew  old  I'd 
imitate  the  virtues  of  my  father,  and  be  a  comfort  to  her  in  her  declin- 
ing years.  If  my  hand,"  he  said,  looking  at  it,  "  is  soiled,  my  heart  is 
not,  and  I  offer  it  to  you  as  a  pledge  of  friendship." 

"  And  if  your  hand  were  stained  I  would  accept  it,"  returned  Fred, 
shaking  his  palm  warmly.  "  I  look  upon  you  in  the  light  of  a  friend, 
and  the  folly  of  other  days  weighs  not  the  weight  of  a  feather  towards 
warping  my  judgment  in  considering  your  good  and  bad  qualities." 

The  two  men  shook  hands,  and  looked  into  each  other's  eyes  as 
though  they  had  just  found  out  one  another's  worth ;  and  when  the 
convict  had  squeezed  Fred's  palm,  he  bestowed  the  same  favor  upon 
myself. 

"  Come,"  cried  the  convict,  who  appeared  to  be  inspired  with  new 
life,  "  let  us  get  a  bit  of  dinner,  and  then  I  will  take  you  to  the  old 
cattle  station,  where  I  once  lived  a  solitary  life,  and  where  I  harbored 
Black  Darnley." 

"  Is  it  far  from  here  ?  "  I  asked,  casting  an  anxious  glance  towards 
the  shadow  of  a  tree,  and  thinking  how  pleasantly  1  could  pass  away  a 
portion  of  the  afternoon  by  sleeping. 

'  "  Scarce  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and  I'll  warrant  that  you  will  feel  amply 
repaid,  tempting  as  the  shadow  of  yonder  tree  looks,"  Smith  said,  hav- 
ing guessed  my  weakness  for  repose. 

"  Then  I  will  go,"  I  replied. 

"  I  will  show  you  after  we  pass  the  bend  of  the  stream,"  the  convict 
continued  while  on  his  hands  and  knees  trying  to  ignite  a  fire  with 
prairie  chips,  "  a  flock  of  sheep  that  are  counted  by  thousands.  They 
stretch  over  the  land  for  miles  in  extent ;  even  the  owner  does  not  know 
how. many  he  possesses,  and  has  never  visited  his  stockman,  but  trusts 
all  to  an  agent.  Of  course  the  latter  has  full  authority  to  act  as  he 
pleases,  and  sometimes,  by  some  mysterious  process,  the  agent  gets 
richer  than  the  owner,  and  often  buys  his  property,  although  where  the 
money  comes  from,  I  leave  you  to  guess." 

"  Then  an  agent's  station  is  better  than  an  owner's,"  laughed  Fred. 

"  It  would  not  be  if  all  men  were  honest,"  replied  the  convict,  with  a 
gloomy  brow ;  and  from  that  time  until  the  coffee  was  boiled,  he  did  not 
speak  another  word,  but  appeared  to  be  meditating  profoundly  upon 
some  difficult  problem. 

The  cattle  had  quenched  their  thirst,  and  were  lying  beneath  the 
shadows  of  tall  trees,  lazily  cropping  the  rank  grasses  within  their  reach. 
Fred  and  myself  had  bathed  and  felt  refreshed,  and  as  soon  as  dinner 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  43 

was  over,  we  announced  to  the  convict  our  readiness  to  accompany  him 
upon  his  visit  to  the  stockman's  house,  where  he  had  spent  so  many 
days  of  solitude. 

"  Take  your  rifles,"  Smith  said,  when  he  saw  that  we  were  about  to 
depart  without  them. 

We  looked  at  him  inquiringly. 

"  We  are  now  in  regions  where  escaped  convicts  range  freely ;  and 
ten  miles  from  here,  by  following  the  windings  of  this  stream,  is  a  forest 
of  gigantic  trees  and  dark  recesses,  where  the  police  of  Melbourne  dare 
not  venture.  In  that  dreary  retreat  bushrangers  find  homes  —  stealing 
forth  as  they  do  during  the  night,  to  feast  upon  slaughtered  sheep,  and 
rob  travellers ;  they  lead  an  anxious  life,  as  they  never  know  who  is 
about  to  betray  them,  and  give  them  up  to  the  merciless  rigor  of  the 
authorities  of  the  city,  or  else  shoot  them  down  as  thoughtlessly  as  you 
would  a  kangaroo,  in  case  one  should  cross  your  path." 

"  I  would  like  to  know  if  we  are  to  carry  our  rifles  for  the  purpose  of 
guarding  against  bushrangers  or  to  kill  kangaroos  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Perhaps  for  both  intentions,"  replied  Smith,  glancing  up  and  down 
the  stream,  as  though  he  was  not  certain  that  one  animal  or  the  other 
might  not  be  in  sight.  "  We  might  meet  a  bushranger,  and  if  we  were 
without  arms  he  could  do  his  will,  and  we  should  be  powerless.  As  for 
kangaroos,  I've  killed  many  on  the  very  spot  where  we  now  stand ;  so 
let  me  warn  you  to  keep  your  eyes  open,  for  they  are  like  lightning  in 
their  movements,  and  it  requires  a  quick  eye  and  steady  hand  to  cover 
them  with  a  rifle  when  once  they  commence  their  leaps." 

"  A  dollar  to  a  shilling  that  I  hit  one  the  first  fire,  if  not  more  than 
thirty  rods  distant,"  cried  Fred,  glancing  along  his  rifle  as  though  one 
was  already  in  sight. 

"  I  accept  the  wager,"  replied  the  convict,  with  a  laugh  at  some 
thought  that  appeared  to  strike  him  at  the  moment ;  but  without 
enlightening  us  he  strode  along  the  bank  of  the  stream,  leading  the  way 
towards  the  bend  of  the  brook,  which  was  a  few  rods  distant,  and  con- 
cealed a  portion  of  the  prairie  from  view. 

As  we  turned  the  elbow,  or  bend  of  the  stream,  a  small  hut  met  our 
view,  situated  near  the  banks  of  the  brook  ;  while,  covering  the  vast 
plain  were  herds  of  sheep  and  lambs,  so  numerous  that  they  seemed 
like  grains  of  sand  upon  the  shore,  and  I  should  as  soon  have  thought 
of  counting  the  latter,  as  the  former. 

The  animals  raised  their  heads  and  looked  at  us  with  alarm  as  we  came 
in  sight,  and  then,  appearing  to  think  that  we  were  there  for  no  good 
purpose,  they  started  off  into  a  run,  tumbling  over  each  other  in  their 
flight,  until  they  had  placed  a  proper  distance  between  us,  when  they 
once  more  crowded  into  one  dense  mass,  and  then  again  scrutinized  us 
suspiciously. 

"  I  will  show  you  that  I  have  not  forgotten  my  old  trade,"  Smith  said, 
after  we  hid  expressed  our  wonder  at  the  number  of  animals  before  us. 

He  placed  his  hand  to  his  mouth  as  he  spoke,  and  uttered  a  shrill 
whistle,  which  could  have  been  heard  for  a  mile  or  two.  Twice  did  he 
repeat  the  signal,  and  as  he  finished,  the  animals  came  slowly  towards 
us,  as  though  confident  that  one  who  couid  produce  sounds  like  those, 
was  incapable  of  injuring  them. 


44  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"Ah ! "  laughed  the  convict,  "  how  many  times  have  I  called  my  flock 
in  that  manner !  and  although  years  have  passed  since  I  was  a  stock- 
man, I  have  not  yet  forgotten  the  trick  of  the  trade." 

"  Your  signals  appear  to  have  awakened  some  one,"  Fred  said,  point- 
ing to  a  man  who  emerged  from  the  hut,  gun  in  hand,  and  who  seemed 
undecided  whether  to  treat  us  as  friends  or  foes. 

"  I  will  tell  you  a  few  circumstances  connected  with  that  man's  histo- 
ry," the  convict  said,  as  we  walked  towards  him.  "  Ten  years  since  he 
was  on  trial  for  the  murder  of  his  wife.  The  evidence  was  not  very 
clear,  so  the  jury  brought  in  a  verdict  of  manslaughter,  thinking  that 
they  might  as  well  convict  on  that  ground  as  to  let  him  escape.  He  was 
sentenced  to  transportation  for  life ;  but  after  he  had  been  in  the  colony 
three  years,  new  facts  were  brought  to  light  which  made  his  innocence 
apparent.  His  counsel  petitioned  government  for  a  release ;  but  the 
ministers  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  all  entreaties,  and  said  that  as  a  jury 
had  presumed  upon  his  guilt,  they  would  not  think  of  requesting  her 
majesty  to  grant  a  pardon ;  and  the  only  thing  they  would  attempt, 
would  be  to  send  orders  to  treat  the  poor  fellow  as  leniently  as  possible. 
In  consequence,  he  was  allowed  a  parole,  and  entered  the  service  of  the 
man  who  owns  the  vast  flock  of  sheep  which  you  see  before  you.  He 
has  grown  morose  since  he  has  led  a  solitary  life,  and  if  he  answers  ques- 
tions at  all,  it  is  in  monosyllables.  But  do  not  treat  him  as  if  you  knew 
for  what  he  was  transported." 

The  latter  part  of  Smith's  remarks  were  spoken  hurriedly,  and  in  a 
low  tone,  for  we  were  close  to  the  unfortunate  man  when  they  were 
uttered,  and  he  feared  to  be  overheard. 

I  looked  at  the  stockman  with  singular  interest  as  we  approached  him. 
He  was,  apparently,  about  fifty  years  of  age,  thin  and  slightly  inclined 
to  stoop.  His  face  was  strongly  marked  and  peculiar,  and  at  one  time 
he  must  have  passed  for  an  exceedingly  good-looking  man. 

His  hair,  which  was  quite  white,  gave  him  a  venerable  appearance ; 
while  a  long,  flowing  beard  of  jet  black,  combed,  and  carefully  trimmed, 
reminded  me  of  a  distinguished  minister  that  I  had  once  listened  to, 
and  whose  sermon  made  an  impression  upon  my  mind  that  has  never 
been  effaced. 

The  stockman  retained  his  defensive  attitude,  until  he  recognized  the 
features  of  Smith,  when  his  gun  was  rested  against  the  side  of  the  hut, 
and  he  once  more  dropped  his  head  upon  his  breast,  and  with  folded 
arms  awaited  our  coming. 

"  Well ! "  cried  Smith,  with  assured  cheerfulness ;  "  how  do  you  get 
along  nowadays  ?  " 

The  stockman  raised  his  head,  and  looked  at  the  questioner  as  though 
referring  him  to  his  face,  with  its  wrinkles  and  lines  of  care,  for  an 
answer.  A  moment  after,  his  head  was  bowed  upon  his  breast  again, 
and  he  appeared  unconscious  that  we  were  present. 

'  Have  you  seen  Darnley's  band  lately  ?  "  Smith  inquired. 
'  Yes,"  replied  the  stockman,  still  retaining  his  position. 

'  Has  he  visited  you  within  the  past  few  days  ?  "  queried  Smith. 

'  Yes,"  replied  the  man. 

'Ah,  his  supply  of  provisions  was  short,"  cried  Smith,  as  his  eyes 
sought  the  flocks  as  though  wondering  how  many  sheep  satisfied  the 
bushranger  and  his  gang. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  45 

The  stockman  returned  no  answer,  so  we  passed  him  and  entered  his 
hut.  There  were  two  bedsteads  made  of  hides,  a  table,  two  rough 
chairs,  that  looked  as  though  introduced  during  the  days  of  Sir  Francis 
Drake,  a  few  pans  hanging  against  the  wall,  an  old  chest  with  a  broken 
lid  and  no  lock,  and  these  were  all  the  articles  of  luxury  or  conven- 
ience that  graced  the  cabin  of  the  stockman. 

Smith  pointed  out  the  spot  where  Uarnlcy  had  slept  on  the  night  of 
his  visit ;  and  after  we  had  gratified  our  curiosity,  we  left  the  room,  and 
bidding  the  stockman  good-by,  started  on  our  return  to  the  team. 

The  poor  man  did  not  reply  to  our  salutation,  and  after  we  left  the 
house  a  number  of  rods  behind,  we  turned  and  saw  that  he  was  still 
buried  in  profound  reflection,  and  that  his  head  was,  as  usual,  resting 
on  his  breast. 

"  Poor  fellow ! "  I  muttered ;  "  his  unjust  sentence  has  broken  his 
heart." 

"  He  feels  the  wrong  keenly,"  Smith  said.  "  He  has  but  one  wish  on 
earth  now ;  and  that  is,  to  see  his  daughter  before  he  dies." 

"  He  then  has  children  living  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Only  one,  and  she  was  a  mere  child  when  he  left  home.  After  his 
misfortunes  the  girl  was  placed  with  a  respectable  family  in  Lincoln- 
shire. He  has  often  heard  from  her  —  she  married  a  hard-working 
man,  and  now  has  one  or  two  children.  The  stockman  has  saved  every 
shilling  of  his  earnings  for  the  last  few  years,  for  the  purpose  of  paying 
their  passage  to  this  country,  M'here  he  thinks  the  husband  can  prosper, 
and  where  he  will  have  the  privilege  of  seeing  his  grandchildren  grow 
up  around  him.  Ten  months  since  a  hundred  pounds  were  sent  for  the 
object  he  had  in  view,  but  during  the  whole  of  that  time  no  word  has 
arrived  that  the  money  reached  its  destination." 

"  A  hard  case,  and  one  deserving  of  our  warmest  sympathy,"  cried 
Fred,  once  more  stopping  to  look  at  the  solitary  man,  who  still  stood 
with  folded  arms  and  bowed  head,  meditating  upon  his  wrongs. 

"  A  kangaroo !  a  kangaroo  !  "  cried  the  convict,  suddenly,  pointing 
with  his  hand  towards  a  tall,  slim  animal,  that  was  standing  under  a 
tree,  as  if  to  shelter  itself  from  the  sun. 

We  looked  at  the  kangaroo  with  considerable  interest.  It  was  nearly 
six  feet  high,  when  standing  upon  its  hind  legs,  of  a  dark  red  color, 
with  small  spots  of  white  upon  its  breast,  while  two  short  arms,  or  flip- 
pers, were  dangling  from  its  fore-shoulders,  which  were  narrow  and 
lean,  as  though,  clipper-like,  it  was  intended  for  speed. 

The  animal  watched  our  movements  narrowly ;  but  as  the  distance  was 
too  great  for  a  rifle  shot,  we  slowly  edged  towards  it  with  the  expec- 
tation of  getting  within  range. 

Cautiously  we  crept  along  the  prairie,  sometimes  partly  concealed  by 
tall,  rank  grass  and  sweet-scented  shrubs,  until  we  were  forty  rods  from 
the  tree  under  which  the  kangaroo  was  sporting. 

"  Hist ! "  said  Smith,  holding  up  his  hand,  to  command  our  attention. 
"  The  poor  brute  is  a  female,  and  has  her  young  'uns  sporting  around 
her." 

A  closer  scrutiny  revealed  the  presence  of  two  kangaroos,  who  were 
playing  about  their  mother,  unconscious  of  all  danger.  They  were  of  a 
much  lighter  color  than  the  old  one,  and  the  fur  upon  their  bellies  was 


46  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

nearly  pure  white.  For  some  time  we  watched  them,  and  then,  desirous 
of  obtaining  fresh  meat  for  supper,  Fred  and  myself  crawled  a  little 
nearer. 

"  llemember  our  wager,"  the  convict  cried,  as  we  moved  along  on  out 
hands  and  knees. 

Fred  nodded  in  reply,  but  after  we  had  got  a  few  rods  from  Smith, 
the  latter  suddenly  started  to  his  feet  and  uttered  a  loud  yell. 

So  rapidly  that  our  eyes  could  hardly  follow  their  movements,  did  the 
young  animals  run  towards  their  parent  and  disappear  from  view ;  but 
we  had  no  time  to  wonder  at  that,  for  the  mother,  after  a  hasty  glance 
around,  and  comprehending  the  danger  in  which  she  stood,  suddenly 
sprang  from  beneath  the  shelter  of  the  tree,  and  with  the  most  extraor- 
dinary bounds,  some  of  which  would  measure  over  thirty  feet  in  a 
straight  line,  and  nearly  ten  feet  high,  was  passing  us  like  a  streak  of 
lightning,  when  Fred  raised  his  rifle  and  fired. 

The  kangaroo  continued  her  bounds  without  relaxing  her  speed; 
when,  thinking  that  I  might  be  more  successful,  I  also  fired. 

I  heard  the  convict  laugh  heartily  at  our  failures ;  but  before  his  mer- 
riment ceased,  another  gun  was  disci.a  o-d,  and  with  a  mighty  bound 
the  poor  brute  sprang  into  the  air,  alighted  on  the  ground,  and,  rolling 
over  and  over  as  though 'even  in  her  death  struggle  she  sought  to 
escape,  yielded  up  her  life. 

We  looked  towards  the  stockman  to  see  if  he  had  discharged  his  gun. 
He  was  leaning  on  his  old  musket,  and  a  bright  blue  smoke  was  curling 
over  his  head.  For  a  moment  he  seemed  to  be  warmed  into  life  by  the 
excitement  of  the  sport,  but  before  the  kangaroo  had  breathed  her  last, 
his  head  sank  upon  his  breast  again,  and  he  appeared  no  longer  to  take 
an  interest  in  the  affairs  of  life. 

We  hastened  to  the  animal,  and  wondered  at  her  immense  muscular 
power  Her  legs  appeared  like  springs  of  steel,  while  a  powerful  tail, 
long  and  bony,  was  also  used  to  help  the  animal  make  those  tremendous 
bounds,  which  have  become  proverbial  in  Australia,  and  have  excited 
the  attention  of  the  most  eminent  naturalists. 

"  But  where  have  the  young  'uns  disappeared  ?  "  1  asked,  after  we 
had  sufficiently  admired  the  animal. 

"  You  would  hardly  think  that  they  are  still  about  her  person,"  Smith 
said. 

We  laughed  incredulously,  imt  Smith  maintained  his  gravity  and 
persisted  in  his  statement. 

"  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  settle,"  said  Fred.  "  Just  prove  to  us  the 
truth  of  your  statement,  and  we  shall  be  as  knowing  as  yourself." 

The  convict  bent  over  the  body  and  inserted  his  hand  in  a  small  open- 
ing in  the  belly  of  the  animal  that  resembled  the  mouth  of  a  pouch,  but 
which  had  escaped  our  attention.  He  drew  forth,  as  the  result  of  his 
investigation,  a  little,  struggling  kangaroo,  that  tried  to  induce  Smith  to 
relinquish  his  grasp  by  snapping  at  his  hand  with  its  toothless  mouth. 

While  we  Were  admiring  the  softness  of  its  skin,  the  second  one  was 
dragged  to  light ;  but  it  uttered  shrill  cries  of  terror,  and  endeavored  to 
effect  its  escape  from  the  rough  hands  that  held  it. 

"  It  is  as  bad  as  murder,  killing  the  poor  brute,"  cried  Fred,  indig- 
nantly, he  having  recovered  from  the  mortification  of  missing  the  animal 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  47 

"And  there  are  no  judges  upon  earth  to  sentence  its  murderer,"  cried 
a  solemn  voice. 

We  looked  and  found  that  the  stockman  had  left  the  shadow  of  his 
hut,  and  was  occupied  the  same  way  as  ourselves,  gazing  at  the  carcass 
of  the  kangaroo. 

"  Man  is  merciless,  and  God  punishes  us  all  in  his  own  good  time," 
the  stockman  continued,  as  he  listened  to  the  grief  of  the  motherless 
animals. 

"  Then  why  did  you  take  her  life  ?  "  demanded  Fred. 

"A  man  that  is  wronged  seeks  to  shift  his  burden  so  that  the  load 
which  weighs  him  down  may  grow  lighter." 

The  old  man,  without  another  expression  of  sorrow,  turned  away  and 
walked  towards  his  hut  again ;  while  Smith,  who  was  used  to  such 
scenes,  and  therefore  had  hardened  his  heart,  deliberately  commenced 
skinning  the  dead  brute,  and  allowed  the  young  ones  to  escape  wherever 
they  chose  to  run. 

That  night  we  supped  upon  the  meat  of  the  kangaroo ;  and  while  feasting 
there  was  little  thought  of  the  sorrow  which  we  experienced  at  its  death. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

ADVENTURE  WITH  A  DOG.  —  THE  MURDER  IN  THE  RAVINE.  —  STORY 
OF  AN  OUTRAGED  WOMAN. 

THE  flickering  light  of  a  fire,  around  which  was  seated  three  men 
with  sunburnt  faces  and  long  beard,  hardly  illuminated  the  bank  of  the 
river  sufficiently  to  distinguish  objects  ten  yards  distant.  The  men  were 
Smith  the  convict,  Fred,  and  myself.  Each  of  our  mouths  were  graced 
with  dingy  pipes,  and  while  we  puffed  away  diligently,  our  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  the  cheerful  blaze,  silently  watching  the  ever-changing  em- 
bers, and  meditating  upon  the  events  of  the  day.  The  wind  had  gone 
to  sleep  with  the  sun,  and  the  heated  air  had  given  place  to  a  coolness 
that  felt  doubly  refreshing  after  the  scorching  which  we  had  undergone 
on  the  prairie  that  forenoon. 

The  air  was  still  perfumed  with  the  smoke  of  broiled  kangaroo  meat, 
attracting  large  numbers  of  a  fox-like  species  of  animals,  that  raivly 
ventured  from  the  surrounding  darkness,  into  the  light  of  our  camp-fire, 
but  skulked  in  the  vicinity,  and  waited  for  the  time  when  sleep  would 
overpower  us,  and  allow  them  free  pillage  of  our  larder.  Occasionally 
an  impatient  one  would  utter  a  short  bark,  as  though  expressive  of  his 
disgust  at  our  watchfulness,  and  after  he  had  thus  given  vent  to  his 
feelings,  slink  away  into  darkness  again ;  but  their  fiery,  eager  eyes, 
could  be  distinguished  as  they  prowled  around  and  jostled  each  other 
while  taking  counsel. 

It  was  near  ten  o'clock.  We  had  lapsed  into  silence,  and  each  one 
was  busy  with  his  own  thoughts,  perhaps  laying  plans  for  the  future 


48  LIFE   IN   AUSTBALIA,   OB 

From  the  time  that  our  pipes  were  lighted  not  a  word  had  been  ex- 
changed, and  I  was  just  about  knocking  the  ashes  from  mine,  and  pro- 
posing a  retirement  to  our  blankets  beneath  the  nearest  tree,  when  the 
prolonged  howling  of  a  dog  attracted  my  attention. 

I  looked  towards  Smith  for  an  explanation,  but  found  that  he  wa«  as 
much  puzzled  as  myself,  and  was  holding  his  pipe  in  one  hand,  while  his 
head  was  bent  in  the  direction  of  the  sound,  as  though  waiting  for  a 
repetition  before  he  ventured  to  express  an  opinion. 

Again  did  the  mournful  sound  ring  across  the  prairie,  and  this  time  it 
seemed  nearer  than  when  first  heard.  I  thought  I  knew  the  bay,  and 
could  have  sworn  that  the  animal  was  a  staghound,  and  a  full-blooded 
brute  at  that.  I  had  seen  none  of  the  breed  since  I  had  arrived  in 
Australia,  and  I  thought  it  singular  to  find  one  at  such  a  distance  from 
Melbourne. 

"  What  is  that  hound  baying  for  at  this  time  of  night  ?  "  I  asked  of 
the  convict,  who  still  remained  speechless. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  it  is  a  hound  ?  "  Smith  inquired. 

"  Quite  positive.  There  he  goes  again.  The  brute  has  treed  some 
animal,  and  is  informing  his  master  of  its  whereabouts,"  I  replied,  lis- 
tening to  see  in  what  direction  the  sound  proceeded  from. 

"You  are  wrong  there,"  cried  Fred.  "The  dog  is  evidently  coming 
this  way,  and  perhaps  has  started  a  kangaroo.  If  it  comes  within  sight 
I'll  try  it,  even  if  I  miss  as  I  did  this  afternoon." 

Fred  laid  his  hand  upon  his  rifle  which  was  lying  by  his  side,  and 
tried  to  peer  into  the  darkness,  but  a  moment's  experiment  convinced 
him  of  the  folly  of  his  thought,  and  he  laid  the  gun  down  again. 

"  I've  never  heard  a  sound  like  that  since  I  left  old  England,"  the 
convict  said,  as  the  baying  continued,  and  grew  nearer  at  each  rep- 
etition. 

We  all  three  felt  an  anxiety  that  we  tried  to  conceal  from  each  other. 
The  loneliness  of  our  location,  and  the  uncertainty  of  meeting  with 
friends  in  that  part  of  the  country,  the  frequent  robberies  that  had  of 
late  been  committed,  and  the  daring  of  the  bushrangers,  were  all  ample 
cause  for  vigilance  on  our  part ;  and  perhaps  we  suspected  that  the  dog 
was  used  by  some  gang  to  discover  the  presence  of  travellers,  and  ex- 
pedite the  work  of  pillage. 

Nearer  and  nearer  did  the  hound  approach,  and  we  had  just  time  to 
snatch  our  rifles  from  the  ground,  and  start  to  our  feet,  when  the  ani- 
mal sprang  into  our  narrow  circle,  and  with  subdued  bays  seemed  to 
claim  our  notice. 

"  Give  him  a  wide  berth,"  shouted  the  convict,  swinging  his  sharp 
axe  over  his  head  as  though  in  readiness  to  bring  it  down  upon  the 
skull  of  the  dog  if  he  showed  signs  of  hostility.  "  Keep  clear  of  the 
brute,"  he  continued,  "  for  he  may  be  mad." 

The  hound,  a  noble  animal,  with  long,  wiry  limbs,  and  heavy  jaws, 
wound  which  drops  of  foam  were  hanging,  instead  of  shrinking  from 
the  uplifted  arm  of  the  convict,  seemed  to  measure  the  danger  in  which 
he  stood  at  a  glance,  and  before  we  could  interfere,  or  the  heavy  axe 
descend,  sprang  full  at  the  throat  of  Smith,  and  such  was  the  impetu- 
osity and  suddenness  of  the  attack  that  the  convict  was  borne  to  the 
ground,  and  for  a  moment  was  at  the  mercy  of  the  dog. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  49 

Fred  and  myself  raised  our  rifles  simultaneously,  but  before  we 
brought  them  to  bear,  the  animal  had  quit  his  grip  and  began  craunch- 
ing  some  bones  which  were  lying  near  the  fire,  tearing  the  meat  which 
adhered  to  them  in  the  most  ravenous  manner,  and  exhibiting  all  the 
signs  of  starvation. 

"  Don't  fire,"  shouted  Smith,  struggling  to  his  feet.  "  Don't  fire  ;  you 
see  the  poor  brute  is  nearly  starved." 

We  still  held  our  rifles  ready,  however,  and  were  half  inclined  to  use 
them ;  but,  as  we  looked  at  the  dog,  and  saw  how  greedily  he  was  de- 
vouring his  food,  we  concluded  to  wait  and  see  what  he  would  do  after 
he  had  satisfied  his  appetite. 

"  The  dog  is  rather  quick  and  spiteful,"  cried  Smith,  rubbing  his 
throat  and  adjusting  his  shirt  collar,  which  had  been  somewhat  disar- 
ranged. "  It  served  me  right  for  threatening  him,  when  it's  evident 
that  he  has  sought  us  peaceably." 

The  convict,  instead  of  harboring  malice,  cut  large  pieces  of  flesh 
from  the  body  of  the  kangaroo  ai,  J  fed  him.  He  greedily  devoured  all 
that  was  offered,  and  wagged  his  long,  rat-like  tail  in  satisfaction. 
When,  however,  he  had  nearly  demolished  one  fore-quarter  of  our 
prize,  he  walked  a  short  distance  from  the  fire  and  renewed  his  howl- 
ing, commencing  on  a  low  kev,  and  gradually  ascending,  until  the  yells 
could  have  been  heard  for  miles. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  the  brute  ?  "  asked  Smith,  turning  to  Fred 
and  myself,  who  were  too  perplexed  to  answer  the  inquiry  ;  and,  before 
we  could  speak  again,  the  hound  walked  slowly  back  to  the  fire,  looked 
piteously  into  our  faces,  and,  strolling  out  into  the  darkness,  com- 
menced baying  as  loud  as  ever. 

Three  several  times  did  the  intelligent  animal  seek  to  induce  us  to 
follow  him,  without  our  comprehending  his  meaning ;  but  when  it  was 
evident  that  such  was  his  desire,  grave  questions  arose  as  to  the  expe- 
diency of  our  doing  so.  We  thought  that  possibly  it  was  a  trick  to  in- 
duce us  to  leave  our  baggage  so  that  the  owners  of  the  dog  would  have 
an  unrestricted  opportunity  to  plunder  the  cart.  Such  things  had  hap- 
pened before,  and  why  not  again  ? 

We  glanced  suspiciously  at  the  hound  as  he  stood  near  the  fire, 
looking  at  our  faces  and  appearing  to  understand  every  word  that  was 
said  on  the  subject ;  indeed,  when  Smith  stated,  during  the  conversation, 
that  he  would  not  on  any  account  leave  his  wagon,  the  brute  uttered  a 
howl  as  though  he  despaired  of  success,  and  turned  all  of  his  attention 
to  Fred  and  myself. 

"  Let  us  follow  him,"  cried  my  friend,  grasping  his  rifle  as  though  he 
feared  nothing  with  that  in  his  hand. 

The  dog,  as  soon  as  Fred  had  uttered  the  words,  crouched  at  his  feet 
and  licked  his  shoes,  while  a  low  bark  testified  to  his  joy. 

I  looked  towards  Smith  for  advice  and  guidance  in  the  matter.  He 
was  musing  on  the  subject,  but  when  he  saw  that  we  only  waited  for 
his  decision,  he  shouldered  his  axe,  and  nodded  his  head. 

"  Let  us  follow  the  brute,"  he  cried.  "  We  may  be  the  means  of 
saving  life,  and,  perhaps,  inuch  suffering.  Lead  the  way,  good  dog, 
and  take  us  to  your  master." 

The  hound  sprang  from  his  crouching  position  at  Fred's  feet,  and 

5 


50  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

started  on  a  dog-trot  along  the  road  that  led  towards  Melbourne.  In 
a  few  minutes,  despite  our  exertions  to  keep  pace  with  him,  he  was  out 
of  sight;  but  we  followed  along  the  course  which  he  had  started,  and 
after  a  short  time  he  returned  to  our  sides,  wagging  his  tail,  and  ap- 
parently urging  us  to  increase  our  speed. 

A  dozen  times  did  he  disappear  in  like  manner,  yet  never  for  any 
length  of  period  ;  and  after  we  had  walked  nearly  three  miles,  the  ani- 
mal abandoned  the  beaten  track  and  continued  across  the  prairie. 

"  I  don't  want  to  go  a  great  ways  in  this  direction,"  muttered  the 
convict,  glancing  around,  and  trying  to  pierce  the  darkness. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because,  a  few  miles  farther  and  we  shall  be  near  the  forest  which 
I  spoke  to  you  about.  It  is  infested  with  men  better  seen  at  a  distance 
or  not  at  all." 

In  spite  of  Smith's  fears,  however,  we  tramped  on  quarter  of  an  hour 
longer,  and  then,  by  the  uneasy  movements  of  the  dog,  concluded  that 
we  were  not  far  from  our  destination. 

Suddenly  the  animal  sprang  forward  with  a  bay  of  warning,  and  dis- 
appeared as  if  by  magic.  The  next  moment  we  were  upon  the  steep 
bank  of  a  gulch,  nearly  thirty  feet  deep  ;  and  had  not  the  actions  of 
the  dog  rendered  us  careful,  we  should  have  plunged  headlong  upon  its 
rocky  bed. 

For  a  moment  we  remained  motionless,  hardly  daring  to  move,  for 
fear  that  one  false  step  would  lead  us  to  our  ruin ;  but,  after  listening 
for  a  while,  we  heard  the  dog  as  he  reached  the  bottom  of  the  ravine, 
and  then  we  determined  to  follow  at  all  hazards. 

With  carefui  steps  we  worked  our  way  down  the  steep  bank,  and 
after  half  an  hour's  toil  found  ourselves  at  the  bottom.  The  hound  was 
waiting  for  us,  and  testified  his  impatience  by  a  deep  bay.  The  in- 
stant, however,  that  we  joined  him,  he  became  silent,  and  trotted  on  as 
before. 

Suddenly  a  groan,  but  a  few  feet  from  us,  caused  us  to  halt,  and 
hastily  look  around.  But  a  short  distance  from  us  were  the  indistinct 
outlines  of  a  cart,  and  near  the  vehicle  was  the  hound,  busily  occupied 
in  lapping  something  that  was  lying  upon  the  ground. . 

Another  groan,  and  we  moved  towards  the  individual  that  seemed  in 
such  deep  distress.  By  the  bright  starlight,  but  which  hardly  pene- 
trated the  gulch,  we  saw  the  form  of  a  woman  extended  upon  the 
rough  rocks,  while  near  her  lay  the  body  of  a  man  motionless. 

"  Here  is  work  for  us,"  cried  Smith,  all  his  genuine  feeling  returning-, 
and  he  threw  his  heavy  axe  aside,  and  in  a  twinkling  had  the  woman's 
head  upon  his  knee,  and  was  pouring  down  her  throat  a  potion  from  a 
black  bottle  which  he  carried  in  his  pocket. 

"  Look  to  the  man,"  he  cried,  assuming  the  leadership  at  once  ;  and 
in  obedience  to  orders  I  knelt  beside  him,  and  placed  my  hand  upon 
his  heart.  He  was  cold,  and  his  heart  was  motionless.  As  I  withdrew 
my  hand,  I  felt  that  my  fingers  were  moist  and  sticky.  I  tried  to  dis- 
cover what  adhered  to  them,  but  the  darkness  was  too  great. 

"  Give  me  the  matches,  Smith,"  I  said,  quickly.  "  We  will  strike  a 
Kght,  and  investigate  this  afl'air." 

A  large  quantity  of  drift  wood  was  lying  on  the  bed  of  the  gulch, 


A    GOLD    IIUNTEll's    ADVENTUKES.  51 

and  well  dried  by  the  hot  summer's  sun.  I  cut  a  few  shavings,  and  a 
bright  fire  was  soon  under  headway,  and  cast  its  ruddy  glare  upon  the 
group  collected  around  the  cart,  which  was  broken  in  half  a  dozen  dif- 
ferent places,  and  had,  apparently,  been  thrown  from  the  banks  above. 

As  soon  as  sufficient  fuel  was  added,  we  turned  our  attention  to  the 
woman  whose  head  Smith  was  holding.  Her  eyes  were  closed,  and  her 
teeth  clinched  like  those  of  a  person  in  a  fit.  There  was  not  a  vestige 
of  any  color  in  her  face,  while  her  garments  appeared  as  though  they 
had  experienced  rough  usage,  and  were  torn  in  a  dozen  different  places. 
In  spite  of  the  strong  decoction  which  Smith  had  poured  down  ner 
throat,  she  did  not  revive,  or  appear  to  comprehend  what  was  said  to 
her ;  and  after  rubbing  her  hands  for  a  while,  and  finding  that  it  did  no 
good,  I  devoted  a  few  moments  to  an  examination  of  the  body  of 
the  man. 

I  now  comprehended  the  meaning  of  the  sticky  substance  which  ad- 
hered to  my  hand,  for  upon  his  breast  were  two  large,  ragged  wounds, 
either  of  which  was  sufficient  to  let  out  the  life  of  a  man,  and  from 
each  had  oozed  his  blood  until  it  had  congealed  in  large  lumps,  and 
was  held,  bag-like,  by  his  thick  flannel  shirt. 

"  There  has  been  murder  committed  here,"  I  cried,  holding  up  my 
hands,  stained  with  the  vital  fluid  of  the  dead  man. 

"  There  has  been  more  than  murder,"  replied  Fred,  in  a  low  tone. 
"  There  has  been  violence  offered  to  a  woman." 

"  Impossible,"  I  cried,  with  a  shudder  at  the  thought. 

"  Look  and  convince  yourself,  then,"  Fred  said,  seizing  a  burning 
brand  and  holding  it  so  that  the  light  was  thrown  upon  the  face  and 
body  of  the  insensible  woman. 

Upon  her  neck  was  a  large,  discolored  spot,  and  a  near  examination 
revealed  the  impression  of  finger-nails,  as  though  she  had  been  seized 
with  no  gentle  hand,  and  choked,  until  forced  to  yield  compliance  to  un- 
holy wishes  and  desires. 

Upon  both  sides  of  a  neck  that  retained  traces  of  beauty,  although 
bearing  the  impression  of  the  sun's  burning  rays,  were  the  dark  marks 
to  be  seen ;  and  the  hand  that  had  left  its  impression  was  none  of  the 
smallest,  nor  its  grip  the  weakest,  as  we  could  readily  see. ' 

The  hound  had  crouched  close  to  us,  and  watched  with  wary  eyes  our 
movements.  Often  did  he  rise  and  lick  the  face  of  the  insensible  wo- 
man, and  after  uttering  a  howl  of  grief,  retire  to  his  resting  place,  to 
mourn  in  secret  for  his  loss. 

"  Force  more  of  the  liquor  down  her  throat,"  cried  Fred,  who  was 
rubbing  a  hand  that  appeared  accustomed  to  toil,  for  its  palm  was  hard 
and  broad. 

Smith  once  more  brought  his  bottle  into  requisition,  and  forcing 
apart  the  teeth,  emptied  a  portion  of  its  contents  into  her  mouth. 
Whether  the  chafing  began  to  have  its  effect,  or  the  liquor  was  uncom- 
monly strong,  is  a  matter  of  doubt ;  but  at  any  rate  she  strangled  as 
though  she  would  never  recover  her  breath,  and  ended  by  opening  a 
pair  of  very  frightened  blue  eyes. 

She  raised  her  head  from  Smith's  knee,  glanced  hurriedly  and  with 
frightened  looks  first  at  Fred  and  then  at  myself,  and  before  we  were 
aware  of  her  intentions,  sprang  to  her  feet,  and  with  loud  shrieks 


52  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

sought  to  escape.  Before  she  had  taken  half  a  dozen  steps,  however, 
Smith's  stout  arms  were  thrown  around  her,  and  he  was  calling  to  her 
in  gentle  words  to  listen  to  reason,  and  to  look  upon  him  as  a  friend  — 
that  he  would  protect  her,  and  help  avenge  her  injuries. 

Part  of  his  words  were  lost  during  the  momentary  struggle  which 
occurred  between  them ;  but  when  her  strength  failed,  and  she  sank 
exhausted  and  panting  into  his  arms,  for  the  first  time  she  appeared  to 
comprehend  that  we  were  not  bushrangers,  but  human  beings  and 
friends. 

"  Compose  yourself,"  cried  Smith,  as  gently  as  though  he  held  an 
infant  in  his  arms.  "  See,  even  your  dog  is  satisfied  that  we  mean  no 
harm ;  he  led  us  to  this  place,  or  you  would  have  perished  before  morn- 
ing. Tell  us  what  has  happened,  and  how  we  can  assist  you." 

"  Where  is  my  husband  ?  "  she  asked,  after  a  moment's  silence,  dur- 
ing which  her  wild  eyes  wandered  from  face  to  face,  as  though  seeking 
to  verify  the  truth  of  his  words. 

We  returned  no  answer,  and  she  repeated  the  question,  though  in  a 
louder  tone,  and  appeared  to  doubt  us  because  we  kept  silent. 

"  My  husband !  where  is  my  husband  ?  "  she  shrieked ;  and  as  she- 
turned  her  restless  eyes  towards  the  cart,  she  suddenly  appeared  to 
comprehend  every  thing. 

"  He  is  dead  —  he  is  dead,"  she  cried,  starting  to  her  feet,  in  spite  of 
the  gentle  restraint  which  Smith  sought  to  impose  upon  her. 

She  saw  the  body  of  the  man  who  had  been  murdered,  and  with  a 
loud  cry  she  fell  upon  it,  laid  her  head  upon  its  cold  bosom,  and  sobbed 
as  though  her  heart  would  break.  We  did  not  interrupt  her  grief,  but 
the  faithful  dog  lay  down  beside  her,  and  added  his  subdued  howls  to 
her  tears ;  and  when  she  mourned  the  loudest,  he  would  lick  her  hands 
and  face,  and  seek  to  comfort  her  with  his  love. 

We  heaped  up  fuel  on  the  fire,  and  waited  patiently  for  the  time  when 
the  woman  would  exhaust  her  grief,  and  give  us  some  account  of  the 
proceedings  by  which  she  and  hers  had  suffered. 

While  Smith  and  Fred  remained  near  the  fire,  they  examined  the 
cart  to  see  if  it  contained  any  thing  that  would  be  useful  to  the  unfor- 
tunate woman  in  her  present  hour  of  grief.  There  were  a  few  culinary 
utensils,  besides  a  thin  mattress  and  blankets  —  all  thrown  in  promiscu- 
ously, as  though  the  load  had  been  ransacked  and  rifled  of  every  thing 
that  was  valuable,  and  the  remainder  not  considered  worth  taking 
away. 

The  night  wore  on,  and  light  would  soon  herald  the  approach  of  day. 
It  was  necessary  that  we  should  return  to  our  camp,  and  look  after  our 
effects  ;  for  who  could  tell  how  long  they  would  be  safe  unless  guarded 
by  a  display  of  rifles  ?  Besides,  the  cattle  needed  looking  after,  and 
collecting,  or  they  would  be  likely  to  stray  back  towards  Melbourne 
and  get  mixed  with  the  wild  animals  which  belonged  to  some  of  the 
numerous  stockmen  on  the  road.  Or  the  bushrangers  might  take  a 
fancy  for  a  change  of  diet,  and  prefer  beef  to  mutton ;  and  in  this  case 
they  would  not  be  likely  to  ask  the  permission  of  the  owner  of  the  ani- 
mals, unless  he  was  stronger-handed  than  the  robbers. 

I  saw  Smith  glance  uneasily  along  the  ravine,  and  edge  towards  the 
woman  as  though  he  wished  to  cheer  her  in  her  affliction,  and  yet  explain 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  53 

about  the  large  amount  of  property  which  he  had  left  unprotected.  As 
her  sobs  had  somewhat  subsided,  worn  out  by  the  violence,  of  her  emo- 
tions, she  appeared  more  calm ;  he  made  the  attempt,  and  kneeling 
beside  her  spoke,  — 

"  We  are  strangers,"  he  said,  taking  her  sunburnt  hand  between 
his  rough  palms,  and  looking  at  her  as  tenderly  as  though  she  had  been 
his  sister ;  "  we  are  strangers,  but  there  is  not  a  man  present  but  will 
shed  his  blood  in  your  defence  ;  and  while  we  have  strength  there  is  no 
fear  of  your  suffering.  Have  confidence  in  us,  and  explain  how  this 
dreadful  affair  happened." 

He  waited  patiently  for  an  answer,  but  some  few  minutes  passed 
before  she  could  repress  her  sobs,  which  commenced  anew  at  the  sound 
of  his  voice.  At  length  she  raised  her  head,  brushed  back  the  heavy 
masses  of  hair  which  partly  screened  her  face,  and  with  an  uncertain 
voice  replied,  — 

"  I  thank  you  for  your  offers  of  assistance,  and  accept  them;  for  what 
can  I  do  alone  in  this  desert  without  friends  ?  My  troubles  are  so  unex- 
pected that  if  I  do  not  appear  grateful,  attribute  it  to  a  want  of  realiza- 
tion of  the  dreadful  scenes  through  which  I  have  passed  since  yesterday, 
My  husband  —  " 

She  threw  herself  upon  his  corpse  again,  and  for  a  while  her  grief 
recommenced  with  all  its  former  violence.  Smith  soothed  and  com- 
forted her,  and  gradually  was  enabled  to  draw  all  the  facts  connected 
with  the  murder  from  her  unwilling  lips. 

"  It  is  ten  days  since  we  arrived  at  Melbourne,"  she  went  on  to  say ; 
"  my  husband  thought  that  we  had  better  leave  our  two  children  at  the 
city  with  some  friends,  who  were  passengers  in  the  same  ship  with  our- 
selves, until  he  had  settled  upon  what  occupation  he  should  pursue.  He 
had  a  strong  desire  to  try  his  luck  at  the  mines,  and  as  we  had  a  little 
money  left  after  reaching  this  country,  he  invested  it  in  buying  a  cart 
and  horse,  and  a  few  articles  which  were  needed  on  the  route.  I  was 
very  reluctant  to  part  with  my  children,  but  I  now  perceive  that  it  was 
for  the  best ;  for  it  is  probable  that  the  little  dears  would  have  shared  the 
fate  of  their  father,  had  they  travelled  with  us.  The  chief  object  of  our 
visit  to  this  country,  however,  was  not  so  much  a  desire  for  wealth,  as 
the  thought  of  meeting  a  parent  whom  I  have  been  separated  from  since 
I  was  a  child." 

She  paused  for  a  moment,  and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  as  though 
reluctant  to  proceed.  Smith  and  I  exchanged  glances  of  surprise,  while 
the  woman  continued  her  rambling  story. 

"  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  say  that  my  father  was  transported  to  Aus- 
tralia for  life ;  but  he  was  innocent  of  the  charge  against  him,  and  it  has 
since  been  made  manifest ;  but  government  refuse  to  give  him  his  lib- 
erty, and  he  is  still  a  convict." 

"  What  was  the  charge  upon  which  he  was  convicted?"  asked  Smith, 
with  breathless  anxiety. 

The  woman  hung  her  head  and  remained  silent;  and  Smith  was 
obliged  to  repeat  his  question  before  he  obtained  an  answer.  His  per- 
tinacity seemed  cruel,  but  he  had  an  object  in  view. 

"  He  was  charged  with  the  death  of  my  mother,"  she  answered,  her 
voice  stifled  with  tears. 

5* 


54  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

"And  your  name  before  you  were  married  was  —  " 

"  Mary  Ogleton." 

"  It  is  the  same,"  muttered  Smith  ;  but  instead  of  reveaJing  the  good 
news  to  her,  he  waited  to  hear  the  balance  of  her  history  since  leaving 
Melbourne.  A  few  soothing  words,  and  she  continued,  — 

"  Ten  months  since  we  had  letters  from  my  father,  strongly  urging  us 
to  come  to  him,  as  he  thought  my  husband  would  make  a  better  living 
here  than  in  England.  •  We  were  the  more  inclined  to  follow  his  advice, 
as  the  letters  contained  drafts  for  money  to  help  us  pay  our  passage, 
which  we  otherwise  should  not  have  been  enabled  to  have  done." 

"  Tell  us  about  your  journey  since  leaving  the  city,"  cried  Smith,  "for 
•We  already  know  your  history  before  that  period." 

She  looked  surprised,  and  continued,  — 

"  Father  wrote  us  that  he  was  tending  a  flock  of  sheep  on  the  road 
leading  to  Ballarat,  and  that  he  could  not  leave  his  station  even  for  a 
day ;  but  we  were  to  write  him  if  we  intended  coming,  and  he  would 
have  a  friend  on  the  lookout  for  us.  We  answered  his  letter,  saying  that 
we  should  embark  on  board  of  the  first  ship  that  sailed  for  Australia ; 
but  when  we  reached  port  we  found  none  to  welcome  us ;  and  it  was  only 
after  diligent  inquiries  that  we  learned  where  he  was  located.  Yester- 
day, about  noon,  we  thought  that  we  must  be  near  his  home ;  and  on 
inquiring  of  a  man  that  we  met,  he  said  that  he  knew  him  well,  and 
would  conduct  us  to  his  hut.  By  his  advice,  we  left  the  road  which  we 
had  travelled  for  four  days,  and  struck  across  the  prairie.  I  did  not 
like  the  appearance  of  our  guide,  and  expressed  my  fears  to  my  hus- 
band ;  but  he  laughed  at  me,  and  placed  implicit  confidence  in  all  that 
the  stranger  said." 

"  What  sort  of  looking  man  was  your  guide  ?  "  asked  Smith. 

"A  dark-featured  man,  with  long  black  beard,  tall,  and  strongly 
framed.  Upon  his  forehead  was  a  large  scar,  that  looked  as  though 
recently  inflicted.  I  noticed  him  particularly,  because  1  mistrusted  him 
the  instant  he  offered  to  act  as  our  guide." 

"  It  was  Black  Darnley,"  cried  Smith,  in  reply  to  my  interrogation ; 
"  the  villain  —  he  shall  yet  suffer  for  his  treachery." 

"  That  was  the  name  by  which  his  companions  addressed  him,"  cried 
the  woman,  who  overheard  Smith's  remark. 

The  convict  encouraged  her  to  continue  her  narrative,  and  motioned 
Fred  and  myself  to  remain  silent. 

"  He  led  us  to  the  bank  of  this  ravine,  and  said  that  we  must  here 
abandon  our  team,  and  walk  a  few  miles  to  father's  hut.  My  husband 
refused  to  follow  his  advice  in  that  respect,  and  while  Darnley  was  urg- 
ing him  to  do  so,  our  dog,  which  had  faithfully  remained  with  us  since 
we  left  England,  started  in  pursuit  of  a  strange  animal  that  bounded 
along  the  prairie  faster  than  the  hound  could  run.  We  all  became 
interested  in  the  chase,  and  when  we  lost  sight  of  dog  and  animal,  I 
looked  up  and  found  five  rough  men  close  beside  me.  I  started  with 
surprise ;  but  before  my  husband  could  say  a  word,  or  use  the  gun 
which  he  carried,  Darnley  discharged  a  pistol  full  at  his  breast,  and  he 
fell  dead.  I  remember  nothing  more,  or,  if  I  do,  I  pray  to  God  that  I 
may  soon  forget  it,  or  else  join  my  husband  in  heaven.  Were  I  childless, 
I  would  dash  my  head  against  these  rough  stones,  and  so  end  my  days." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  55 

As  she  finished  her  story,  she  bowed  her  head  upon  her  husband's 
cold  bosom,  and  her  tears  flowed  fast  and  freely,  while  her  frame  shook 
as  though  she  was  laboring  under  an  attack  of  ague. 

"  Listen  to  me,"  said  Smith,  at  length,  laying  his  hand  upon  her  arm 
to  attract  her  attention  :  "  we  have  a  long  journey  before  us,  and  time 
is  precious  ;  but  we  will  lose  a  day  for  the  purpose  of  restoring  you  to 
your  father.  Trust  me,  I  know  him,  and  if  you  think  you  can  walk  a 
few  miles,  a  few  hours  from  now  will  see  you  in  his  arms." 

"  I  am  strong  now,"  she  said,  rising,  as  though  the  news  had  given 
her  new  life. 

"  Then  lean  on  me,  and  I  will  assist  you  up  this  bank.  Courage  — 
remember  you  live  for  your  children  and  parent  now." 

As  Smith  offered  his  strong  arm,  she  accepted  it ;  but  a  sudden 
thought  took  possession  of  her  mind,  and  she  quitted  his  side  and  once 
more  threw  herself  upon  the  body  of  her  husband. 

"I  cannot,  leave  him,"  she  shrieked,  clasping  her  arms  around  his 
neck,  and  pressing  her  head  upon  his  bosom.  "  He  has  been  my  only 
friend  for  years ;  he  did  not  despise  me  when  he  knew  that  my  parent 
was  a  convict ;  he  has  loved  me,  and  is  the  %ther  of  my  children.  Let 
me  remain  with  him,  and  die  upon  his  breast." 

"  This  is  madness,"  Fred  cried,  impatiently. 

"  Hush,"  said  Smith.  "  Consider  what  the  poor  thing  has  suffered, 
and  treat  her  gently  as  a  sister." 

The  stout  convict,  whose  heart  had  been  strongly  touched  by  her  story 
and  deep  love,  raised  her  in  his  arms,  soothed  her,  spoke  words  of  com- 
fort to  her,  and  promised  if  she  would  but  leave  the  spot,  that  the  body 
of  her  husband  should  soon  follow  her,  and  be  buried  in  a  Christian-like 
manner. 

She  listened  like  one  who  did  not  comprehend  his  meaning,  and  all 
the  time  that  he  was  talking,  her  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  pale  face  of 
her  husband,  as  though  she  expected  each  moment  to  hear  his  voice,  and 
see  him  start  to  his  feet,  and  open  his  arms  for  her  protection. 

With  gentle  force  we  urged  her  away  from  the  distressing  sight,  and 
when,  after  long  labor,  we  had  gained  the  bank  of  the  ravine,  we  found 
that  the  poor  woman  was  nearly  unconscious,  and  hardly  capable  of 
moving. 

"  Where  now  ?  "  I  asked  of  Smith,  as  we  carried  her  along. 

"  To  the  hut  of  Ogleton,"  he  cried ;  "  and  then,  if  I  mistake  not,  we 
shall  have  work  before  us." 

"  What  kind  of  work  ?  "  asked  Fred,  who  was  carrying  the  rifles,  and 
the  sharp  axe  of  the  convict. 

"  The  work  of  revenge,"  cried  Smith,  solemnly. 

"  I  am  ready  for  it,"  exclaimed  Fred,  brandishing  his  rifle;  "God  only 
grant  us  all  strength  to  perform  it." 

And  as  we  staggered  along  the  prairie  with  our  burden,  the  dark 
clouds  in  the  east  broke  away,  and  revealed  the  glowing  tints  of  the  ris- 
ing sun  ?  and  a  hundred  bright-plumed  birds  darted  through  the  air, 
awakening  the  solitude  of  that  vast  plain  with  their  shrill  calls,  and  each 
cry  seemed  to  say,  "  Revenge !  revenge ! " 


56  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

CHAPTER    VII. 

BLACK  DARNLEY'S  VILLANY. —  THE  CONVICT  STOCKMAN. 

A  BRIGHTER  sun  never  shone  upon  the  barren  plains  and  fertile  val- 
leys of  Australia,  than  that  which  appeared  above  the  horizon  on  the 
morning  after  the  murder  and  deed  of  violence  committed  by  Black 
Darnley  and  his  gang  of  bushrangers.  Our  party  had  not  closed  their 
eyes  in  sleep  during  the  night,  yet  not  one  of  us  felt  the  least  fatigue  or 
desire  to  rest,  until  the  woman,  who  was  under  our  protection,  had  been 
placed  beneath  the  shelter  of  her  father's  roof,  humble  as  it  was,  and 
removed  from  all  society  and  scenes  of  civilization. 

As  we  supported  the  unhappy  woman  towards  the  habitation  of  the 
convict,  and  spoke  words  of  encouragement  which  fell  upon  listless  ears, 
we  thought  of  a  parent's  love,  and  how  strong  it  must  exist  in  the  heart 
of  that  old  man,  who  had  grown  morose  under  his  wrongs,  yet  still  clung 
to  the  recollection  of  his  <Shild,  and  fancied  her  a  girl,  instead  of  a  full- 
grown  woman,  and  the  mother  of  a  family. 

We  had  no  doubt  that  her  reception  by  her  father  would  be  warm ; 
but  we  dreaded  to  know  how  he  would  deport  himself  upon  the  news 
of  the  harsh  treatment  which  she  had  received  being  explained  to  him. 
He  was  represented  to  us  by  Smith  as  a  man  of  quick  passions  —  bold 
and  fearless,  or  he  would  never  have  accepted  the  situation  to  which  he 
•was  attached  —  surrounded,  as  he  was,  with  dangerous  neighbors  — 
convicts,  who  cared  no  more  about  shedding  the  blood  of  a  man  than 
they  did  for  the  lamb  which  they  slaughtered  when  hungry  —  wild 
beasts,  who  prowled  around  the  fields  at  night,  and  skulked  near  dur- 
ing the  day,  and  who,  if  urged  by  starvation,  would  attack  the  shep- 
herds, provided  they  interposed  between  them  and  their  prey. 

This  was  the  kind  of  man  that  was  to  be  told  that  his  daughter  had 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  men  whom  he  had  spoken  with  weekly  for 
months,  and  who  respected  him  only  because  they  knew  him  to  be  no 
coward,  and  a  convict  like  themselves. 

Our  walk  across  the  prairie  was  slow  and  laborious.  We  were  com- 
pelled to  govern  our  pace  with  that  of  the  woman,  and  as  she  was  half- 
dead  with  grief,  and  insensible  to  our  words  of  encouragement,  we 
concluded  to  let  her  cry  without  hindrance  on  our  part,  and  only  hoped 
that  our  wagon  might  escape  pillage  during  our  long  absence. 

It  was  about  nine  o'clock  when  we  reached  the  place  where  we  were 
camped  the  night  before.  The  wagon  remained  where  we  had  left  it ; 
but  it  needed  no  tongue  to  tell  that  it  had  been  visited,  while  we  were 
away,  and  that  a  portion  of  the  load  was  removed.  Boxes  of  goods 
were  overturned,  and  tops  wrenched  off,  bales  were  cut  open,  and  their 
contents  scattered  upon  the  ground;  and,  upon  a  near  examination,  we 
found  that  the  impudent  robbers  had  used  our  dishes  to  feast  from,  and 
that  there  were  still  smoking  brands  upon  the  fire  where  they  had  boiled 
their  coffee,  as  though  they  knew  we  should  be  absent  all  night,  and  had 
plenty  of  time  to  enjoy  themselves  before  our  return. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  57 

For  a  few  minutes,  after  Smith  had  seen  the  havoc  which  the  bush- 
rangers had  made  with  his  cargo,  he  seemed  to  need  as  much  comfort- 
ing as  the  unfortunate  female  under  his  charge.  But  he  was  a  man, 
and  had  seen  too  much  of  the  world's  trials  to  get  discouraged,  so  he 
proceeded  to  gather  up  his  goods  in  the  most  philosophical  manner, 
although  an  occasional  oath  did  escape  him  as  he  missed  some  article  of 
value  which  he  knew  could  not  be  replaced  except  in  Melbourne. 

While  Smith  was  occupied  with  his  cargo  Fred  and  myself  proceeded 
to  cook  breakfast,  a  meal  which  we  stood  very  much  in  need  of,  con- 
sidering the  labors  of  the  night ;  but  before  we  did  so,  our  female  friend 
was  placed  upon  blankets  and  screened  from  the  hot  sun.  She  refused  all 
offers  of  nourishment,  and  would  not  drink  even  a  cup  of  strong  tea 
which  we  proffered  her.  Coffee,  we  unfortunately  had  none,  as  the 
bushrangers  had  taken  a  fancy  to  the  few  pounds  which  were  on  the 
cart,  and  carried  it  with  them,  rejecting  with  seeming  contempt  the 
green  leaves  of  China,  of  which  there  was  a  large  box  undis- 
turbed. 

Even  the  flesh  of  the  kangaroo  which  we  had  hung  upon  the  limb  of 
a  tree  was  saved  ;  but  our  store  of  salt  pork  was  gone,  also  the  few  veg- 
etables, worth  almost  their  weight  in  gold  at  the  mines,  which  had  been 
treasured  until  we  should  arrive  at  our  destination. 

Fred  uttered  a  curse  when  he  found  that  there  was  not  a  single  po- 
tato left ;  but,  after  he  had  vented  his  displeasure,  he  applied  his  ener- 
gies to  the  matter  before  him  with  all  his  usual  determination. 

Fred's  clothing  and  my  own,  contained  in  one  small  canvas  bag,  was 
gone,  and  we  stood  in  all  that  we  owned.  That  did  not  distress  us, 
however,  for  we  were  not  likely  to  go  into  society  where  a  change  of 
dress  was  expected,  but  we  did  growl  when  we  found  that  the  scamps 
had  carried  off  all  our  powder,  excepting  what  our  flasks  contained. 

"  Whose  work  is  this  ?  "  asked  Fred,  who  was  broiling  a  piece  of  kan- 
garoo on  a  stick,  and  in  a  very  artistic  manner,  for  the  purpose  of 
tempting  the  poor  woman's  appetite. 

Smith,  to  whom  the  question  was  addressed,  straightened  his  stout 
form,  and  held  up  a  number  of  flannel  shirts,  which  he  was  taking  to 
the  mines  on  a  venture.  They  had  been  cut  with  knives  in  the  most 
wanton  manner,  and  hardly  a  square  inch  had  escaped. 

"  There  is  evidence  enough  of  the  perpetrator,"  replied  Smith,  point- 
ing to  the  holes. 

"  Well,  who  is  he  ? "  cried  Fred,  sprinkling  a  little  salt  upon  the 
burning  flesh. 

"  There  is  but  one  gang  of  bushrangers  in  these  parts  who  inflict 
wanton  injury  upon  the  goods  of  carriers.  That  gang  is  Darnley's  !  " 

"And  yet  you  pardoned  him  once  when  he  was  in  your  power," 
I  said. 

"  True ;  and  had  I  been  here  my  cargo  would  have  escaped  molesta- 
tion. He  little  thought  that  he  was  injuring  me.  I  will  do  him  the 
justice  of  saying  that." 

"  He  and  his  gang  should  be  swept  from  the  face  of  the  earth,"  cried 
Fred,  who,  having  cooked  and  seasoned  the  meat  to  his  satisfaction,  now 
approached  the  woman,  who  was  lying  upon  a  blanket,  apparently  un- 
conscious of  what  was  going  on  around  her. 


58  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

He  had  but  uttered  the  words  when  she  started  to  her  feet,  grasped 
his 'arm  with  a  vehemence  utterly  at  variance  with  her  previous  docil- 
ity, and  exclaimed,  — 

"  You  are  right.  Kill  the  monster !  Kill  him,  for  he  is  unfit  to  live. 
Kill  him,  for  he  has  wronged  an  unprotected  woman,  and  committed 
outrages  that  will  condemn  him  to  eternal  punishment  in  the  next 
world." 

She  released  her  grasp  of  Fred  and  fell  to  the  ground,  where  she  sat 
rocking  her  body  to  and  fro,  uttering  moans  of  anguish.  But  she  no 
longer  shed  tears,  and  her  eyes  looked  wild  and  threatening,  as  though 
her  troubles  had  affected  her  reason. 

"  Who  talks  of  killing  ?  "  cried  a  deep  voice.  "  That  is  God's  pre- 
rogative, not  man's  nor  vain  woman's." 

We  started,  and  turning  saw  that  the  convict  stockman  had  ap- 
proached us  unawares,  and  was  leaning  on  his  long  gun,  keenly  scan- 
ning the  features  of  the  unfortunate  woman. 

"  There  are  some  crimes  which  God  designs  man  to  punish,"  an- 
swered Smith,  desisting  from  his  occupation  of  gathering  up  his  traps. 
"  I  think  that  the  scoundrels  who  robbed  my  team  deserve  hanging, 
and  I  don't  want  to  wait  until  they  are  dead  to  know  that  they  are  re- 
ceiving punishment  in  the  next  world." 

"  The  world  to  come  is  one  of  darkness  to  us  mortals,  and  who  can 
pierce  its  blackness.  But  God  has  promised  light,  and  behold  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  will  reveal  all  things,  for  so  sayeth  the  Book  of  all 
books." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  replied  Smith,  who  had  listened  at- 
tentively to  the  wild,  rambling  speech  of  the  convict  without  compre- 
hending its  import ;  "  but  this  I  do  know,  that  I  would  mash  the 
heads  of  the  bushrangers  who  robbed  my  cart,  if  they  were  within  the 
reach  of  my  axe." 

"  Trust  in  God  for  vengeance,  for  to  him  does  it  belong,"  exclaimed 
the  convict,  drawing  a  dirty  looking  and  well-thumbed  Testament  from 
his  pocket,  and  turning  over  leaf  after  leaf  as  though  seeking  for  a 
particular  chapter. 

"  We  must  get  him  to  put  up  his  book,  or  he'll  read  from  now  till 
sundown,"  cried  Smith,  with  visible  alarm  at  the  idea  of  being  com- 
pelled to  listen. 

"  Here  is  an  unfortunate  woman  that  needs  your  assistance,"  said 
Smith,  laying  a  hand  upon  the  old  man's  arm,  and  calling  his  attention 
to  his  child. 

"  Does  she  need  spiritual  assistance,  or  only  food  for  the  body  ?  Her 
looks  are  like  those  of  a  person  who  has  been  suffering." 

"  She  has  suffered' much  within  twenty-four  hours,  and  her  only  friend 
now  is  that  dog  that  keeps  so  close  to  her." 

"Let  her  be  comforted,"  the  convict  cried,  approaching  her;  "if 
her  sorrow  is  ever  so  deep,  it  can  be  healed." 

He  closed  his  book  as  he  spoke  and  approached  his  child,  who  sat 
with  downcast  eyes,  and  appai'ently  unconscious  of  his  presence. 

"  Daughter,"  he  began ;  but  at  the  sound  of  his  voice  so  near,  she 
raised  her  eyes  hastily,  and  on  her  face  could  be  seen  the  emotions  and 
struggles  to  recollect  where  she  had  before  heard  his  tones.  She 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  59 

pressed  her  hand  to  her  forehead  as  though  forcing  memory  to  reveal 
its  secret,  but  suddenly  the  truth  was  revealed  to  her. 

"Father,"  she  cried, ' starting  to  her  feet,  and  throwing  her  arms 
around  that  white-headed  man's  neck,  venerable  before  his  time. 
"  Father  !  O  God,  is  it  you  ?  " 

She  laid  her  aching  head  upon  his  bosom,  and,  with  her  arms  around 
his  neck,  shed  tears  as  freely  as  she  did  the  day  that  she  was  separated 
from  him,  as  she  thought,  forever. 

The  convict  staggered  back,  and  would  have  fallen,  had  not  Fred's 
strong  arm  supported  him.  He  glanced  from  face  to  face  as  though 
trying  to  read  the  meaning  of  the  surprise,  and  then  he  turned  his  looks 
upon  his  daughter. 

"  Mary,"  he  cried,  after  pushing  the  hair  from  her  forehead,  "  can  it, 
indeed,  be  my  child  —  has  the  little  girl  whom  I  left  in  England  grown 
to  be  a  woman  !  " 

He  held  her  close  in  his  embrace  as  though  he  feared  that  something 
would  happen  to  prevent  his  seeing  her  again.  He  kissed  the  tears 
from  her  cheeks,  and  begged  her  to  be  calm,  and  to  tell  him  about  her 
voyage,  and  lastly  to  speak  about  her  husband  and  children. 

Her  sobs  were  her  only  response.  He  grew  impatient  at  her  refusal 
to  answer  his  interrogations,  and  then  suspicions  of  foul  play  entered 
his  imagination. 

"  There  has  been  some  wrong  done  you,"  he  cried,  appealing  to  his 
daughter. 

She  answered  with  tears  and  moans. 

"  Speak,  and  tell  me  who  has  dared  to  injure  you,"  he  cried  vehe- 
mently. "  Was  it  your  husband  ?  " 

His  brow  grew  threatening  and  black,  as  he  put  the  question. 

There  was  no  reply,  but  his  daughter  clung  to  his  neck  with  a  more 
convulsive  grasp,  as  though  she  feared  to  lose  her  parent  also. 

He  glanced  from  Smith  to  Fred,  and  from  the  latter  to  myself,  as 
though  debating  whether  we  were  the  guilty  party. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  cried,  lifting  her  head  from  his  shoulder,  and  seeking 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  her  face,  "  who  has  wronged  you  ?  " 

There  was  no  response.  He  placed  her  gently  upon  the  blankets, 
and  then  with  a  face  that  was  livid  with  rage,  grasped  his  musket  which 
had  fallen  to  the  ground. 

"  Which  of  you  has  dared  to  do  this  ?  "  he  asked,  and  the  ominous 
click  of  the  lock  of  the  gun  proved  that  he  was  in  earnest,  and  that  all 
of  his  worst  passions  were  aroused. 

No  one  answered.  I  looked  towards  Smith,  expecting  to  hear  him 
explain  every  thing ;  but,  to  my  surprise,  he  was  silent ;  evidently  too 
much  astonished  at  the  unexpected  turn  which  the  affair  had  assumed, 
to  speak. 

My  look  was  misconstrued  by  the  indignant  convict,  for  before  I 
could  speak,  the  long  gun  was  levelled  at  the  breast  of  Smith,  and  in 
another  moment  all  his  hopes  and  fears  would  have  been  at  an  end,  had 
not  his  child  started  up  and  rushed  towards  him. 

"  Not  him ! "  she  shouted,  wildly.     "  O  God,  not  him ! " 

He  dropped  the  muzzle  of  his  gun,  but  his  fierce  eyes  still  glared 
from  Fred  to  me. 


60  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  Which  of  these  two  ?  " 

He  indicated  us  with  a  motion  of  the  hand  that  held  the  gun,  and 
looked  in  his  child's  face  for  confirmation. 

"  Neither,  father  —  so  help  me  Heaven,  neither.  Without  the  aid 
of  these  friends  I  should  have  perished." 

He  dropped  the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  and  each  of  us  felt  thankful  as  he 
did  so,  for  we  had  witnessed  the  accuracy  of  his  aim  the  day  before, 
and  while  the  muzzle  of  the  musket  was  pointed  towards  us,  one  of  our 
lives  was  not  worth  insuring. 

"  You  are  tired  and  distressed,"  the  convict  said,  addressing  his 
daughter  with  a  degree  of  tenderness  that  I  thought  wonderful  after 
his  late  outbreak. 

"  My  head,"  she  murmured,  "  feels  as  though  it  would  burst ;  while 
my  heart  is  broken  already." 

"  Rest  a  while,  until  I  confer  with  your  new-found  friends,  and  then 
you  shall  accompany  me  to  my  home.  It  is  a  hut,  but  it  is  all  I  have 
to  shelter  you." 

It  was  singular  to  witness  how  soon  the  recluse  had  once  more  be- 
come an  active  man  of  the  world,  and  for  a  while  forgotten  his  Bible 
and  religious  fanaticism. 

"  Tell  me  all  that  has  happened,"  the  convict  said,  motioning  for  us 
three  to  follow  him  a  short  distance  from  his  daughter,  so  that  our  con- 
versation could  not  be  overheard  by  her. 

Smith  related  the  strange  visit  of  the  hound,  and  his  leading  us  to 
the  scene  of  the  murder  —  our  finding  his  child  in  an  insensible  condi- 
tion —  the  story  of  her  wrongs,  and  our  surprise  at  finding  that  she  was 
in  search  of  him.  He  listened  with  clinched  teeth,  and  only  inter- 
rupted the  narrative  with  groans  of  rage  and  anguish.  When  he  knew 
all,  we  waited  to  see  what  course  he  would  pursue. 

To  our  surprise,  he  did  not  speak,  but  turned  away  as  though  about 
to  seek  his  home. 

"  Stay  one  moment,"  cried  Smith,  laying  his  hand  upon  his  shoulder. 

"  Well,"  cried  the  convict,  impatiently. 

"  What  do  you  propose  to  do  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  Are  you  Americans,  and  ask  that  question  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  You  think  of  seeking  Black  Darnley  ?  "  Smith  continued. 

"  I  do." 

"  Alone  ?  " 

"  Alone." 

"  You  shaB.  not,"  cried  Smith,  with  sudden  energy.  "  You  are  no 
match  for  him  and  his  gang." 

"  My  daughter's  injury  must  be  avenged.  I  go  alone  to  consum- 
mate it." 

"  Stay  until  to-morrow,  and  we  will  accompany  you,"  Fred  and  my- 
self cried  with  one  accord. 

The  convict  hesitated  for  a  moment,  then  suddenly  extended  his 
hands,  and  while  he  wrung  ours,  promised  a  compliance.  The  next  in- 
stant he  had  lifted  his  daughter  in  his  arms,  and  was  walking  with  the 
burden  towards  his  hut. 

We  saw  no  more  of  him  until  towards  night,  and  then  he  was  i» 
front  of  the  hut  cleaning  his  long,  heavy  musket. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  61 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

AN  EXPEDITION.  —  A   FIGHT   WITH  BUSHRANGERS.  —  DEATH  os 
BLACK  DARNLEY. 

"  I  DON'T  like  the  expedition,"  said  Smith,  pettishly,  as  he  saw  Fred 
and  myself  examining  our  powder-flasks  and  counting  bullets. 

"  Then  stay  here  and  await  our  return,"  cried  Fred,  bluntly,  looking 
up  from  his  work. 

Smith  moved  uneasily,  muttered  something  in  an  under  tone,  felt  the 
edge  of  his  constant  companion,  a  heavy  axe,  and  then  replied,  — 

"  If  you  two  harum-scarum  youngsters  are  determined  to  get  your 
throats"  cut,  I  don't  see  but  that  I  shall  have  to  be  near  at  hand.  But 
I  tell  you  it  is  bad  business,  and  none  but  crazy  men  would  think  of 
penetrating  that  dark  forest  in  search  of  bushrangers." 

"  You  wouldn't  let  that  old  man  go  alone,  would  you  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  No ;  but  then " 

He  stopped  a  moment,  as  though  to  collect  his  thoughts,  and  pet- 
tishly exclaimed,  — 

"  D it,  you  are  going  in  search  of  the  worst  gang  on  the  island. 

Black  Darnley  is  equal  to  all  three  of  us  in  a  personal  encounter." 

"  But  suppose  we  kept  him  at  bay,  and  tried  the  effect  of  rifle 
shot  ?  "  I  asked,  holding  up  a  short,  heavy  instrument,  carrying  about 
twenty-five  to  a  pound. 

"  The  rifle  looks  like  a  true  one,  and  I  know  that  you  boys  can  shoot, 
but  suppose  that  you  didn't  get  the  chance  ?  " 

"  Then  we  must  trust  to  luck,"  answered  Fred,  coolly. 

"  I'm  no  great  hand  at  bush-fighting,"  replied  Smith ;  "  but  we  have 
joined  our  fortunes  for  a  trip  to  the  mines,  and  I'm  not  the  man  to  de- 
sert you  at  the  time  of  need." 

"  Then  you'll  go  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  Yes ;  if  I  get  killed  it  matters  not  much." 

In  half  an  hour  we  were  ready;  each  man  carried  a  small  knap- 
sack, containing  a  few  cakes  of  bread  and  the  remains  of  the  kangaroo, 
while  Smith  provided  himself  with  a  small  bottle,  the  contents  of  which 
he  kept  a  profound  secret. 

Not  knowing  whether  we  should  ever  be  fortunate  enough  to  return 
and  claim  the  few  articles  of  property  that  belonged  to  us,  Fred  and 
myself  paused  for  a  moment  to  bid  them  farewell. 

Standing  in  the  doorway  of  the  stockman's  hut,  we  saw  the  form  of 
his  injured  daughter  watching  us  on  our  tramp.  She  remained  mo- 
tionless until  we  turned  to  continue  our  march,  and  then  she  waved  a 
blood-red  handkerchief  as  though  bidding  us  remember  her  injuries 
and  avenge  them. 

Right  before  us,  at  a  distance  of  five  miles,  was  a  dark  line  of  trees, 
extending  for  many  leagues  along  the  horizon.  In  the  depths  of  that 
forest  few  white  men  had  ever  penetrated.  Once,  a  dozen  of  the  po- 
lice of  Melbourne  attempted  to  break  up  a  gang  of  bushrangers  who 

6 


62  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

sheltered  themselves  upon  the  edge  of  this  wild  region.  On  the  alarm 
being  given,  the  villains  discharged  a  volley  at  the  officers  and  then 
fled.  Five  of  the  police  were  killed  or  wounded,  hut  the  remainder, 
nothing  daunted,  started  in  pursuit.  They  got  separated  amidst  the 
thickets,  and  but  one  man  returned  alive  to  Melbourne.  The  remainder 
either  got  lost  and  starved  to  death,  or  else  were  killed  by  the  bush- 
rangers. After  that,  government  was  content  to  offer  large  rewards  for 
the  apprehension  of  the  escaped  convicts,  but  the  police  did  not  care 
to  venture  a  second  time  into  their  dread  abode. 

I  have  mentioned  these  circum stances  to  show  that  the  undertaking 
upon  which  we  had  embarked  was  one  of  no  ordinary  kind  ;  that  there 
was  much  peril  and  little  honor  to  be  gained  in  an  encounter  with  half 
a  dozen  desperate  men,  who  knew  that  their  lives  depended  upon  the 
stout  resistance  which  they  should  offer,  and  of  course  would  fight  to 
the  death. 

If  we  did  look  sharply  to  the  loading  of  our  rifles,  and  felt  the 
long  bowie  knives  that  we  carried  at  our  waist  to  find  whether  the  blades 
worked  easily  in  their  sheaths,  it  was  because  we  expected  to  use  them, 
and  knew  that  our  only  hope  to  return  alive  was  by  a  prompt  employ- 
ment of  the  deadly  weapons  when  an  encounter  took  place. 

It  was  near  nine  o'clock  when  we  halted  upon  the  outskirts  of  the 
dark  forest.  Hardly  a  ray  of  the  hot  sun  penetrated  the  woods ;  all  was 
gloomy  and  silent.  Occasionally  a  parrot  upon  the  borders  of  the 
forest  uttered  a  shrill  scream,  and  then  spreading  its  gaudy  wings 
sought  shelter  upon  the  bough  of  a  tali  tree,  from  whence  it  could 
watch  our  movements  without  danger. 

The  hound,  which  we  had  taken  with  us,  ran  with  his  nose  close  to 
the  ground,  sometimes  moving  within  a  few  feet  of  the  trees,  and  then 
starting  off,  scouring  the  prairie  in  his  search,  but  always  returning, 
until  he  suddenly  stopped  before  what  seemed  a  dense  thicket.  Dur- 
ing all  the  time  that  he  had  been  upon  the  scent  not  a  cry  had  escaped 
•him ;  indeed,  he  seemed  to  realize  that  silence  was  our  only  safety,  and 
acted  accordingly. 

"  The  dog  has  found  the  trail  of  the  bushrangers,"  the  convict  said, 
suddenly  halting,  and  waiting  for  the  rest  of  us  to  join  him. 

"  The  dog  is  keen  on  the  scent,  and  acts  as  though  trained  to  track 
runaways,"  cried  Smith,  resting  his  heavy  axe  upon  the  ground,  and 
rubbing  his  shoulder  where  the  skin  was  nearly  worn  off  by  friction. 

The  animal  bounded  towards  us,  wagged  his  tail,  looked  intq  our 
faces'  w.ith  his  knowing  eyes,  and  then  trotted  slowly  back  to  the  thicket 
before  which  he  had  halted  in  the  first  place. 

"  Don't  let  us  stand  here  all  day  under  this  broiling  sun,"  cried 
Fred,  impatiently.  "  If  we  are  to  search  for  bushrangers,  let's  begin 
and  get  through  with  the  job  as  soon  as  possible." 

"  There  is  no  haste,"  cried  the  aged  convict,  in  a  tone  of  reproach. 
"  Our  success  depends  upon  the  degree  of  caution  that  we  employ. 
Our  object  is  to  surprise  the  party  we  are  in  pursuit  of,  and  not  let 
them  surprise  us." 

"  O,  I  understand,"  replied  ^red,  indifferently;  "something  of  the 
Indian  style  of  warfare,  hey  ?  Well,  we  are  somewhat  used  to  that, 
and  can  follow  a  trail  as  well  as  any  amateur  hunters  in  the  country." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  63 

The  convict  made  no  reply,  but  examined  the  priming  of  his  gun, 
tightened  the  sash  which  he  wore  around  his  waist,  and  then,  briefly 
surveying  the  little  party,  as  though  calculating  on  the  relative  strength 
of  each  man,  he  moved  forward. 

We  gained  the  thicket,  where  the  dog  was  awaiting  us.  No  entrance 
through  the  dense  undergrowth  met  our  view ;  and  had  we  not  known 
that  the  dog  came  from  a  breed  of  hounds  that  never  deceive,  we  should 
have  deemed  it  impossible  for  human  beings  to  have  entered  the 
forest  in  that  direction. 

For  some  time  we  examined  the  premises  to  find  an  opening ;  but 
none  appearing,  Smith  swung  his  axe  over  his  head  and  let  its  sharp 
edge  strike  the  bushes,  intending  to  cut  a  passage.  As  if  by  magic  the 
boughs  gave  way,  and  we  discovered  an  opening  which  bore  the  ap- 
pearance of  having  been  frequently  used. 

A  brief  examination  convinced  us  of  the  fact.  The  branches  of 
young  trees  and  the  tops  of  the  bushes  were  so  interlaced  that  no  one 
would  have  suspected  that  an  entrance  into  the  forest  was  possible  in 
that  quarter.  It  proved  to  us  that  we  were  near  the  encampment  of 
bushrangers,  but  whether  the  party  we  were  in  pursuit  of,  was  more 
than  we  could  tell. 

We  motioned  to  the  hound  to  lead  the  way,  and  the  noble  animal, 
after  a  brief  examination  of  the  ground,  trotted  slowly  forward. 

Our  steps  were  taken  with  caution*  for  we  wished  to  come  upon  the 
outlaws  unexpectedly. 

For  ten  minutes  we  continued  our  silent  march,  the  dog  leading 
the  way  with  unwavering  instinct,  avoiding  the  thickets  and  dense 
growth  of  trees,  • —  hardly  noticing  the  small  wild  animals  of  the  hare 
species  that  ran  before  his  very  nose,  —  until  he  suddenly  stopped  and 
looked  into  our  faces,  as  much  as  to  say.  "  Now,  pray  be  cautious." 

"  Hist ! "  cried  the  convict,  who  led  the  way,  holding  up  his  finger. 
"  I  smell  smoke." 

"  And  I  can  see  it,"  replied  Fred,  pointing  to  an  opening  in  the  trees 
nea-rly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  distant. 

We  all  strained  our  eyes  in  the  direction  that  Fred  indicated,  and  I 
no  longer  doubted  that  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  an  encampment,  al- 
though neither  Smith  nor  the  convict  was  ready  to  testify  that  they 
saw  signs  of  fire. 

"  I  call  my  eyes  as  clear  and  keen  as  most  any  one's,"  Smith  said ; 
"  but  if  you  can  see  smoke  it's  more  than  I  can  do." 

"  My  eyes  are  not  so  good  as  they  were  twenty  years  back,  and  I 
trust  more  to  the  scent  than  the  sight.  Now  I  can  smell  smoke,  but 
see  none,"  the  aged  convict  said,  inhaling  his  breath  as  though  trying 
to  distinguish  from  what  direction  it  came. 

"You  Englishmen  have  never  lived  in  one  of  our  American  forests, 
or  you  would  be  better  acquainted  with  the  appearance  of  smoke  when 
it  came  from  a  fire  that  has  long  been  neglected  and  is  about  dying 
out.  I  will  wager  a  pound  of  good  rifle  powder  that  in  yonder  clearing 
we  shall  find  a  camp  of  bushrangers,  and  that  the  smoke  which  we  see 
comes  from  the  fire  they  made  when  they  returned  from  their  noctur- 
nal excursion  last  night." 

"  You  may  be  right,"  the  convict  said,  in  a  musing  tone.     "  If  we 


64  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

are,"  he  continued,  "  in  close  proximity  to  those  we  seek,  what  do  you 
advise  ?  " 

"  I  would  advise  a  seperation  of  forces  —  let  Jack  and  myself  ap- 
proach the  encampment  in  one  direction,  while  you  and  Smith  can  steal 
towards  it  from  another.  There  are  many  reasons  why  we  ^should  act 
in  this  manner,  and  you  do  not  need  my  advice  to  be  convinced  of  its 
force." 

"  May  the  God  of  battles  aid  us,"  muttered  the  convict,  sotto  voce,  as 
though  fearful  we  should  catch  his  words  and  fears.  "  I  see,"  he  con- 
tinued, "the  force  of  your  reasoning.  When  you  are  ready  for  the 
attack,  discharge  your  rifles,  and  mind  and  not  waste  a  single  shot." 

The  convict  stalked  off  as  he  ceased  speaking,  following  the  lead  of 
the  dog.  We  were  about  to  start  in  a  different  direction,  but  still 
verging  towards  the  smoke,  when  we  were  detained  by  a  few  words 
from  Smith. 

"Remember,  boys,"  he  hurriedly  whispered,  "that  if  any  thing 
occurs,  you  are  to  take  charge  of  my  property  and  remit  the  sale  of  it 
to  my  mother.  She  is  somewhere  in  London,  I  believe.  Take  care  of 
yourselves,  and  remember  that  it  was  not  I  that  proposed  this  con- 
founded excursion." 

He  squeezed  our  hands  as  he  spoke,  and  the  next  minute  we  lost 
sight  of  his  burly  form  as  he  followed  in  the  wake  of  the  convict. 

Still  keeping  the  smoke  in  view,  Fred  and  myself  struck  off  in 
another  direction.  We  carefully  picked  our  way  through  the  forest, 
hardly  making  noise  enough  to  alarm  the  numerous  birds  that  were 
perched  upon  the  trees,  in  the  deep  shade,  to  avoid  the  heat  of  the  sun. 
Not  a  dry  stick  was  trodden  upon  to  send  forth  its  crackling  sound  — 
not  a  bough  was  brushed  past  rudely  for  fear  its  waving  top  should 
give  an  alarm.  Silently  we  stole  along,  and  were,  as  we  thought,  near 
the  camp.  We  crept  upon  our  hands  and  knees  Until  we  came  in  sight 
of  an  open  space,  and  then  upon  the  first  glance  we  knew  that  we  were 
close  to  a  gang  of  bushrangers. 

In  the  middle  of  the  clearing  was  a  low  hut,  covered  with  the  hides  of 
bullocks,  which  were  nailed  on  shingle  fashion,  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
cluding rain.  The  logs  did  not  fit  very  snugly  together  on  the  sides  of 
the  cabin,  and  grass  was  crowded  into  the  chinks,  although  in  some 
places  it  had  been  pushed  out  as  for  -the  purpose  of  enabling  those 
within  to  take  a  survey  of  the  different  approaches  to  the  hut.  A  fire 
was  smoking  before  the  door,  looking  as  though  it  had  been  kindled 
many  hours  before  and  allowed  to  die  out  for  want  of  fuel. 

The  only  other  sign  of  life  was  a  grass  hammock,  which  swung  from 
the  branch  of  a  tree,  not  more  than  four  feet  from  the  ground,  and 
which  appeared  to  contain  some  person  who  was  sleeping.  For  ten 
minutes  after  we  reached  our  allotted  station  we  waited  for  Smith  and 
the  convict  to  gain  a  position  and  give  the  signal  for  an  attack. 

There  were  no  signs  of  them,  and  we  began  to  fear  that  they  had 
strayed  from  the  right  path,  when  a  small  kangaroo  dog  walked  lazily 
from  the  cabin  and  stood  near  the  door,  as  though  debating  whether 
he  should  return  and  finish  his  nap  or  exercise  in  the  open  air.  He 
was  not  long  in  making  up  his  mind,  for  his  keen  scent  detected  some- 
thing in  the  atmosphere  that  was  not  right ;  and  where  we  were  lying 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  65 

we  could  see  his  sharp  eyes  glance  suspiciously  around,  and  saw  the 
stiff  hair  upon  his  back  rise  as  though  getting  ready  to  meet  the  danger 
that  was  near  at  hand. 

There  was  suddenly  a  bay  —  a  loud,  angry  bark,  and  then  the  hound 
which  had  belonged  to  the  murdered  man  bounded  into  the  enclosure  and 
fastened  his  strong  teeth  into  the  neck  of  the  dog,  the  latter  hardly 
offering  battle  so  sudden  was  the  onslaught. 

There  was  a  yelp  of  pain  as  the  hound  shook  the  smaller  animal  in 
his  strong  jaws,  and  that  cry  raised  an  alarm  that  brought  half  a  dozen 
men,  with  long  red  and  black  beards,  and  repulsive  faces,  to  the  door 
of  the  hut. 

We  saw  their  look  of  surprise  as  their  eyes  alighted  upon  the  fight- 
ing dogs  —  we  saw  them  glance  hastily  around,  and  raise  their  guns, 
which  they  carried  in  their  hands,  as  though  to  get  ready  for  a  sudden 
attack ;  -and  while  we  were  in  a  state  of  uncertainty,  and  almost  ready 
to  commence  the  fight,  a  tall,  powerful-built  man,  with  heavy  beard  and 
long  hair,  rolled  from  the  hammock  in  which  he  had  been  swinging,  and 
rushed  towards  the  yelping  brutes. 

"  Whose  dog  is  that  ?  "  he  shouted,  "  and  why  do  you  stand  there 
like  a  pack  of  fools,  allowing  them  to  make  noise  enough  to  wake  the 
whole  forest  ?  We  shall-  have  the  beaks  upon  us  if  this  continues ; "  and 
as  he  spoke,  he  raised  the  branch  of  a  tree  which  was  lying  near  the 
fire,  and  lifting  it  as  easily  as  a  common  man  would  a  walking  stick,  he 
struck  at  the  hound,  who  still  held  the  kangaroo  dog  by  the  throat,  and 
growled  at  his  slightest  movement  as  though  he  feared  that  one  of  the 
parties  concerned  in  his  master's  murder  would  escape. 

I  held  my  breath  while  the  huge  club  was  suspended  in  the  air, 
wielded,  I  knew  full  well,  by  the  strong  arms  of  Black  Darnley.  Twice 
I  raised  my  rifle  to  my  shoulder  ;  and  thought  to  interpose  against 
what  I  considered  certain  death  to  the  brute,  but  a  fear  that  Smith  and 
the  convict  were  not  at  their  stations  prevented  me. 

I  almost  shouted  a  warning  to  the  dog  as  the  club  descended,  but  my 
fears  were  vain ;  for  the  animal  sprang  aside,  and  the  stick  fell  heavily 
upon  the  sharp-nosed  dog  of  the  bushrangers.  He  gave  one  yell,  and 
was  crushed  into  a  shapeless  mass. 

The  ruffian  uttered  an  oith  of  rage ;  but  before  he  could  renew  the 
attack  the  hound  flew  full  at  him,  and  fastened  his  long  fangs  into 
Darnley's  throat.  The  Litter  staggered  back,  surprised  at  the  sudden 
attack,  but  only  for  an  instant.  His  stout  hands  were  quickly  raised, 
and  then  his  grasp  encompassed  the  dog's  throat  so  tightly  that  his  eyes 
nearly  started  from  their  sockets,  and  he  was  glad  to  unchnch  his  teeth, 
and  gasp  for  breath. 

Full  at  arm's  length  did  Darnley  hold  the  animal,  and  we  could  see  a 
grim  smile  steal  over  his  face  as  he  thought  of  the  pain  he  was  inflict- 
ing. Hie  gang  started  forward  to  assist  the  ruffian,  but  with  an  oath  he 
bade  them  keep  back  and  let  him  alone.  I  feared  the  dog's  life  was 
short,  and  determined  to  save  it,  but  I  was  anticipated. 

I  heard  the  sharp  crack  of  Fred's  rifle  close  by  my  side,  and  following 
the  direction  of  his  aim,  I  saw  Darnley  loosen  his  hold  of  the  dog, 
stagger  back,  press  one  hand  upon  his  side  as  though  he  felt  a  sudden 

6* 


66  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

pain ;  hut  still  he  kept  his  feet,  and  waved  to  his  gang  encouragement, 
while  his  voice  exclaimed,  — 

"  The  heaks  are  upon  us,  d — n  'em ;  show  no  quarter  or  mercy ;  fight 
till  you  die,  or  you'll  all  be  hanged." 

He  staggered  towards  the  hut  as  he  spoke,  but  in  trying  to  keep  his 
balance,  removed  his  hand  from  his  side.  A  torrent  of  blood  gushed 
forth,  and  dyed  the  ground  a  scarlet  hue ;  he  strove  to  keep  upon  his 
feet,  but  his  strength  was  ebbing  fast,  and  with  a  reel  and  lurch,  like 
some  strong  ship  before  foundering,  he  fell  to  the  ground,  never  to 
rise  again. 

His  gang  had  rushed  into  the  hut  upon  the  first  discharge,  leaving 
their  leader  alone,  unsupported  ;  but  as  he  fell,  they  issued  forth,  each 
armed  with  muskets  and  long  pistols,  and  a  profusion  of  knives. 

"  Fire,"  whispered  Fred,  as  he  hastily  loaded  his  rifle. 

I  disliked  the  idea  of  shedding  blood,  and  hesitated ;  but  before  Fred 
had  driven  his  rifle  ball  home  there  was  a  discharge  opposite  to  us,  and 
another  bushranger  fell  bleeding  to  the  ground. 

They  raised  a  startling  yell  for  vengeance,  and  rushed  towards  the 
spot  where  the  smoke  was  ascending  from  the  discharged  musket.  Be- 
fore they  had  reached  half  way  across  the  clearing,  Fred  and  myself 
poured  in  our  deadly  fire,  and  two  more  of  the  escaped  convicts  fell 
mortally  wounded. 

They  were  then  seized  with  a  panic,  and  separating,  each  one  seemed 
determined  to  seek  safety  in  flight ;  but  before  they  gained  the  shelter 
of  the  woods  our  revolvers  were  brought  into  requisition,  and  one  more 
ravisher  was  made  to  bite  the  dust. 

"  May  the  God  of  Israel  give  us  strength  to  kill  them,"  shouted  the 
convict,  bursting  through  the  thick  bushes  with  his  long  gun  in  hand, 
and  his  white  hair  streaming  over  his  shoulders. 

"  No  mercy  to  the  scoundrels,"  cried  Smith,  waving  his  heavy  axe 
over  his  head,  and  advancing  at  a  run  in  pursuit. 

That  cry  came  near  being  his  last ;  for  one  of  the  bushrangers,  see- 
ing that  he  had  no  gun,  suddenly  turned  in  his  flight,  and  raising  his 
musket,  presented  it  full  at  the  broad  breast  of  Smith.  The  latter  did 
not  falter  or  dodge,  but  rushed  towards  the  robber  with  uplifted  axe, 
uttering,  as  he  advanced,  a  wild  cry  that  startled  me,  it  was  so  loud  and 
shrill,  and  sounded  like  the  last  yell  of  a  dying  man  in  agony. 

I  feared  to  see  the  villain  discharge  his  musket,  for  I  knew  that  Smith 
was  so  near  that  he  could  not  well  be  missed.  I  would  have  shot  the 
fellow  myself,  but  my  rifle  was  empty ;  still  thinking  to  save  him,  I 
ran  hastily  towards  the  parties ;  but  before  I  had  advanced  ten  steps  I 
.  saw  the  bushranger's  musket  flash  in  the  pan,  but  no  report  followed. 
His  gun  had  missed  fire. 

Throwing  down  the  weapon  with  an  oath,  the  ruffian  drew  a  long 
knife ;  but  before  he  had  an  opportunity  to  use  it  the  heavy  axe 
descended  upon  his  unprotected  head,  and  crashing  through  skull  and 
brains,  it  clove  him  to  the  chine. 

With  no  groan  or  word  he  fell ;  and  when  I  reached  the  side  of  Smith 
there  was  not  another  bushranger  left  to  battle  with.  We  were  masters 
of  the  field,  and  not  one  of  us  had  received  a  wound. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  67 

"  Let  us  praise  God  for  this  victory,"  cried  the  aged  convict,  removv 
ing  his  apology  for  a  hat,  and  casting  his  eyes  heavenward. 

"  Humph,"  grunted  Smith  ;  "  we'd  better  make  preparations  for  quit- 
ting these  woods,  instead  of  praying,  according  to  my  fancy." 

"To  Him  alone  belongs  the  praise  for  this  day's  work  —  for  this  mighty 
triumph,"  cried  the  old  man,  whose  religious  feelings  were  all  awakened 
by  the  carnage. 

"  I  don't  dispute  that  the  Lord  lent  his  aid,  but  to  my  mind,  if  it 
hadn't  been  for  these  two  Americans,  he'd  deserted  us  in  the  hour  of 
need.  Two  good  rifle  shots  are  a  great  help  towards  obtaining  a  victo- 
ry," exclaimed  Smith,  wiping  his  axe  of  the  crimson  gore  which  still 
adhered  to  it,  and  glancing  around  the  clearing,  as  though  he  expected 
there  might  be  more  bushrangers  starting  up  to  offer  battle  at  any 
moment. 

"  The  Almighty  is  powerful,  and  can  crush  at  his  pleasure." 

"  We  all  know  that,"  cried  Smith,  impatiently,  "  but  to  my  mind  it's 
better  to  examine  yonder  hut,  and  then  make  our  way  back  to  the  team 
as  fast  as  possible,  for  there's  no  knowing  how  soon  we  may  have  a 
new  gang  to  contend  with." 

His  advice  appeared  so  reasonable  that  we  instantly  prepared  to  fol- 
low it ;  but  first  we  stopped  by  the  side  of  Black  Darnley,  and  examined 
to  see  whether  he  was  dead.  The  rifle  ball  had  made  sure  work,  having 
passed  through  his  left  side  in  the  direction  of  his  heart,  and  made  its 
exit  below  the  ribs  apposite.  On  the  dark  face  of  the  dead  man  was  a 
look  of  defiance,  as  though  even  in  his  death-struggle  he  had  tried  to 
gain  his  feet,  and  to  face  his  enemies  with  his  latest  breath. 

I  removed  the  pistols  which  he  wore  in  his  belt,  and  as  no  one  pre- 
sented a  better  claim  for  them  than  Fred  and  myself,  I  divided  with 
him ;  and  during  our  long  sojourn  in  Australia,  he  kept  one,  and  I  the 
other.  He  still  clings  to  his,  while  I  have  deposited  mine  in  the  office 
of  the  American  Union,  as  a  sort  of  memento  of  times  long  past. 

A  visit  to  the  hut  was  next  paid,  and  there,  heaped  up  in  a  corner,  we 
not  only  found  the  goods  which  were  stolen  from  Smith's  cart,  but  nu- 
merous other  articles ;  and  while  we  were  sorting  them,  I  kicked  aside 
some  dirt,  and  saw  a  flat  stone.  Curiosity  prompted  me  to  move  it,  and 
underneath  was  a  hoard  of  gold  dust,  gold  coins,  silver  dollars,  and 
English  shillings  and  half  crowns,  the  whole  amounting  to  about  two 
thousand  pounds. 

Without  stopping  to  divide  it,  we  gathered  it  up  with  the  most  con- 
venient articles  for  carrying  away,  and  then  setting  fire  to  the  hut,  left 
it  blazing,  knowing  full  well  that  those  of  the  gang  who  escaped  would 
return  before  long  with  reinforcements,  and  that  our  lives  were  not 
worth  much  if  we  were  taken  by  surprise. 

We  gained  the  open  praitie,  and  without  stopping  to  rest,  continued 
our  march,  until  we  reached  the  hut  of  the  convict  stockman.  The 
daughter  of  the  latter  came  out  to  us,  and  as  she  laid  her  hand  upon 
her  father's  arm,  she  whispered, — 

"  Is  he  dead  ?  " 

He  nodded  Ifis  head,  and  then  I  saw  a  gleam  of  satisfaction  cross  her 
face,  as  she  thought  of  her  injuries,  and  the  prompt  manner  in  which 
they  had  been  avenged. 


68  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  STOCKMAN'S  DAUGHTER.  —  MOUNTED  POLICE  OF  MELBOURNE. 

THE  day  after  our  return  from  the  excursion  in  pursuit  of  bush- 
rangers, the  cattle  were  yoked  together,  and  had  been  attached  to  the 
cart  for  an  hour,  before  the  convict  issued  from  his  hut. 

Twice  had  Smith  cracked  his  long  whip,  each  time  crushing  large 
green  flies  that  had  alighted  on  the  flank  of  the  nearest  ox,  and  yet  the 
lash  so  lightly  fell  that  not  a  hair  of  the  animal  was  ruffled,  or  a  parti- 
cle of  pain  inflicted.  I  never  understood  the  science  of  using  a  whip 
until  I  learned  it  upon  the  plains  of  Australia,  and  saw  stockmen,  with 
one  wave  of  their  weapon,  cut  chips  of  hide  and  quivering  flesh  from 
the  panting  sides  of  frightened  or  contrary  cattle. 

As  the  convict  advanced  to  meet  us,  Smith  rose  from  his  seat  with  an 
expression  of  gratitude  at  the  prospect  of  soon  being  enabled  to  move. 

"  Well,"  said  Smith,  speaking  first,  "  you  see  we  are  ready  to  start, 
yet  we  could  not  go  without  bidding  you  good-by." 

'  t  have  much  to  thank  you  for,"  he  said,  his  eyes  cast  to  the  ground 
as  though  fearful  of  looking  up  and  exposing  the  weakness  which  oozed 
from  them,  and  wet  his  long  gray  beard.  "  My  child  thanks  you  all 
for  the  promptness  with  which  you  have  revenged  her  wrongs ;  and  to 
these  two  Americans  she  says,  that  her  prayers  shall  ever  ascend  for 
your  safe  return  to  your  country,  and  that  happiness  may  await  you 
•when  you  have  rejoined  the  friends  of  your  childhood." 

"  Can  we  bid  her  farewell,  at  parting  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"If  you  wish  it,  yes,"  answered  the  convict:  "but  I  have  prayed' 
with  her  all  night,  and  have  besought  the  Lord  to  strengthen  her  heart 
under  this  load  of  affliction.  She  is  calm  now,  and  when  you  speak  do 
not  allude  to  her  bereavement,  or  recall  yesterday's  bloody  tragedy." 

As  he  ceased  speaking,  he  returned  to  the  hut,  and  emerged  leading 
the  widow.  Her  looks  were  much  changed  since  we  had  seen  her  the 
day  before.  Weeping  and  fasting,  and  sleepless  nights,  and  above  all, 
the  thoughts  of  her  husband's  sudden  death,  had  so  preyed  upon  her 
spirits  that  she  seemed  like  another  person. 

"  Here  are  the  two  Americans,  child,  who  wish  to  bid  you  farewell," 
her  father  said,  when  he  saw  that  she  was  disposed  to  pay  no  attention 
to  us. 

Twice  did  he  speak  before  she  comprehended  him ;  and  after  she 
had  placed  her  hands  to  her  head,  as  though  to  recall  a  recollection  of 
our  features,  a  faint  look  of  recognition  came  over  her  face,  and  her 
leaden  eyes  were  lighted  up  with  some  such  expression  as  we  had  seen 
the  day  before,  when  she  asked  if  Black  Darnley  was  dead. 

"  You  are  sure  that  he  is  dead  ?  "  she  asked  in  a  low  whisper,  seizing 
Fred  by  the  arm,  and  gazing  into  his  blank-looking  face. 

"  Whom  do  you  mean  ?  "  Fred  inquired,  evading  her  question. 

"  You  know  ;  Black  Darnley,  —  the  wretch  who  killed  my  husband, 
and  injured  me.  You  look  like  him ;  but  your  face  is  not  so  black,  and 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  69 

your  hair  is  lighter.  But  you  may  have  changed  it  for  the  purpose  of 
deceiving  and  wronging  me  again.  Ah,  the  more  I  look  at  you  the 
firmer  am  I  convinced  that  you  are  the  wretch." 

She  pushed  his  arm  away,  and  turned  with  flashing  eyes  upon  her 
parent,  speaking  vehemently,  — 

"  You  told  me  that  Darnley  was  dead,  and  that  my  injuries  were 
avenged ;  and  yet  you  see  him  standing  before  you  alive,  and  insulting 
me  with  infamous  propositions.  Have  I  no  friend  here  to  protect  me  ?  " 

"  We  are  all  your  friends,"  I  replied,  in  a  soothing  tone. 

"  It  is  false !  There  is  not  a  man  here,  or  Black  Darnley  would  not 
live  to  see  another  sun.  Men,  indeed  ?  Ha,  ha !  my  husband  pos- 
sesses more  spirit  than  a  dozen  of  you." 

She  folded  her  arms,  and  rocked  her  body  to  and  fro,  shaking  her 
head,  and  muttering  incoherent  sentences,  with  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
ground  intently,  as  though  trying,  amid  the  dirt,  to  discover  the  blood 
of  her  destroyer. 

Poor  Fred,  who  looked  about  as  much  like  Black  Darnley  as  the  man 
In  the  moon,  turned  slightly  red  with  mortification  ;  and  to  this  hour,  an 
allusion  to  his  wonderful  likeness  to  the  celebrated  bushranger  is  sure 
to  bring  on  a  fit  of  the  sulks  that  will  last  a  day  or  two. 

Fred  retired  as  soon  as  he  found  that  his  presence  irritated  the  un« 
happy  woman,  who,  it  was  very  evident,  was  slightly  deranged  by  hei 
accumulation  of  trouble. 

"  We  are  all  friends  here,"  I  said,  at  length,  "  and  are  willing  to  do 
your  bidding.  See,  here  is  your  father ;  and  do  you  think  he  would 
stand  unmoved  in  the  presence  of  a  man  who  had  wronged  you.  You 
must  surely  recollect  my  face.  Look  at  me  closely." 

"  Ah,  I  do  remember  you  now,"  she  cried. 

"  That's  right,"  I  said,  encouragingly.  "  I  thought  you  would  know 
the  man  you  had  leaned  upon  and  talked  with  on  the  night " 

Before  I  had  a  chance  to  finish  my  remarks,  with  a  wild,  mad  cry, 
she  sprang  forward,  and,  with  a  movement  like  lightning,  drew  my 
bowie  knife,  which  was  stuck  in  a  belt  around  my  waist,  and  had  not 
Smith  intercepted  the  blow  I  should  not  now  be  writing  sketches 
about  my  adventures. 

In  spite  of  his  interference,  however,  the  knife,  sharp  as  a  razor  and 
ground  to  a  point  like  a  needle,  fell  upon  my  unprotected  forehead  and 
opened  a  gash  two  inches  long,  almost  penetrating  the  brain.  The  hot 
blood  blinded  me  for  a  moment  as  it  gushed  from  the  wound.  I  stag- 
gered back  from  the  unexpected  attack,  but  before  the  mad  woman  had 
an  opportunity  to  repeat  the  blow,  my  faithful  friend  was  by  my  side, 
and  had  wrenched  the  steel  from  her  hand. 

"  Ha,  ha !  "  she  shrieked ;  "  blood  !  —  blood  !  —  his  blood  flows  freely, 
and  I  avenge  my  own  wrongs.  Look  at  him  bleed !  —  'twas  my  hand 
that  struck  him,  and  now  he'll  die  like  a  dog.  I  triumph — I — I — " 

She  could  say  no  more,  but  fell  back  in  convulsions.  Smith  caught 
her  in  his  strong  arms,  and  was  about  to  bear  her  into  the  house,  when 
he  was  interrupted  by  what  appeared  like  so  many  apparitions. 

Mounted  upon  strong,  well-trained  horses,  were  a  dozen  of  the 
mounted  police  of  Melbourne,  who,  during  our  interview  with  the  con- 
vict's daughter,  had  stolen  upon  us  unperceived,  and  had  formed  a 


70  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OB 

circle  in  which  we  were  the  centre,  to  prevent  an  escape  had  we  been  so 
disposed.  So  quiet  had  they  ridden,  that  it  seemed  as  though  they 
had  sprung  from  the  ground  at  the  command  of  some  genii  of  the 
lamp. 

We  did  not  form  a  very  prepossessing  group,  and,  at  first,  much 
less  suspicious  people  than  police  officers  would  have  imagined  that 
something  was  wrong. 

"  Hello !  "  cried  the  man  who  appeared  to.  command  the  squad,  riding 
towards  us ;  "  what  have  we  here  —  a  wounded  man  and  a  dead  woman. 
Whose  work  is  this  ?  " 

"  We  can  explain  this  to  those  having  authority  to  ask,"  cried  Fred, 
carelessly  throwing  his  rifle  across  his  arm ;.  yet  it  was  done  in  such 
a  manner  that  the  officer  reined  his  horse  back  several  paces,  and 
shouted,  — 

"Ready  with  your  carbines,  men !  —  we  have  fallen  upon  a  gang  of 
bushrangers." 

I  heard  the  ominous  click  of  the  locks  of  the  guns,  and  cleared  the 
blood  from  my  eyes  to  get  a  view  of  our  assailants. 

"  We  are  no  bushrangers,"  shouted  Smith,  starting  forward  and 
fronting  the  officer.  "  You  should  know  my  face,  lieutenant,"  he  con- 
tinued, to  the  man  in  command. 

"  Ah,  Smith,  is  it  you  ?  "  the  lieutenant  said,  in  a  sort  of  patronizing 
way,  and  riding  forward.  "  Put  up  your  guns,  men ;  we  are  not  among 
bushrangers,  I  think."  And  in  obedience  to  his  command,  the  men 
slung  the  carbines  at  their  backs,  and  rode  forward. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  that  fellow  ?  "  the  officer  of  police  asked, 
pointing  to  me. 

"  He  was  just  injured  by  a  knife,  sir,  in  the  hands  of  this  woman, 
who  has  lost  her  reason,"  answered  Smith,  in  the  most  obsequious 
manner. 

"  Lost  her  reason,  hey,"  said  the  lieutenant,  carelessly.  "  Then  she 
has  no  business  here ;  or  rather  I  should  say  that  no  persons  of  sense 
would  be  here  if  they  could  help  it." 

The  mounted  troop  laughed,  as  in  duty  bound,  and  even  Smith  suf- 
fered his  features  to  relax  in  token  of  appreciation  of  the  officer's 
facetiousness. 

"  Where  are  you  two  fellows  from  ?  "  inquired  the  lieutenant,  turning 
towards  Fred  and  myself  abruptly. 

By  this  time  I  had  bound  up  my  head  with  a  handkerchief,  and 
wiped  some  of  the  blood  from  my  face.  The  wound  had  nearly 
ceased  bleeding,  thanks  to  some  lint  which  I  always  carried  about  me. 

"  Are  you  talking  to  me  ?  "  asked  Fred,  in  a  careless  tone. 

"  To  whom  else  ?  —  speak  !  "  cried  the  officer,  impatiently. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  not  know  where  the  place  is  located,  even  if  I 
told  you  its  name,"  replied  Fred,  with  provoking  indifference. 

"  I  am  the  best  judge  of  that,"  answered  the  lieutenant,  turning  red 
in  the  face. 

"  O,  you  are  ?  "     Fred  laughed. 

Smith,  who  had  acted  in  a  nervous  manner  ever  since  the  conversa- 
tion  commenced,  approached  and  whispered  in  Fred's  ear,  — 

"  Speak  civilly  to  him,  or  he  may  take  you  to  Melbourne." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  71 

This,  instead  of  having  the  desired  effect  on  Fred,  only  rendered  him 
the  more  impudent ;  for  he  didn't  relish  being  called  "  fellow,"  even  if 
he  had  on  a  flannel  shirt. 

"  Will  you  tell  me  where  you  belong  ? "  demanded  the  officer, 
angrily. 

'  O,  certainly." 

'  Well,  where  ?  " 

'  Have  you  ever  heard  of  such  a  place  as  Boston  ?  *  Fred  asked. 

'  Yes  —  it  is  in  England." 

'  Not  the  Boston  that  I  mean,"  Fred  exclaimed,  drawing  up  his  form 
to  its  full  height.  "  I  mean  Boston  near  Bunker  Hill." 

A  sudden  change  came  over  the  lieutenant's  face.  The  dark  frown 
passed  away,  and  a  smile  crossed  his  sunburnt  countenance. 

"  You  are  Americans  ?  "  he  asked,  with  an  air  of  politeness. 

"  We  claim  that  land  as  our  home,"  Fred  answered. 

"  I  might  have  guessed  as  much,  for  you  both  carry  an  emblem  of 
your  country." 

He  pointed  to  our  rifles  and  smiled.  We  saw  that  he  was  disposed 
to  be  rational,  and  therefore  laid  aside  our  reserve. 

"  There  are  but  few  of  our  people,"  I  said,  "  but  know  how  to  handle 
these  weapons  ;  and  it's  rare  that  they  venture  into  an  unknown  country 
without  one  for  a  companion." 

"I  think  so ;  for  I  have  met  a  number  of  Americans  in  Australia, 
and  yet  every  one  clings  to  his  rifle.  But,  while  we  are  talking,  the 
woman  is  suffering.  Maurice,  assist  to  take  her  into  the  hut,  and  open 
a  vein  if  you  think  it  necessary." 

The  man  addressed  as  Maurice  gave  his  bridle  to  a  companion  and 
dismounted.  The  convict  and  the  stranger  raised  her  in  their  arms, 
and  removed  the  unfortunate  beneath  the  rude  roof,  where  at  least  she 
could  be  screened  from  the  sun. 

"Well,  Smith,  what  is  there  new  in  these  parts  ?  "  inquired  the  lieu- 
tenant, carelessly.  "  Seen  any  thing  of  Black  Darnley  and  his  gang, 
lately?  I  understand  that  you  have  been  seen  conversing  with  him  a 
number  of  times  recently.  Take  care — I  give  you  fair  warning;  if  I 
report  you,  your  ticket  of  leave  is  withdrawn." 

"  But  you  wouldn't  do  that  ? "  cried  Smith,  his  face  showing  the 
alarm  which  he  felt  at  the  threat. 

"  I  don't  know  but  that  it  will  be  my  duty  to  do  so  before  long," 
cried  the  officer ,  shaking  his  head  like  a  petty  tyrant,  who  wished  to 
inspire  fear. 

"  I  have  been  two  days  on  the  road,"  he  continued,  "  searching  for 
his  gang.  If  you  can  give  me  any  information,  Smith,  that  is  of  real 
value,  why,  perhaps " 

"  But  I  can  give  information,"  cried  Smith,  who,  awed  by  the  great 
man's  presence,  appeared  to  have  forgotten  all  about  the  death  of 
Darnley. 

"  Ah  !  of  the  scamp's  gang  ?  "  the  officer  asked,  with  eagerness. 

"  Yes." 

"  Where  are  they  ?  "  demanded  the  lieutenant,  leading  Smith  one 
side. 

"  Six  of  them  are  dead  —  and  with  them,  Black  Darnley,"  cried 
Smith. 


72  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  You  are  trifling  with  me,"  said  the  officer,  sternly. 

"  No  —  upon  my  word ;  but  ask  the  Americans,  they  will  tell  you  all." 

"  Is  it  so  ?  "  asked  the  policeman,  turning  towards  us  with  an  air  en- 
tirely changed  from  that  with  which  he  had  first  addressed  us. 

We  confirmed  the  report,  and  gave  the  particulars. 

He  listened  to  us  with  astonishment ;  and  yet  his  wonder  was  not 
unmixed  with  admiration.  I  saw  him  try  to  suppress  that  feeling,  but 
it  would  find  vent,  John  Bull  like,  and  with  an  oath  he  exclaimed,  — 

"By  G !  you  Americans  are  a  wonderful  people.  You  seek  ad- 
ventures with  as  much  gusto  as  a  knight-errant  of  the  olden  times.  If 
I  had  a  dozen  such  as  you  two  under  my  charge,  I'd  soon  free  this 
neighborhood  of  bushrangers." 

"  There  would  be  but  one  difficulty,"  answered  Fred,  with  a  laugh. 

"  And  pray  what  is  that  ?  "  asked  the  lieutenant. 

"Why,  Yankees  have  a  great  desire  to  lead,  instead  of  being  led." 

He  drew  us  one  side,  so  that  his  men  could  not  overhear  his  re- 
marks, and  said,  — 

"  Of  course  you  knew  that  a  large  reward  was  offered  for  the  death 
of  Darnley  and  his  gang." 

We  reiterated  our  ignorance,  and  the  officer  looked  at  us  in  aston- 
ishment. 

"  Then  let  me  give  you  joy  —  for  you  have  completed  one  of  the  best 
day's  work  that  you  ever  began.  Give  me  the  proof  that  Darnley  and 
his  gang  are  dead,  and  I  will  put  you  in  the  way  of  obtaining  the 
reward." 

"  We  did  not  sell  our  rifles  for  gold,"  replied  Fred,  "  but  to  assist  an 
old  man  to  revenge  his  daughter's  injuries.  If  you  can  serve  Smith 
and  the  old  convict,  we  will  willingly  forego  all  thoughts  of  a  reward." 

In  a  few  words  we  stated  the  case,  and  put  him  in  possession  of  the 
facts  relative  to  our  taking  up  arms.  He  listened  to  us  patiently,  and 
when  we  had  finished,  said,  — 

"  If  you  can  give  convincing  proof  that  the  gang  of  bushrangers  has 
been  broken  up,  I  can  certainly  promise  you  a  free,  unconditional  par- 
don for  Smith  and  the  stockman.  But  I  must  first  see  the  bodies  of 
the  dead  men,  and  have  your  certificate  of  the  gallantry  of  the  parties 
named." 

"  How  can  we  manage  that  ?  "  we  asked. 

"By  delaying  your  journey,  and  accompanying  me  to  the  spot." 

Fred  and  myself  consulted  for  a  moment  and  agreed  to  do  so.  A 
day  or  a  week  was  nothing  to  us,  if  Smith  could  be  made  a  free  man. 
We  called  to  him  :  — 

"Smith,"  said  Fred,  "do  you  wish  a  pardon  from" government?" 

The  poor  fellow  flushed  red  in  the  face,  and  then  the  blood  receded 
and  left  his  cheeks  pallid  as  death. 

"  If  you  wish  a  free  and  unconditional  pardon,  you  must  go  with  us 
back  to  the  haunts  of  Darnley,"  Fred  said. 

The  tears  started  to  his  eyes  with  delight,  and  for  a  moment  he  was 
incapable  of  motion ;  but  in  another  second  he  bounded  to  the  side  of 
the  cattle,  and  with  nervous  fingers  was  unhitching  the  yokes  and  turn- 
ing the  brutes  loose  upon  the  wide  prairies,  to  feed  upon  the  rank 
grasses  which  abounded  on  the  sides  of  the  stream. 


*C8|sPM|*l! 

.,JK^?^r 

^^^f^^A  m\ 


Throwing  down  the  weapon  with  nn  oath.  Uio  ruffian  drew  a  Idiij;  Iviiifc;  l>n(  before 
he  hurt  HII  opportunity  lo  use  it,  the  lieiivy  iixe  d'wtmdwl  upon  his  iinprotei-tfii  lu-ud, 
aud  erai-liiiii;  through  ,-],\i!l  anil  1  lain*,  it  clove  l.ini  to  the  chin  1  aj,o  l.U 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  73 

CHAPTER    X. 

DESPERATE  DEEDS  OF  TWO  CONVICTS.  —  LIEUT.  MUKDEN'S  STORY. 


sun  was  pouring  down  with  Australian  brilliancy  and  power,  but 
•we  cared  but  little  for  the  heat,  if  we  could  gain  the  scene  of  the  battle 
before  a  gang  of  bushrangers  reached  the  spot,  and  concealed  the  bod- 
ies. It  was,  therefore,  with  considerable  uneasiness  that  we  saw  the 
lieutenant  of  police  coolly  dismount  from  his  horse,  throw  the  bridle  to 
one  of  his  men,  with  directions  to  remove  the  saddles  from  the  animals, 
and  let  them  drink  their  fill  at  the  stream,  and  afterwards  be  allowed  to 
graze  on  the  rank  grass. 

"  How  is  this  ?  "  I  asked  ;  "  are  we  not  to  start  immediately?  Delays 
are  dangerous." 

"  Patience,  my  friends,"  returned  the  officer,  leading  the  way  towards 
the  stockman's  hut.  "  I  value  your  lives  too  much  to  think  of  asking 
you  to  undertake  a  jaunt  of  twelve  or  thirteen  miles  at  noonday,  when 
the  sun  is  hottest." 

"  But  we  are  capable  of  the  task,"  replied  Fred,  energetically. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  gentlemen  ;  but  if  you  can  endure  heat  and 
privation,  my  men  and  horses  cannot.  Why,  before  we  could  gain  the 
edge  of  yonder  wood,  half  of  the  men  would  be  sun-struck,  and  two- 
thirds  of  the  animals  would  expire  for  the  want  of  water.  No,  no,  trust 
to  me,  and  let  us  take  the  cool  of  the  evening." 

"  But  we  shall  reach  the  woods  too  late  to  make  an  investigation,"  I 
•aid. 

"  It  is  very  probable,"  answered  the  officer,  entering  the  hut,  where 
the-  convict's  daughter  was  lying  on  a  rude  bedstead,  made  of  the  skin 
of  an  ox. 

"  But  have  you  no  fear  of  an  ambuscade  ?  "  exclaimed  Fred,  who 
began  to  entertain  an  opinion  that  the  lieutenant  was  not  well  posted  on 
the  subject  of  bush-fighting. 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  replied  the  Englishman,  removing  his  coat  and 
heavy  sword  belt,  and  stretching  himself  on  a  box. 

"  O,  then  you  will  keep  skirmishers  in  advance  of  the  main  body,  I 
suppose  ?  "  Fred  said. 

"  No,"  answered  the  officer,  lighting  his  pipe  ;  and  then,  observing  an 
expression  of  surprise  on  our  faces,  he  continued,  — 

"  Do  you  take  me  for  such  a  greenhorn  as  to  suppose  that  I  would 
enter  a  wood  after  dark  ?  No,  sir  ;  I've  studied  the  habits  and  cunning 
of  bushrangers  for  many  years,  and  seen  much  service  during  that 
time.  I  shall  start  near  dark,  halt  half  a  mile  from  the  edge  of  the 
forest,  and  remain  there  until  daylight.  Does  that  suit  your  ideas  of 
our  peculiar  kind  of  warfare  ?  " 

We  could  offer  no  objections  to  the  plan  proposed  ;  and  as  we  were 
to  spend  the  day  in  idleness,  looked  around  the  hut  for  something  to 
make  a  breakfast  on.  The  policeman  guessed  our  thoughts,  for  ha 
•ailed  one  of  his  men,  and  gave  him  an  order. 

-      7 


74  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Get  coffee  and  breakfast  ready,  Maurice,"  he  said,  "  and  when 
ready,  serve  it  here." 

The  man  bowed,  saluted  his  superior,  and  retired  with  military 
precision. 

"An  old  soldier,"  said  the  lieutenant,  carelessly;  "he  has  served 
through  half  a  dozen  campaigns  in  India." 

"  And  did  he  never  rise  above  the  ranks  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Never  obtained  a  position  higher  than  that  of  corporal ;  but  that  is 
not  extraordinary  in  the  English  army.  Promotion  with  us  goes  with 
birth  and  influence,  not  merit  and  brave  deeds.  Maurice  has  distin- 
guished himself  in  many  a  hotly-contested  field ;  yet  now,  in  his  old 
age,  he  draws  a  trifling  pension,  and  is  glad  to  be  enrolled  in  the  police 
force  of  Melbourne,  where  better  pay  and  quick  promotion  awaits  him." 

"As  you  have  been  in  the  country  for  many  years,  suppose  that  you 
give  us  a  short  account  of  your  experience,"  crie'd  Fred. 

"  Willingly ;  but  wait  until  after  breakfast.  That  woman  is  getting 
better  —  hear  her  breath,  regular  and  natural.  Let  her  father  come  in 
to  tend  her,  if  he  wishes." 

The  latter  remark  was  made  to  one  of  his  privates,  who  stood  at  th& 
door,  and  had  prevented  the  entrance  of  the  aged  convict.  The  father 
entered  with  a  humble  air,  and  seated  himself  near  his  daughter's  side. 

He  appeared  too  grateful  for  the  privilege  of  thus  remaining  in  the 
presence  of  his  superior  to  pay  any  attention  to  his  conversation ;  and 
when  breakfast  had  been  disposed  of,  and  our  pipes  were  lighted,  each 
of  us  chose  a  comfortable  place  to  rest  at  full  length  on  the  floor  of  the 
hut,  and  discuss  matters  and  things  in  Australia.  I  found  the  lieuten- 
ant a  rare  companion,  and  a  man  that  had  seen  much  service  in  the 
country. 

"  We  have  a  number  of  hours  to  spare  before  we  undertake  our  expe- 
dition," said  Fred,  during  a  pause  in  the  conversation  ;  "  suppose  you 
favor  us  with  a  short  history  of  some  of  your  adventures  in  this  country. 
You  have  seen  many  years'  service  as  a  police  agent,  and  tales  of  no 
ordinary  kind  must  be  familiar  to  you." 

"  If  I  should  tell  you  of  the  murders  which  the  bushrangers  some- 
times commit,  when  they  have  a  thirst  for  blood,  you  would  think  I  was 
romancing,"  answered  the  officer. 

We  both  protested  against  such  an  idea,  and  Lieutenant  Murden  — 
that  was  his  name,  and  I  am  glad  to  see  that,  since  I  left  Melbourne, 
he  has  been  promoted  to  a  captaincy  —  knocked  the  ashes  from  his 
pipe,  carefully  reloaded  it,  told  the  sentinel  at  the  door  to  keep  his  eyes 
open,  and  not  let  a  gang  of  robbers  approach  the  hut  unperceived,  wet 
his  lips  with  the  contents  of  a  flask,  which  he  carried  about  his  person, 
lighted  his  pipe  with  a  match,  and  then  began. 

LIEUTENANT  MURDEN's   STORY. 

"  Not  long  since,  the  whole  police  force  of  the  country  was  thrown 
into  a  state  of  great  excitement  and  vigilance,  owing  to  the  desperate 
deeds  of  two  convicts,  who  seized  a  schooner  on  the  coast,  compelled 
the  crew,  on  the  pain  of  instant  death,  to  navigate  her  to  a  distant  part 
of  the  island,  and  by  keeping  their  guns  pointed  at  the  heads  of  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  75 

frightened  men,  and  relieving  each  other  at  the  task,  were  enabled  to 
accomplish  their  ends. 

"  The  convicts  were  landed,  and  to  repay  the  sailors  for  their  kindness 
and  forbearance,  they  shot  the  two  men  that  rowed  them  ashore ;  and, 
from  the  time  that  they  set  foot  on  land,  until  the  day  of  their  death, 
their  course  was  marked  with  blood. 

"  They  took  the  life  of  every  human  being  that  stood  in  their  way. 
The  most  unreasonable  request,  if  there  was  a  moment's  hesitation,  was 
rewarded  with  a  bullet;  and  it  seemed  as  though  demons,  not  men,  were 
thirsting  for  the  blood  which  was  shed  so  profusely. 

"  The  news  of  the  murderers'  doings  was  brought  post  haste  to  Mel- 
bourne, and  I  and  my  troop  were  ordered  to  start  immediately  for  the 
bush,  and  secure  them,  dead  or  alive.  Extraordinary  powers  were 
granted  me  by  the  government.  I  could  take  horses  or  cattle,  or  even 
press  men  into  my  service,  if  I  thought  desirable,  for  the  purpose  of 
capturing  the  bushrangers.  Hardly  a  moment  of  preparation  was 
allowed  me,  beyond  the  choice  of  twelve  men,  whom  I  knew  I  could  rely 
upon ;  and  even  while  I  was  conversing  with  the  superintendent,  another 
messenger  arrived  with  the  news  of  fresh  butcheries,  more  bloody  and 
brutal  than  the  last. 

"  At  eight  on  the  evening  of  the  day  that  I  was  ordered  to  take  my 
departure,  my  troop  was  leaving  Melbourne  on  the  road  leading  towards 
Ballarat,  in  which  direction  I  learned  the  convicts  were  travelling. 

"  At  two  o'clock  we  halted  at  a  cattle  station ;  and  while  some  of  our 
men  changed  saddles  from  our  tired  horses  to  fresh  ones,  the  remainder 
cooked  a  kettle  of  coffee,  and  broiled  a  piece  of  beef,  to  stay  our  stom- 
achs during  our  long  ride.  From  the  stockman  we  obtained  some 
information,  as  the  bushrangers  had  visited  his  cattle  station  two  days 
before,  selected  what  animals  they  wished,  and  then  shot  the  companion 
«f  the  man  we  were  conversing  with. 

"At  seven  o'clock  we  again  halted  at  a  cattle  station,  but  for  ten 
minutes  we  could  not  find  a  soul  to  answer  our  questions.  We  searched 
the  hut  and  an  adjoining  piece  of  woods,  in  hope  of  finding  somebody 
who  would  give  us  a  little  information.  As  time  was  precious,  however, 
I  was  on  the  point  of  borrowing  what  animals  I  wanted,  when  two  of 
my  men  brought  in  a  native,  half  dead  with  fear.  He  had  been  found 
secreted  under  some  brush  in  the  woods,  and  all  our  persuasions  could 
hardly  convince  him  that  his  life  was  not  in  danger. 

"After  an  immense  amount  of  questioning,  I  learned  that  the  two 
murderers  hud  visited  the  cattle  station  the  day  before,  had  shot  the 
keeper,  and  would  have  killed  the  native  had  he  not  fled  to  the  woods 
for  protection.  After  the  deed,  they  ransacked  the  hut  thoroughly, 
possessed  themselves  of  a  quantity  of  rum  which  they  found,  renewed 
their  supply  of  ammunition,  mounted  fresh  horses,  and  were  oif  in  the 
direction  of  Ballarat  at  full  gallop,  according  to  the  account  of  the  native. 

"  It  only  remained  for  us  to  follow  as  fast  as  possible.  In  twelve 
hours  we  had  travelled  a  distance  of  one  hundred  miles ;  and  although 
we  felt  the  want  of  rest,  yet  I  knew  that  time  was  too  precious  to  waste 
in  sleep.  A  hasty  breakfast,  and  we  were  off;  but  before  we  had  rode 
twelve  miles  our  attention  was  attracted  near  the  roadside  by  seeing  a 
flock  of  birds  hovering  in  the  air  and  uttering  shrill  cries.  I  erideav- 


76  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

ored  to  get  my  horse  to  approach  the  place,  but  with  starting  eyes  and 
every  indication  of  terror,  he  refused  to  move. 

"  I  dismounted,  and  entered  the  bushes,  and  found  my  suspicions 
confirmed.  Two  men  were  lying  dead  on  the  ground,  both  with  bullet 
holes  through  their  heads.  I  made  a  short  examination,  and  satisfied 
myself  that  the  murders  were  committed  the  day  before,  and  that  th« 
bodies  were  dragged  amongst  the  bushes,  after  being  robbed  of  every 
thing  valuable  about  their  persons. 

"  Time  was  too  precious  to  give  Christian  burial  to  the  dead  men, 
even  if  we  had  had  the  proper  tools  to  open  the  earth.  With  a  sigh, 
we  left  the  birds  their  prey,  and  once  more  continued  our  journey 
through  the  wildest  part  of  the  sterile  country  between  Melbourne  and 
Ballarat. 

"  On,  on,  we  went,  urging  our  panting,  tired  beasts  without  mercy ; 
and  just  as  we  thought  we  should  have  to  halt,  to  allow  the  animals  a 
resting  spell,  we  reached  the  large  cattle  station  of  Witon  Martells. 
Here  we  found  every  thing  in  confusion ;  and  although  usually  half  a 
dozen  men  were  employed  at  the  station,  only  two  came  out  to  greet 
us,  and  they  wore  frightened  visages. 

"  We  soon  heard  their  story.  The  murderers  had  rode  up  to  the  hut 
about  six  o'clock  the  evening  before,  and  wished  to  exchange  horses. 
The  stockmen  refused ;  and  hardly  were  the  words  from  their  mouths 
before  one  of  the  convicts  drew  a  revolver,  and  fired  upon  those  stand- 
ing in  front  of  him  ;  and  while  he  was  thus  amusing  himself,  his  com- 
panion sat  on  his  horse,  and  laughed  to  see  those  not  instantly  killed 
endeavor  to  get  away.  Three  men  fell  under  the  fire,  and  hardly  knew 
what  caused  their  death,  it  was  so  sudden.  One  man,  mortally 
wounded,  was  just  dying  as  we  rode  up ;  and  the  two  that  came  to 
greet  us  had  saved  their  lives  by  taking  to  their  heels,  and  entering  the 
bush. 

"  They  had  watched  the  convicts  pick  from  the  herd  of  horses  the 
most  able  and  strongest  nags,  and  then,  after  eating  what  they  could 
find  ready  cooked  in  the  hut,  started  for  Ballarat,  where,  no  doubt, 
amongst  the  crowd  of  miners,  they  thought  they  would  escape  detection. 

"  Throughout  the  long  night  we  spurred  onward,  and  when  daylight 
appeared,  tired  and  sore  with  our  journey,  we  stopped  at  another  sta- 
tion to  change  horses.  The  murderers  had  left  their  mark  at  that  place 
also,  and  in  front  of  the  door  was  the  stockman  shot  through  the  heart, 
and  stone  dead. 

"The  men  selected  a  number  of  animals,  and  after  our  never-failing 
stimulant,  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  a  piece  of  broiled  meat,  we  were  in  the 
saddle  again,  and  galloping  towards  the  next  station,  where  I  knew  it 
would  be  impossible  for  the  convicts  to  obtain  fresh  horses,  as  sheep 
only  were  kept  there. 

"At  twelve  o'clock  we  reached  the  station,  and  drew  up  at  the  door. 
There  was  no  sign  of  life  about  the  premises,  and  with  sad  misgivings, 
I  dismounted,  and  entered  the  hut;  but  I  started  back  in  horror,  for  on' 
the  floor  were  a  dozen  men,  motionless  and  lifeless,  as  I  at  first  thought; 
but  a  closer  examination  convinced  me  that  they  were  bound  hand  and 
foot,  and  their  mouths  gagged. 

"  It  may  seem  to  you  incredible,  but  it  is  nevertheless  true,  and  only 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  77 

proves  what  resolute  men  can  accomplish  when  opposed  to  weakness. 
Twelve  men  were  surprised  and  bound,  and  made  to  lie  flat  on  their  backs 
at  the  word  of  command,  and  so  well  did  they  obey  the  instructions  of 
the  murderers,  that  the  latter,  very  probably,  were  too  much  pleased 
with  their  compliance  to  waste  powder  on  them. 

"  I  did  not  upbraid  them  with  their  cowardice,  for  I  know  what  human 
nature  is,  and  perhaps,  had  I  been  of  the  party,  I  might  have  submitted 
to  the  same  degradation. 

"  There  was  one  thing  that  I  learned  from  the  released  prisoners  that 
pleased  me.  The  convicts  had  left  their  horses  at  the  station,  and  ex- 
pressed a  determination  to  return  in  a  few  hours'  time  for  them.  Where 
the  villains  had  gone  they  did  not  know,  or  in  what  direction  they 
departed.  A  native,  however,  who  was  employed  at  the  station,  searched 
for  then:  footsteps,  and  was  not  long  in  finding  them. 

"The  trail  led  to  the  woods,  and  the  men  stationed  at  the  hut 
expressed  an  opinion  that  the  convicts  were  in  search  of  a  gang  of 
bushrangers,  that  had  been  secreted  in  the  vicinity  for  many  months, 
but  had  recently  disbanded,  and  gone  to  the  mines. 

"  I  expected  that  the  murderers  would  return  to  the  hut  for  their 
horses,  when  they  found  that  the  men  they  wished  to  join  were  no  longer 
organized  as  a  gang ;  so  bidding  the  men  conceal  the  horses,  and  retire 
within  the  walls  of  the  stock-house,  I  waited  hour  after  hour  for  them 
to  come  in  sight. 

"  About  four  o'clock,  my  wish  was  gratified.  Two  stout,  black-whis- 
kered, desperate  looking  men,  with  rifles  in  their  hands,  and  revolvers 
in  their  belts,  came  in  sight,  and  advanced  towards  the  hut,  con- 
versing in  earnest  tones,  and  apparently  unsuspicious  of  the  change 
that  had  taken  place  during  their  absence. 

"  I  can  only  account  for  their  boldness  in  returning,  by  the  supposi- 
tion that  they  had  been,  so  long  accustomed  to  see  men  tremble 
when  they  raised  their  deadly  weapons,  that  they  were  regardless 
whether  the  prisoners  had  released  themselves  or  not. 

"  In  fact,  when  the  two  convicts  were  advancing,  I  looked  around  on 
the  numerous  stockmen,  and  was  surprised  to  see  that  they  trembled 
and  turned  pale  ;  and  yet  they  were  surrounded  by  twelve  policemen, 
as  brave  as  Melbourne  could  produce. 

"  When  the  convicts  were  within  a  dozen  paces  of  the  door,  they  sud- 
denly stopped,  surprised  by  the  number  of  prints  of  horses'  feet  which 
they  discovered  in  the  soft  earth.  They  glanced  suspiciously  at  the  hut, 
and  cocked  their  rifles,  and  debated  the  question  as  to  whether  they 
should  advance  or  retire. 

"  The  latter  course  was  decided  on,  and  as  they  turned  to  go,  I  or- 
dered half  a  dozen  of  our  light  carbines  to  be  discharged  at  their  re- 
treating  forms. 

"  The  effect  was  like  magic,  for,  although  both  were  wounded,  yet  in- 
stead of  endeavoring  to  make  their  escape,  they  turned  towards  the 
hut,  and  charged  towards  it  with  a  cheer  and  a  yell,  as  though  de- 
termined to  have  blood  for  their  injuries. 

"  Almost  before  the  remainder  of  my  men  could  bring  their  guns  to 
a  cock,  the  villains  were  upon  us,  discharging  their  revolvers  to  the 
right  and  left,  and  creating  such  a  scene  of  confusion  as  I  never  wit- 

7* 


78  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

nessed  before.  The  stockmen  endeavored  to  make  their  escape  from 
the  windows,  and  those  who  could  not  squeeze  through,  tried  to  shelter 
themselves  behind  my  men,  and  some  of  the  cowards  even  seized  the 
police  around  their  waists,  and  held  them  as  shields  to  ward  off  the  shots 
which  were  flying  thick  in  that  little  square  room,  densely  crowded  with 
human  beings. 

"  I  saw  two  of  my  men  fall,  owing  to  the  struggle  which  the  station 
men  made  to  escape,  and  then  fearful  that  we  should  all  be  defeated 
and  murdered,  I  seized  a  carbine  that  one  of  my  people  had  dropped, 
and  with  a  blow,  I  struck  one  of  the  murderers  senseless  to  the  ground. 

"  The  remaining  one  fought  like  a  demon.  After  discharging  the 
contents  of  two  revolvers  which  he  carried  about  his  person,  he  drew 
his  bowie  knife  and  rushed  into  our  midst,  cutting  to  the  right  and  left ; 
and  so  impetuous  was  his  onset  that  we  fell  back  a  few  feet,  which  the 
villain  seeing,  turned  and  attempted  to  escape.  Before  he  had  taken 
two  steps  towards  the  door,  my  men  recovered  from  their  surprise,  and 
rushed  upon  him.  He  fought  like  a  devil,  and  his  knife  was  red  with 
the  heart's  blood  of  one  of  my  bravest  men,  before  he  was  lying  power- 
less, with  irons  on  his  hands  and  ankles,  at  our  feet. 

"  The  villain  that  I  had  struck  senseless,  now  began  to  show  signs  of 
animation ;  but  before  he  had  recovered,  he  was  loaded  down  with 
irons,  and  a  watch  placed  over  both,  with  orders  to  blow  their  brains 
out  if  they  made  the  least  attempt  to  escape. 

"  You  would  hardly  expect  that  men,  conquered  as  they  were,  and 
momentarily  expecting  death  at  our  hands,  would  have  the  hardihood 
to  boast  of  then"  deeds,  and  plan  other  crimes  in  case  of  their  escape. 
Yet  those  convicts  dared  to  tell  me  to  my  face  that  we  should  never 
live  to  reach  Melbourne,  and  death  was  far  from  their  thoughts. 

"  I  had  a  great  mind  to  end  their  days  on  the  spot ;  but  doubtful  of 
my  authority  in  the  premises,  and  fearing  their  deaths  would  be  the 
subject  of  a  judicial  examination,  prevented  me.  My  men,  half  of  them 
•wounded,  and  three  dead,  were  frantic  for  the  villains'  blood,  and  it  was 
•with  difficulty  that  I  could  restrain  them. 

"  I  attended  to  the  injuries  of  the  men  as  well  as  I  was  able,  and 
then  making  the  stockmen  provide  as  good  a  supper  as  they  could  get, 
we  satisfied  our  appetites  ;  but  even  while  doing  so,  sleep  overpowered 
'is,  so  tired  were  we  with  our  long  journey. 

"  I  determined  to  halt  for  that  night  at  the  station,  and  let  the  men 
get  recruited.  One  of  the  stockmen  and  one  of  my  men  were  placed 
on  guard  over  the  prisoners,  and  relieved  every  two  hours  dur- 
ing the  night,  with  express  orders  to  shoot  them  if  they  moved  hand  or 
foot  in  the  way  of  attempting  to  escape,  was  the  means  of  keeping  the 
murderers  quiet,  and  enabling  my  men  to  attain  that  rest  which  they 
stood  so  much  in  need  of. 

"  Not  to  tire  you  too  much  with  minute  particulars,  we  next  day 
buried  our  killed 'and  started  for  Melbourne,  where  we  arrived  safe  with 
our  prisoners,  and  a  few  days  afterwards  they  were  hung  in  the  jail- 
yard." 

"  Maurice,"  said  the  lieutenant  to  the  sentinel  at  the  door,  who  had 
been  listening  to  the  recital,  "  do  you  wish  to  meet  with  two  more  such 
villains?" 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  79 

"God  forbid,  your  honor,"  answered  Maurice,  crossing  himself ;  for 
he  was  a  devout  Catholic.  "  I  have  hardly  recovered  the  use  of  my 
arm  where  the  devils  struck  me  with  a  knife." 

By  the  time  the  lieutenant  had  concluded,  and  we  had  drank  a  strong 
cup  of  tea,  the  sun  was  just  setting  behind  the  dark  forest,  which  we 
had  penetrated  the  day  before,  and  word  was  passed  from  mouth  to 
mouth  to  bring  up  the  horses  and  get  ready  for  a  start. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

SAGACITY  OF  A  DOG. —A  NIGHT'S  ADVENTURES. 

"  GENTLEMEN,"  asked  Lieutenant  Murden,  as  the  policeman  brought 
the  horses  to  the  door,  "  I  hope  you  know  how  to  ride." 

"  We  have  done  a  little  in  that  line,"  answered  Fred. 

"  Then  I  shall  allow  three  of  my  men  to  remain  behind,  to  lend  the 
stockman  and  his  daughter  such  assistance  as  they  may  want,  while 
Smith  and  yourselves  will  take  their  animals.  Now,  then,  mount." 

We  slung  our  rifles  over  our  shoulders  by  the  means  of  leather 
straps,  and  in  a  few  minutes  were  cantering  across  the  prairie  at  an 
easy  gait,  and  in  the  direction  of  the  bushrangers'  late  retreat. 

It  was  near  nine  o'clock  when  we  reached  the  edge  of  the  forest,  and 
drew  up  near  the  spot  where  we  had  entered  the  day  before  by  the 
secret  path. 

The  stillness  of  the  woods  was  oppressive  ;  for  not  a  tree  waved  its 
bough,  nor  did  a  breath  of  air  sigh  over  the  plain.  The  night  owl 
alone  sent  forth  its  discordant  shriek,  as  though  troubled  with  ominous 
forebodings  regarding  its  future  fate,  and  was  protesting  against  them. 

"  This  silence  is  more  dreadful  than  the  howling  of  wolves,"  cried 
Fred,  at  length,  as  he  sat  in  his  saddle,  and  regarded  the  dark  forest 
before  him. 

"  Those  trees,  if  they  could  speak,  would  tell  of  tales  of  blood  and 
cruelty,  equal  to  that  which  I  related  yesterday,"  said  Murden,  after  a 
short  pause. 

"  And  do  you  think  that  there  are  other  gangs  of  bushrangers  con- 
cealed in  those  dark  recesses  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  There  must  be  near  half  a  dozen  different  ones,  for  it's  the  most 
extensive  forest  in  Australia ;  and  ten  thousand  soldiers,  with  every 
equipment  necessary,  would  be  obliged  to  retire  from  its  shades,  baffled 
and  defeated,  before  a  few  hundred  men  who  knew  the  ground 
thoroughly." 

"  Well,  let  us  get  beyond  the  range  of  a  bullet,"  cried  the  lieutenant, 
after  a  moment's  pause ;  and  as  we  presented  a  fair  mark  for  any  rob- 
ber who  might  be  in  ambush,  we  were  not  slow  to  turn  our  horses'  heads 
and  trot  a  short  distance  from  such  dangerous  concealment. 

We  were  about  to  dismount,  and  post  our  sentinels,  when  I  heard  • 


80  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

deep  bay  in  the  direction  of  the  stockman's  hut,  which  recalled  to  my 
mind  the  many  scenes  through  which  Fred  and  myself  had  passed 
since  the  same  sound  had  first  broken  upon  our  ears. 

"  Do  you  hear  any  thing  ?  "  I  asked,  of  my  companion,  pausing  to 
listen. 

"  No,"  he  replied ;  "  why  do  you  inquire  ?  " 

"  Did  you,  Smith,  hear  no  sound  that  is  familiar  to  your  ear  ?  " 

"  No,  sir,"  he  replied,  pressing  forward,  "  I  did  not  hear  any  sound 
but  the  shrieking  of  yonder  owl." 

"  Our  friend  is  getting  nervous,"  cried  Murden,  with  a  laugh. 

"  There,"  I  cried,  suddenly,  as  a  deep  bay,  many  miles  distant,  cam« 
floating  over  the  prairie,  "  you  must  have  heard  that  howl.  The  hound 
is  on  our  trail,  and  his  following  us  at  this  time  of  night  means  some- 
thing." 

"  You  are  right,"  said  Fred,  quietly ;  "  I  could  distinguish  that  dog's 
bay  amid  a  hundred.  Let  us  return,  lieutenant*  and  find  out  what  has 
happened  at  the  hut." 

Murden  laughed  at  our  folly,  as  he  termed  it,  and  could  not  be  in- 
duced to  understand  that  the  animal  was  endowed  with  rare  instinct ; 
and  even  when  we  related  how  he  had  sought  us  out  on  the  night  that 
Black  Darnley  had  murdered  his  master,  he  tried  to  argue  that  it  was 
purely  accidental ;  but  even  while  we  debated,  the  bays  of  the  hound 
grew  louder  and  nearer  as  the  scent  became  fresher,  and  while  we  were 
listening  attentively,  as  the  animal  searched  along  the  edge  of  the 
woods  for  a  trail,  I  thought  I  heard  the  report  of  firearms,  but  at  such 
a  distance,  that  I  did  not  venture  to  call  attention  to  my  surmise. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  dog  was  with  us,  bounding  towards  Fred  and 
myself,  as  we  sat  on  our  horses,  and  seeking  to  attract  our  attention  by 
a  number  of  artifices.  With  a  low  whine,  he  would  look  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  hut,  where  his  mistress  was  supposed  to  be,  and  then  trot 
off  a  short  distance,  when,  finding  that  we  paid  no  attention  to  his 
movements,  he  would  return  and  whine  as  though  his  heart  was  break- 
ing by  our  coldness,  in  refusing  to  notice  his  appeals. 

"  I  can't  stand  this  any  longer,"  cried  Fred,  suddenly.  "  Lieutenant, 
if  you  will  not  lead  your  troop  back  to  the  stock-hut,  Jack  and  myself 
will  go  alone.  I  am  satisfied  that  there  is  something  wrong  going  on 
there,  and  that  the  dog  has  been  sent  by  the  old  convict  to  recall  us." 

"  What  can  have  happened  to  them  since  we  left  ?  There  were  no 
indications  of  bushrangers  in  that  quarter,  and  to  return  would  be  waste 
of  time,"  returned  the  commanding  officer. 

"  Then  we  will  go  alone.  We  should  like  Smith  as  a  companion  if 
you  have  no  objections ;  but  as  the  horses  are  under  your  charge,  we 
•will  leave  them,  and  walk  to  the  hut  If  matters  are"  right  there,  we 
can  join  you  by  daylight  in  the  morning." 

As  Fred  spoke,  he  dismounted,  and  I  was  about  to  imitate  his  exam- 
ple, when  Murden  altered  his  mind. 

"  Do  you  think,"  he  said,  with  all  the  warmth  of  an  honest  John  Bull, 
"  that  I  will  permit  you  two  Don  Quixotes  to  leave  me,  and  cross  this 
wide  prairie  on  foot,  at  this  time  of  night.  No,  sirs.  If  you  are  de- 
termined to  go,  thinking  there  is  fighting,  why,  I  am  bound  to  accom- 
pany you,  and  get  my  share.  A  quick  trot,  men,  and  keep  in  a  com- 
\act  body." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  81 

The  men,  without  a  murmur  at  the  sudden  order,  struck  their  spurs 
into  their  horses'  sides,  and  followed  us  at  a  gallop,  the  dog  leading  the 
way  in  the  direction  of  the  stock-hut,  and  no  longer  uttering  loud  bays. 

An  hour  quickly  passes  when  there  is  something  to  occupy  the  mind, 
and  at  the  end  of  that  time  we  were  not  more  than  half  a  mile  from 
the  house  which  we  had  left  at  sundown. 

"  You  see,"  said  the  lieutenant,  "  your  surmises  were  groundless.  We 
have  had  our  journey  for  nothing,  and  for  once  the  dog  has  proved  a 
false  prophet." 

I  began  to  fear  that  I  had  rendered  myself  liable  to  ridicule,  and  was 
thinking  how  I  should  recede,  when  the  sharp  report  of  a  gun  was 
heard,  in  the  direction  which  we  were  travelling. 

"  The  d !"  cried  Murden,  suddenly  ;  "  I  know  the  sound  of  my 

carbines  as  well  as  I  know  when  pay-day  comes.  That  gun  was  dis- 
charged by  one  of  my  fellows,  and  there  is  trouble,  or  he  would  have 
been  asleep  before  this." 

Three  or  four  flashes  of  light  were  seen,  and  then  the  report  of  an 
irregular_  volley  was  heard,  as  though  some  force  outside  of  the  hut  was 
firing  at  it  from  spite. 

"  The  affair  is  explained,"  the  lieutenant  said ;  "  a  gang  of  bushran- 
gers have  attacked  the  hut,  and  my  men  are  defending  it  bravely.  For- 
ward, men,  to  the  rescue." 

"  One  second,"  cried  Fred,  laying  his  hand  on  Murden's  arm.  "  Let 
us  reason  for  a  moment,  because  there  is  no  pressing  haste ;  those  in 
the  hut  can  keep  twenty  men  at  bay  until  daylight,  and  I  think  if  we 
use  a  little  stratagem,  we  can  secure  a  few  of  the  gang,  and  run  but  lit- 
tle risk." 

"  Speak  quick,"  cried  the  impatient  officer,  who  longed  to  be  where 
he  could  smell  the  burning  powder,  and  as  another  discharge  of  mus- 
kets was  heard,  he  almost  broke  away  from  the  cool,  indifferent  Fred. 

"  There  are  two  suggestions  which  I  have  to  offer,"  Fred  said.  "  In 
the  first  place,  the  party  that  is  attacking  the  station  think  that  the 
force  under  your  charge  is  gone  for  the  night." 

"  Well,  what  then  ?  "  cried  Murden. 

"  Or  else  the  party,  not  knowing  that  your  command  is  near  here, 
rallied  to  avenge  the  death  of  Black  Darnley  and  his  comrades.  Now, 
if  we  charge  up  to  the  very  door  of  the  station,  we  shall  most  probably 
get  a  volley,  not  only  from  the  bushrangers,  who  will  hear  the  sound  of 
the  horses'  feet,  but  as  likely  as  not  receive  a  shot  from  our  friends." 

"  At  any  rate,  we  can  capture  two  or  three  of  the  villains,"  cried  the 
officer. 

"  I  doubt  it,"  answered  Fred.  "  Knowing  that  they  will  have  to 
raise  the  siege,  two  or  three  saddles  will  be  emptied,  and  when  we  seek 
to  return  their  fire,  we  shan't  find  an  enemy  to  contend  against.  They 
will  scatter  in  various  directions  if  their  force  is  small ;  and  if  large, 
why,  a  bushranger  is  a  dangerous  foe,  and  fights  with  a  halter  around 
his  neck.  Let  us  oppose  craft  to  craft,  and  surprise  the  scamps,  as 
they  have  surprised  us." 

"  But  how  ?  "  asked  Murden. 

"  You  have  never  lived  in  a  country  where  waging  war  against  Indians 
is  regarded  as  mere  pastime,  or  you  would  have  comprehended  my  mean- 


82  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OE 

ing.  Let  us  dismount  from  our  horses  where  we  are,  and  let  my  friend 
and  myself  steal  forward,  and  mingle  with  the  bushrangers ;  or  if  that  is 
impracticable,  find  out  their  numbers,  and  whether  they  have  made  any 
impression  on  the  hut  —  where  the  main  body  is  stationed,  and  whether 
they 'Suspect  the  presence  of  your  force.  An  hour  will  be  ample  time 
to  go  and  return.  What  say  you  to  the  proposition  ?  " 

"  I  like  it,"  answered  the  lieutenant,  after  a  moment's  musing ;  "  but 
I  object  to  one  thing." 

"  Name  it." 

"  The  idea  of  your  going  forward  and  exposing  your  lives  in  a  service 
that  does  not  concern  you.  You  remain  with  my  men,  and  I  alone  will 
venture  into  the  midst  of  these  villains." 

"And  let  the  Australian  government  lose  a  valued  officer  ?  No,  sir, 
stay  with  your  men,  and  let  Fred  and  myself  do  the  scouting  duty,"  I 
said. 

"  But  you're  not  going  without  me,"  Smith  exclaimed,  abruptly ;  "  I 
made  a  bargain  with  you,  gentlemen,  to  take  you  to  the  mines,  and  I'm 
not  going  to  lose  sight  of  you  for  a  moment." 

"  You  shall  go  with  us,  Smith,"  we  answered ;  and  I  could  feel  the 
•warm  pressure  of  the  honest  fellow's  hand  at  being  allowed  the  privi- 
lege of  still  adhering  to  our  fortunes,  although  the  duty  which  we  were 
about  to  enter  upon  was  one  fraught  with  no  common  danger. 

"  I  don't  see  but  that  I  shall  be  obliged  to  give  my  consent,  after  all," 
Murden  said ;  "  if  you  are  rash  enough  to  thrust  your  heads  into  the 
lion's  mouth,  why,  take  my  best  wishes  for  your  success,  and  start  at 
once.  Ah,  there  speaks  one  of  my  carbines  again.  The  garrison  is  on 
the  alert." 

As  we  started  on  our  expedition,  the  hound,  which  had  been  lying 
near  without  a  sign  of  impatience,  bounded  to  his  feet  and  led  the  way. 
We  debated  for  a  moment  as  to  the  expediency  of  allowing  him  to 
accompany  us ;  but  while  discussing  the  question,  he  returned,  and,  as 
though  guessing  that  he  was  the  subject  of  our  talk,  looked  into  our 
faces  and  uttered  a  low  whine. 

"  Let  him  go  with  us,"  I  pleaded ;  "  I'll  warrant  that  he'll  prove 
discreet." 

The  animal  planted  his  fore  paws  upon  my  shoulder,  and  sought  to 
lick  my  face,  in  gratitude.  It  might  have  been  accidental,  but  to  me  it 
looked  as  though  there  was  something  besides  animal  instinct  in  the  act. 

There  was  a  unanimous  vote  in  favor  of  the  dog,  and  we  once  more 
started  on  our  way. 

Gun  after  gun  was  discharged,  both  by  besiegers  and  besieged  ;  but 
as  the  night  was  dark,  and  it  was  very  evident  that  those  in  the  hut  did 
not  understand  the  Indian  mode  of  warfare,  of  firing  at  the  flash  of 
their  enemies'  pieces,  it  was  pretty  certain  that  not  much  harm  was  done 
to  the  bushrangers. 

"  Come,"  said  Fred,  in  a  whisper,  after  we  had  watched  the  conflict 
for  a  short  time,  "  let  us  forward  and  count  the  number  of  our  oppo- 
nents, and  nerhaps  make  a  prisoner.  Smith,"  he  continued,  addressing 
pur  stout  friend,  "  I  need  not  tell  you  to  be  cautious,  and  make  no  reply 
if  you  chance  to  encounter  one  of  the  scamps,  and  he  speaks.  The 
tones  of  your  voice  would  betray  us  if  the  party  is  small.  Now  let  us 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  83 

move  forward  and  take  up  our  positions  near  yonder  clump  of  bushes 
by  the  bank  of  the  stream." 

Fred  led  the  way,  and  by  his  side  walked  the  dog,  with  head  erect, 
and  eyes  glaring  like  balls  of  fire ;  but  not  a  single  yelp  issued  from  his 
capacious  throat,  as  we  strode  towards  the  bushes  «and  concealed  our- 
selves. 

We  had  not  remained  long  at  our  station  before  two  men  passed  us, 
talking  earnestly  together ;  and  we  learned  enough  to  know  that  the 
presence  of  the  police  was  not  suspected  by  the  bushrangers,  and  that 
the  party  attacking  the  hut  was  one  got  up  for  the  purpose  of  avenging 
the  death  of  Black  Darnley  and  his  gang. 

Smith's  cart,  filled  with  merchandise  when  we  started,  had  been  rifled 
of  every  thing  which  it  contained  of  value,  and  I  could  hear  the  poor 
fellow  groan  as  he  thought  of  his  loss. 

"  I  tell  you,  Jim,"  cried  one  of  the  gang,  "  we  are  only  wasting  time 
here ;  let's  pack  up  what  we've  got,  and  be  off".  Bill  says  that  he  saw  a 
police  force  on  the  road  day  before  yesterday,  and  our  wasting  so  much 
powder  may  bring  'em  to  this  spot." 

"  And  let  the  death  of  Darnley  go  unrevenged  ?  "  exclaimed  the  ruffian 
addressed  ;  "  I'm  blastedly  ashamed  of  you,  to  hear  a  man  talk  that 
way !  You  knows  as  well  as  I  does  that  these  fellers  has  got  all  the 
money  that  Darnley's  gang  has  made  for  six  months  past,  and  now 
there's  a  chance  of  making  a  spec  you  want  to  be  off." 

"  But  I  don't  like  the  idea  of  getting  nabbed  by  the  police.  I'm  well 
known,  and  curse  'em,  there'd  be  a  jolly  time  in  Melbourne  if  they 
could  put  the  hemp  around  my  neck." 

"  Your  neck's  no  more  precious  than  mine,"  replied  the  second  bush- 
ranger ;  "  I  for  one  don't  quit  this  place  till  I've  cut  the  throat  of  every 
man  in  the  hut.  I'll  learn  'em  to  attack  our  people.  They  shall  be 
made  examples  of." 

"  Well,  Jim,"  replied  the  milder  ruffian,  "  if  you  have  set  your  heart 
on  fighting  'em,  why,  I'll  stand  by.  But  let's  make  short  work  of  it, 
and  storm  the  hut  without  delay." 

"And  lose  half  of  our  gang,  hey?"  answered  the  bushranger. 
"There's  good  marksmen  in  the  hut,  as  the  death  of  Sam  just  now 
should  convince  you.  We  can't  afford  to  throw  away  men,  as  we've 
none  too  many  to  do  the  work." 

"  Then  how  are  we  going  to  get  at  'em  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you  the  plan  I've  hit  on,  and  I  think  we  needn't  lose  more 
than  one  man  in  putting  it  into  execution.  Kemove  every  thing  from 
that  cart,  and  let  half  a  dozen  men  keep  up  a  brisk  fire  in  front  of  the 
hut,  while  I  with  the  rest,  will  take  the  team  to  the  back  of  the  shanty. 
We  can  push  it  close  under  the  roof  and  shelter  ourselves  from  the  fire 
of  those  within,  if  they  discover  the  trick,  which  I  don't  think  they  will. 
By  starting  a  board  or  two,  without  much  noise,  we  can  command  every 
part  of  the  room,  and  pour  in  half  a  dozen  volleys  without  being 
injured." 

"  That  is  a  deused  good  idea,  and  I'lJ  go  and  tell  the  boys.  They've 
got  hold  of  that  keg  of  rum,  and  I  suppose  I  shall  have  hard  work  to 
choke  'em  off;  but  they  must  leave  it  for  a  while,  and  attend  to 
business." 


84  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OE 

The  two  bushrangers,  who  appeared  to  be  the  leaders  of  the  gang, 
separated,  one  stealing  towards  the  object  of  his  attack,  and  the  other 
hastening  in  the  direction  of  the  ford  which  crossed  the  stream  —  pos- 
sibly where  the  men  were  carousing. 

"  My  poor  goods,"  whined  Smith,  "  the  cursed  brutes  have  stolen 
them  all.  I  wish  that  keg  of  rum  had  a  pound  of  arsenic  in  it ;  there 
would  be  some  consolation  in  knowing  that  the  devils  were  destroying 
themselves." 

"  Hush ! "  cried  Fred,  for  that  instant  the  growl  of  the  dog  gave 
token  that  some  one  was  approaching.  With  one  hand  on  the  animal's 
leather  collar  to  restrain  him,  and  another  on  his  massive  jaws,  we 
waited  his  approach. 

The  bushranger  walked  with  hasty  step  towards  us,  and  then  suddenly 
stopping,  he  spoke  aloud, — 

"Jim,"  he  said,  evidently  thinking  that  he  should  find  his  companion 
still  tnere,  "  the  men  won't  leave  their  rum ;  come  and  speak  to  the 
devils." 

He  turned  in  every  direction  to  get  sight  of  his  companion,  and  as  he 
was  facing  the  hut,  I  felt  a  warm  pressure  from  Fred's  disengaged  hand, 
and  understood  him  without  a  word  being  spoken. 

We  noiselessly  arose,  and  relinquished  our  hold  of  the  dog;  but 
strange  to  say  the  animal  appeared  to  understand  our  movements,  and 
did  not  spring  forward  as  we  feared  he  would.  He  looked  into  our 
faces,  wagged  his  tail,  and  remained  silent. 

"  Jim  ! "  cried  the  bushranger,  in  a  louder  tone  of  voice  than  he  had 
used  before,  "  Jim,  the  boys  —  " 

He  had  no  time  to  utter  more.  Fred  placed  his  strong  hands  around 
the  fellow's  throat,  and  compressed  his  grasp  until  I  fancied  I  heard 
bones  crack ;  at  the  same  moment  I  dropped  upon  my  knees,  and  seiz- 
ing both  his  legs  we  had  him  at  our  mercy.  He  kicked  violently,  and 
struggled  manfully,  but  in  spite  of  all  we  bore  him  to  the  bushes,  when 
Smith,  beginning  to  understand  our  attack,  uttered  a  chuckle  of  delight, 
and  threw  his  whole  weight  upon  the  prostrate  bushranger,  and  began 
to  bind  his  arms  with  cords  which  he  always  carried  about  him  in  case 
of  need. 

Even  the  hound  was  not  idle,  for  standing  over  the  astonished  ruffian, 
with  his  powerful  jaws  in  close  proximity  to  his  face,  he  showed  such  a 
set  of  strong  teeth  that  the  bushranger  manifested  many  symptoms  of 
terror,  and  endeavored  to  move  from  such  a  dangerous  neighborhood 
of  ivory. 

The  feet  and  hands  of  the  robber  were  soon  bound  by  the  active 
Smith,  and  then  holding  a  knife  at  his  throat,  with  an  understanding 
that  it  should  be  plunged  into  him  if  he  gave  an  alarm,  Fred  relin- 
quished his  grasp,  and  asked  a  few  questions. 

"  How  many  are  in  your  gang  to-night  ?  "  Fred  inquired. 

The  villain  looked  from  one  face  to  the  other,  as  though  he  was  almost 
resolved  to  evade  the  question ;  but  receiving  no  encouragement  from 
the  scowling  countenances  which  he  encountered,  replied, — 

"  There's  twelve  of  us." 

"  Who's  your  leader  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Jim  Gulpin." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  85 

"  As  big  a  scamp  as  ever  went  unhanged  ! "  ejaculated  Smith  ;  "  I 
have  heard  of  his  tricks,  before." 

"  What  is  your  object  in  attacking  the  stock-hut  ?  " 

"  To  recover  the  gold  which  was  stolen  from  Darnley,  and  also  to 
revenge  his  loss." 

"And  you  expect  to  succeed  ?"  demanded  Fred,  ironically. 

The  bushranger  made  no  reply,  and  as  we  had  got  all  the  informa- 
tion that  we  expected,  and  had  other  work  in  view,  we  gagged  him,  and 
had  just  secured  the  wretch,  when  a  low  growl  from  the  hound  attracted 
our  attention. 

"  If  this  is  the  leader,"  whispered  Smith,  "  you  had  better  let  me  have 
a  clip  at  him  first,  as  he  is  a  man  of  great  strength,  and  a  regular  dare- 
devil ! " 

"  You  may  pin  his  arms,  while  Jack  looks  out  for  his  feet,"  replied 
Fred. 

"  I  understand,"  answered  Smith,  and  we  fell  back  into  the  darkest 
shade  of  the  bushes,  as  Jim  came  in  sight. 

He  walked  with  a  hasty  step  towards  the  spot  where  his  companions 
were  drinking,  and  we  knew  that  they  must  be  getting  drunk  quite  fast, 
for  more  than  once  had  we  heard  their  voices  mingled  with  oaths  and 
execrations. 

We  stole  after  him,  following  on  tiptoe  to  prevent  our  steps  from 
being  audible,  and  at  a  given  signal,  threw  ourselves  upon  his  burly 
form. 

Although  taken  by  surprise,  he  readily  shook  us  off  and  gained  his 
liberty.  Once  did  he  free  one  of  his  arms  from  Smith's  embrace,  and 
brought  it  down  upon  that  unfortunate  man's  head  with  a  clang  that 
sounded  as  though  he  had  fractured  his  skull ;  the  stout-hearted  Eng- 
lishman only  clung  the  closer. 

Once  the  bushranger,  by  his  desperate  struggles,  freed  his  neck  from 
Fred's  vice-like  compression  ;  but  instead  of  using  his  voice  in  calling 
for  help,  as  a  more  cowardly  man  would  have  done,  he  uttered  fierce 
invectives  and  expressions  of  defiance. 

We  bore  him  to  the  earth  and  closed  his  mouth,  and  threatened  with 
steel,  but  he  still  defied  us ;  and  not  until  his  limbs  were  securely 
bound,  and  a  piece  of  Smith's  flannel  shirt  was  thrust  into  his  mouth,  and 
the  hound  standing  over  him,  expressing,  by  his  deep  growls,  the  most 
intense  desire  to  taste  the  robber's  flesh,  did  he  become  calm  and  sub- 
mit to  his  fate  with  resignation. 

"Curse  you,"  muttered  Smith,  "what  have  you  done  with  my 
goods  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  the  goods  now,  Smith,"  said  Fred.  "  We  shall  find 
them  all,  I  think,  when  we  capture  the  gang.  Do  you  take  care  of  the 
prisoners,  and  above  all  things,  keep  them  quiet.  Jack  and  myself  will 
take  a  near  survey  of  the  rest  of  the  robbers,  and  then  return." 

"I'll  keep  them  quiet  —  never  fear,"  replied  Smith,  and  he  glanced 
towards  his  long  knife  in  an  unmistakable  manner. 

We  followed  the  edge  of  the  stream  along  for  a  few  rods — each  step 
bringing  us  nearer  the  voices  which  we  had  heard  while  lying  in  am- 
bush ;  and  although  the  bushrangers  were  sensible  enough  not  to  build 
a  fire  to  reveal  their  location,  yet  the  clamor  which  they  raised  while 

8 


86  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

drinking  from  Smith's  cherished  keg  of  rum,  was  sufficient  to  lead  a 
party  to  their  seclusion  without  fear  of  being  discovered. 

We  skulked  behind  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  for  a  few  minutes  lis- 
tened to  the  conversation.  Oaths,  robbery,  and  murder  were  themes  as 
common  on  their  lips  as  prayers  from  a  minister  desirous  of  getting  an 
increase  of  salary.  \ 

"  We  have  heard  enough  of  this,  Fred,"  I  said.  "  Let  us  return, 
bring  up  Murden  and  his  party,  and  take  the  villains  alive." 

"  Agreed,"  cried  my  companion ;  and  retracing  our  steps,  we  were 
once  more  by  the  side  of  Smith,  who  sat,  in  company  with  the  hound, 
watching  his  two  prisoners  with  gi^at  diligence. 

"  Your  keg  of  rum  is  a  blessing,  Smith,"  I  said.  "  The  bushrangers 
are  taking  to  it  finely,  and  in  an  hour's  time  they  will  be  unconsciously 
irunk." 

"  We  are  now  going  to  join  Murden  and  his  policemen,  and  bring 
rfhem  up  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  the  remainder  of  the  gang." 

"  Good  —  I'll  wait  here  with  these  two,  and  give  a  good  account  of 
them  when  you  return.  Let  me  keep  the  dog,"  he  said,  as  the  hound 
rose  to  follow  us. 

I  spoke  a  few  words  to  the  animal,  and  he  quietly  returned  to  (he 
chief  bushranger,  and  laid  down  by  bis  side  with  a  brilliant  show  of 
teeth. 

There  had  not  been  a  shot  fired  from  the  hut  for  more  than  half  an 
hour.  The  inmates  were  evidently  puzzled  at  the  silence  of  those  on 
the  outside,  and  as  the  gang  were  too  busy  getting  drunk  to  attend  to 
business,  it  was  not  probable  that  another  attempt  would  be  made  be- 
fore our  return. 

Ten  minutes'  brisk  travelling  brought  us  in  sight  of  Murden's  force. 
They  were  on  the  alert,  for  we  were  challenged  as  we  drew  near,  but 
were  received  joyfully  by  the  officer  and  his  men.  They  suspected,  from 
the  sudden  ceasing  of  the  guns,  that  we  had  been  surprised  ;  and  it  was 
•with  the  utmost  astonishment  that  they  listened  to  an  account  of  the 
capture  of  the  two  men. 

"  We  will  lose  n.>  time,"  cried  the  lieutenant.  "  Mount,  men,  and 
proceed." 

As  we  trotted  towards  the  hut,  Fred  suggested  to  give  those  on  the 
inside  an  intimation  of  our  presence,  and  as  they  would  be  likely  to 
recognize  the  voice  of  their  officer  sooner  than  any  body  else,  Murden 
rode  to  the  door,  dismounted,  and  rapping,  spoke  to  his  men  in  tones 
they  well  knew. 

The  bars  were  remove  \  cautiously,  but  when  convinced  that  their 
officer  was  speaking,  the  men  were  overjoyed.  They  rushed  out  to  be 
congratulated  by  their  co,nrades,  and  tell  the  short  story  of  their  siege. 
But  there  was  no  time  to  lone,  if  we  desired  to  capture  the  bushrangers ; 
so,  leaving  the  horses  in  charge  of  one  man,  we  joined  Smith,  and  find- 
ing that  his  prisoners  were  safe,  left  them  in  charge  of  the  dog,  and 
then  walked  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  gang,  still  swilling  from  the 
rum  keg. 

They  did  not  suspect  our  presence,  although  we  heard  a  number  of 
calls  for  their  chief,  and  a  few  drunken  surmises  as  to  the  reason  of  his 
long  absence ;  and  in  the  midst  of  their  discussion,  ths  loud  voice  of 
Murden  rang  out,  — 


A   GOLD    HUNTEU'S   ADVENTURES.  87 

"  Surrender,  villains,  you  are  surrounded!  " 

We  could  hear  them  start  to  their  feet,  and  search  for  their  guns, 
and  then  whisper  together  ;  and  then  a  deep-toned  voice  exclaimed,  — 

"  Who  asks  us  to  surrender  ?  " 

"  The  police  of  Melbourne  ! "  cried  Murden. 

"  Curse  the  police  of  Melbourne !  Come,  my  hearties,  let's  give  it 
to  the  fools  !  " 

An  irregular  discharge  of  half  a  dozen  muskets  followed  his  words, 
and  a  man  at  my  side  was  struck  down,  and  wounded  terribly.  He 
was  shot  through  the  heart,  and  died  instantly. 

Their  firing  revealed  their  position,  and  we  saw  that  they  were  deter- 
mined to  rush  to  close  quarters,  and  try  the  odds,  drunk  as  they  were. 
Murden  no  longer  hesitated. 

"  Give  them  a  volley,  my  men,"  he  cried ;  and  the  police,  enraged  at 
the  loss  of  a  comrade,  poured  in  a  murderous  discharge  from  their 
carbines. 

Yells  and  imprecations  followed,  and  loud  above  the  groans  we 
could  hear  one  or  two  shouting  that  they  would  surrender,  and  begging 
the  police  not  to  fire  again.  Murden  granted  their  prayer,  and  when 
daylight  made  its  appearance,  the  dead  bodies  of  four  bushrangers,  and 
three  mortally  wounded,  were  lying  by  that  quiet  stream,  the  waters  of 
which  received  their  blood,  and  bore  it  to  the  ocean. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

DISCOVERY   OF   A   MASONIC    RING.  —  FUNERAL  PYRE  OF   BLACK 

DARNLEY. 

KNOWING  the  treacherous  character  of  the  bushrangers,  Murden 
would  not  allow  one  of  his  men  to  venture  to  the  assistance  of  the 
wounded  robbers.  He  formed  a  circle  around  them,  and  with  carbines 
on  the  cock,  his  force  waited  until  daylight  before  relieving  their  wants. 

In  vain  Fred  and  myself  offered  to  venture  among  the  wounded,  and 
take  to  them  water.  Murden  would  not  listen  to  the  proposal  for  a 
moment ;  not  that  he  was  naturally  hard-hearted,  but  he  knew  the 
men  whom  he  had  to  deal  with  better  than  ourselves  ;  and  he  imagined 
that  we  should  get  a  few  inches  of  cold  steel  for  our  charity. 

As  daylight  appeared,  one  by  one  of  the  gang  that  had  escaped  un- 
injured, were  called  out,  manacled,  and  confined  to  a  tree,  to  prevent 
all  possibility  of  flight.  There  were  many  fierce  oaths  uttered  by  the 
wretches,  as  they  felt  the  bracelets  slipped  over  their  wrists  by  Murden  ; 
and  two  of  the  hardened  villains  boasted  of  the  murders  which  they 
had  committed,  and  laid  plans  for  a  continuance  of  their  crimes  when 
they  escaped,  as  they  expected  to  do. 

It  was  with  difficulty  that  the  policemen  could  be  restrained ;  and 
once,  when  Murden  was  absent  for  a  few  moments,  and  had  left  the 


88  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

charge  of  the  prisoners  to  Fred  and  myself,  one  of  the  men,  carried 
away  by  sudden  rage  at  the  taunts  which  the  bushrangers  hurled  at 
him,  raised  his  carbine,  and  if  Fred  had  not  struck  up  the  barrel  just 
as  he  did,  the  sheriff  of  Melbourne  would  have  been  spared  the  neces- 
sity of  finding  hemp  for  one  robber.  As  it  was,  the  ball  whistled  harm- 
lessly over  his  head. 

"  You  are  mad ! "  cried  Fred ;  "  would  you  murder  the  wretches  in 
cold  blood?" 

"  Ay  ! "  shouted  the  indignant  policeman ;  "  they  have  committed 
many  murders,  and  it  is  time  their  career  was  ended." 

"  I  grant  that,"  returned  Fred ;  "  but  these  men  are  now  in  the 
hands  of  the  law,  and  are  entitled  to  a  fair  trial.  You  are  paid  for  pro- 
tecting them,  as  well  as  apprehending.  Do  not  let  your  conscience 
ever  accuse  you  of  murdering  a  prisoner." 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  returned  the  policeman,  with  evident  respect ; 
"  I  was  foolish  to  be  so  moved,  and  beg  you  to  forgive  me." 

"  I  have  nothing  to  forgive,"  replied  Fred,  amused  at  the  man's  ear- 
nestness ;  "  but  if  you  wish  to  do  a  really  good  action,  lend  Jack  and 
myself  aid  to  bind  up  the  wounds  of  these  poor,  grumbling  wretches." 

"  That  I  will,"  cried  the  policeman,  laying  down  his  carbine,  and  fol- 
lowing us  to  the  bank  of  the  river,  where  the  sufferers  were  still  lying, 
groaning  with  pain. 

Just  as  we  began  washing  the  blood  from  their  wounds,  Murden 
joined  us.  He  looked  astonished  to  think  that  we  took  so  much  inter- 
est in  the  men,  and  after  a  moment's  hesitancy,  said,  — 

"  I  have  been  trying  to  arrange  with  Smith  to  return  to  Melbourne 
with  his  team,  and  carry  these  wounded  men  and  my  prisoners.  He  re- 
fuses to  consent  until  he  has  obtained  your  acquiescence  in  the  measure. 
I  have  told  him  that  his  gdods,  which  are  scattered  around  here,  are 
nearly  ruined  by  rough  handling,  and  that  he  will  have  to  sell  them  at  a 
sacrifice  at  the  mines.  While  he  is  gone,  they  can  be  stored  at  the  hut, 
and  sold  most  any  time  to  travellers  at  an  advance,  while,  if  taken 
where  the  market  is  glutted,  he  is  sure  to  lose  on  them." 

We  were  so  much  surprised  at  the  communication,  that  we  looked  at 
the  lieutenant  in  astonishment,  and  for  a  few  minutes  did  not  answer. 

"  Come,  come,"  said  Murden,  with  a  smile,  "  don't  look  as  though 
you  had  lost  all  your  friends.  Say  you  will  go  with  us.  Two  weeks' 
time  is  all  we  ask,  and  then  you  can  go  to  the  mines  in  any  other  part 
of  the  island  you  please." 

"  But  you  forget,"  I  said,  "  that  we  are  not  rich,  and  can  but  ill  afford 
this  inactive  life.  We  came  to  Australia  to  make  a  living,  and  so  far, 
with  the  exception  of  the  booty  which  we  captured  from  Black  Darn- 
ley's  gang,  we  have  not  made  a  dollar.  Even  our  prize  money  will 
have  to  be  given  up  to  the  government,  to  be  returned  to  its  rightful 
owners,  and  besides " 

"  There,  there,  that  will  do,  most  honest  Americans,"  said  Murden, 
with  a  smile.  "  Now  listen  to  me  for  a  moment.  You  made  a  good 
thing  by  seizing  on  what  treasure  Darnley  had.  The  government  will 
be  too  rejoiced  at  his  death  to  care  whether  he  had  money  at  the  time 
he  was  killed,  or  not.  Keep  what  you  have  got  —  say  not  a  word  about 
it  to  any  one,  for  if  you  do,  you  will  be  the  laughing-stock  of  all  Aus- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  89 

tralia.  The  originality  of  the  act  would  surprise  our  good  people,  and 
you  would  be  looked  upon  as  fit  subjects  for  an  insane  asylum." 

Fred  and  myself  looked  at  each  other,  and  I  read  in  my  companion's 
face  that  he  considered  the  advice,  in  our  present  circumstances,  as  be- 
ing sound  and  rational. 

"  We  have  resolved  to  keep  the  money,"  we  said ;  but  as  for  re- 
tracing our  steps  to  Melbourne,  we  hardly  think  that  it  will  pay.  We 
have  already  been  two  weeks  in  the  country,  and  have  not  dug  the  first 
ounce  of  gold." 

"  And  you  may  be  six  months  here,  and  yet  be  unable  to  do  so.  Let 
me  reckon,  and  see  how  badly  you  have  done.  In  the  first  place,  there 
are  one  thousand  pounds  reward  offered  for  Darnley,  dead  or  alive. 
Prove  to  me  that  he  is  dead,  and  the  money  is  your  own.  For  every 
bushranger  killed  or  captured,  one  hundred  pounds  are  offered,  and  I 
need  not  tell  you  that  we  have  twelve  here  which  I  can  verify  —  four 
dead,  two  wounded,  and  six  prisoners.  That  is  not  a  bad  night's  work, 
I  should  think." 

"  But  we  think  it  wrong  to  accept  of  money  for  shedding  human 
blood,"  Fred  said. 

"  But  you  don't  think  it  wrong  to  delay  your  journey  half  a  dozen 
days  for  the  purpose  of  hunting  men  who  would  have  cut  your  throats 
for  a  sixpence.  Throw  aside  all  such  ideas  of  propriety,  and  remem- 
ber that  you  are  in  a  country  where  the  struggle  for  gold  engrosses  all 
other  passions ;  men  will  look  upon  you  as  fools,  to  reject  that  which 
you  are  entitled  to.  Go  with  me  to  Melbourne.  Help  escort  these 
villains  to  the  city,  for  remember  my  force  is  weakened  now,  and  I 
premise  that  you  shall  receive  more  pay  for  the  service  than  you  can 
make  at  the  mines." 

"  It  is  to  help  me  to  freedom,"  cried  Smith,  who  had  approached 
us  unperceived,  during  our  conversation,  and  had  listened  to  it  atten- 
tively. 

"  For  you  we  will  do  any  thing,  old  friend,"  we  said,  extending  our 
hands  to  the  honest  convict,  who  grasped  them  eagerly,  and  shed  teai-s 
of  joy  at  the  fair  prospect  wlu'ch  he  possessed  of  once  more  being  called 
a  free  man. 

After  making  up  our  minds  in  regard  to  the  course  which  we  in- 
tended to  pursue,  we  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  undertaking  with 
our  whole  hearts.  We  prepared  lint  and  bandages,  and  bound  up  the 
wounds  of  the  bushrangers,  and  placed  them  beneath  the  roof  of  the 
hut  which  they  had  endeavored  to  storm  the  night  before.  After  we 
had  accomplished  this  painful  duty,  we  selected  a  place  for  the  burial 
of  those  killed. 

Beneath  the  branches  of  a  cedar  tree  we  scooped  out  the  earth  with 
a  broken  shovel,  and  then  were  about  to  place  the  bodies  of  the  bush- 
rangers in  the  grave,  when  the  glistening  of  a  ring  on  the  middle  finger 
of  the  right  hand  of  one  of  the  dead  men  attracted  my  attention.  I 
stooped  down  and  removed  the  ring,  and  attentively  examined  it. 

To  my  surprise,  I  found  that  it  bore  the  emblems  of  the  masonic 
fraternity  —  a  square  and  compass  upon  a  broad  disk,  while  on  each 
side  were  small  flakes  of  gold  in  their  native  state,  placed  layer  upon 
layer,  like  the  scales  of  a  fish.  The  ring  I  judged  to  weigh  near  an 


90  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

ounce,  and  was  a  massive  hoop  of  gold,  and  made  by  some  artist  of  rare 
talent. 

I  knew  that  the  ruffian  could  not  be  a  mason,  and  I  was  lost  in  con- 
jecture, for  a  few  moments,  as  to  the  probable  fate  of  the  owner.  There 
was  no  doubt  that  the  robber  had  taken  a  fancy  to  it,  and  to  obtain  pos- 
session, had  undoubtedly  committed  murder.  While  it  was  passed  from 
hand  to  hand,  Smith  suddenly  exclaimed, — 

"  I  knew  the  owner  of  this  ring.  It  was  I  that  freighted  him  and  his 
goods  to  the  mines.  He  was  an  American,  and  had  had  the  ring  man- 
ufactured in  California  expressly  to  order.  I  am  certain  that  I  am  cor- 
rect, for  when  we  passed  this  very  stream,  the  owner  requested  me  to 
wear  it  while  he  bathed." 

"  But  his  name  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  only  heard  him  called  Edward  by  his  companions ;  but  I  know 
that  he  was  an  American,  and  he  said  he  belonged  in  New  York,  or 
New  England  city,  I  don't  Know  which." 

I  could  but  smile  at  Smith's  geography,  although  the  scene  before  me 
was  not  well  calculated  to  provoke  mirth.  I  sighed  over  the  unhappy 
fate  of  Edward,  and  handed  the  jewel  to  Murden,  when  he  returned  it, 
saying,  — 

"  Keep  it,  my  friend,  and  may  you  at  some  future  day  be  enabled  to 
trace  the  family  of  the  owner,  and  tell  them  of  the  sad  fate  which  their 
relative  probably  met." 

[With  this  object  in  view,  I  have  left  the  ring  with  the  publishers  of 
the  American  Union,  thinking  that  probably  these  sketches  might 
attract  the  attention  of  some  person  cognizant  of  the  manufacture  of 
the  jewel,  and  the  rightful  ownership.  The  publishers  in  Boston  will 
be  happy  to  answer  all  questions  concerning  the  property,  and  consid- 
ering the  scenes  which  the  ring  has  gone  through,  it  may  indeed  be 
regarded  as  a  curiosity.  I  shall  always  retain  the  ring,  and  when  I  gaze 
at  the  emblems  which  are  engraved  upon  it,  my  thoughts  will  wander 
back  to  the  sad  scenes  which  I  witnessed  while  in  Australia,  and  the 
violent  death  of  the  wearer.] 

"  In  with  the  bodies,"  cried  Murden,  "  we  have  much  to  do  before 
sunset." 

As  soon  as  the  grave  was  filled  in,  the  troop  regained  their  former 
jocularity,  and  they  began  dividing  among  themselves  the  property 
which  they  had  found  upon  the  persons  of  the  bushrangers. 

The  amount  was  not  large,  not  more  than  a  hundred  pounds,  yet 
Murden  received  his  share  without  a  blush,  appearing  to  think  that  he 
was  doing  no  more  than  his  duty.  Even  the  dead  policeman  was 
remembered,  and  as  he  had  left  a  widow  in  Melbourne,  his  portion  was 
deposited  with  the  lieutenant,  to  be  paid  to  her.  As  Fred  and  myself 
were  offered  our  portion,  we  declined,  and  begged  that  it  might  be  given 
to  the  lady  in  question,  "which  action  on  our  part  raised  us  in  the  esti- 
mation of  the  men  immensely. 

"Dare  you  venture  across  the  prairie  this  forenoon?"  asked  Murden; 
"  I  would  not  ask  you,  were  it  not  necessary  to  use  all  despatch  to  reach 
Melbourne  as  soon  as  possible ;  but  to  benefit  you  and  your  friends,  the 
convicts,  I  must  get  a  sight  of  Darnley  and  his  gang." 

"  If  that  is  your  object,"  we  replied,  "  we  are  prepared  to  accompany 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  91 

you  as  soon  as  you  are  ready.  Let  us  get  a  cup  of  coffee  and  a  piece 
of  broiled  lamb,  and  then  start." 

"  But  my  prisoners  ?  "  suggested  the  lieutenant. 

"  Leave  them  in  charge  of  a  portion  of  your  men  until  we  return,"  1 
replied. 

"  That  is  easily  said ;  but  while  I  am  gone,  my  men,  who  are  but  hu- 
man, will  probably  make  free  with  that  keg  of  rum,  which  I  have  thus 
far  kept  from  their  reach ;  and  if  they  are  without  restraint,  would  be 
just  as  likely  to  let  the  prisoners  escape,  or  shoot  them,  or  get  to  quar- 
relling among  themselves,  as  any  thing  else." 

"  Where  is  the  keg  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

The  officer  poked  aside  some  bushes  where  he  had  placed  it,  and 
revealed  its  hiding  place. 

"  I'll  soon  quiet  your  anxiety,"  Fred  said,  and  as  he  spoke  he  pulled 
out  the  spigot,  and  the  Jamaica  rum  mingled  with  the  earth. 

"A  harsh  proceeding,  but  the  best  under  the  circumstances,"  cried 
the  lieutenant,  with  a  mournful  look,  as  he  heard  the  rum  gush  forth  as 
though  saying  "  good,  good ;  "  "  I  love  a  drop  of  good  liquor,  but  men, 
when  drinking,  have  no  discretion." 

Murden  turned  away  with  a  sigh,  as  though  the  strong  fumes  which 
assailed  his  nostrils  were  suggestive  of  lost  hopes,  and  for  the  remain- 
der of  the  day,  he  was  melancholy. 

On  reentering  the  stockman's  hut,  we  found  him  seated  beside  his 
daughter's  rude  couch,  tenderly  bathing  her  head  with  fresh  river  water. 
She  was  conscious  now,  but  still  very  weak  and  feeble,  and  spoke  in 
whispers.  She  held  out  her  hand  to  us  when  we  entered,  and  smiled, 
as  though  thanking  us  for  the  care  which  we  had  taken  to  revenge  her 
injuries. 

Her  pulse  we  found  to  be  more  regular,  and  if  she  received  no  fresh 
shock,  we  thought  there  was  a  prospect  of  her  being  entirely  well  in  a 
few  days,  and  so  we  told  her. 

At  our  request  Murden  stationed  one  of  his  men  at  the  door  with 
strict  orders  to  admit  no  one  who  would  be  likely  to  disturb  her,  and 
after  we  had  partaken  of  our  rude  repast,  we  got  ready  for  our  hot  ride 
over  the  plain  to  the  forest. 

Before  we  started,  however,  we  paid  a  visit  to  the  bushrangers,  still 
chained  to  trees,  and  incapable  of  assisting  each  other.  We  were 
greeted  with  derisive  shouts  and  fierce  taunts,  which  did  not  disturb  our 
equanimity  in  the  least ;  and  when  the  robbers  discovered  such  to  be 
the  case,  they  again  stretched  themselves  upon  the  ground,  as  well  as 
their  irons  would  permit,  and  relapsed  into  sullenness. 

Murdan  left  eight  of  his  men  to  take  charge  of  the  prisoners,  with 
strict  orders  for  two  of  them  to  keep  guard  without  rest  or  sleep.  We 
were  about  to  mount  our  horses,  when  a  brawny  ruffian  we  had  made 
prisoner  the  night  before  shouted, — 

"  Aren't  you  going  to  give  us  something  to  eat,  or  are  we  to  be 
starved  like  dogs  ?  You  are  all  cowards,  and  dare  not  give  us  fair  play, 
and  an  open  fight,  but  I  didn't  suppose  that  you  were  so  frightened  ag 
to  refuse  to  let  us  have  a  mouthful." 

"  Dress  a  sheep  for  them,  and  let  them  eat  their  fill,"  ordered  Mur- 
den ;  "  but  mind  that  they  escape  not,  on  your  lives." 


92  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

We  rode  off,  followed  by  the  shouts  and  maledictions  of  the  gangi 
and  even  when  we  were  one  hundred  rods  distant  I  could  hear  the  ruf- 
fians call  after  us,  bidding  us  return  and  learn  bravery  from  them. 

"  You  now  know  why  I  feared  to  leave  the  prisoners  in  charge  of  my 
men  when  a  keg  of  rum  was  near  at  hand.  The  bushrangers,  knowing 
that  hanging  is  certain,  would  try  and  provoke  a  sudden  and  easier 
death.  I  do  not  fear  the  temper  of  the  men  when  free  from 
liquor." 

Smith,  Fred  and  myself,  besides  two  policemen,  composed  the  party, 
and  regardless  of  the  heat,  which  poured  down  as  though  it  would  melt 
our  brains,  we  urged  our  panting  horses  over  the  plain,  and  hardly  drew 
rein  until  we  reached  the  edge  of  the  forest,  where  we  halted  for  con- 
sultation. 

It  was  a  bold  experiment  to  venture  with  a  small  force  to  the  retreat 
of  the  once  formidable  outlaw,  for  there  was  no  telling  whether  or  no  a 
portion  of  his  gang  were  living  at  his  haunt.  The  officer  looked  up  to 
us  for  advice,  and  we  consulted  the  hound,  which  had  accompanied  us, 
and  now  stood  by  our  sides  panting  and  lolling  out  his  great  tongue, 
and  wondering,  I  suppose,  why  we  did  not  stop  at  the  river. 

"  Let  us  dismount,  and  shade  the  animals  as  well  at  possible,"  I  ad- 
vised, "  and  then  trust  to  the  sagacity  of  the  dog  to  detect  an  ambush. 
My  life  on  his  shrewdness." 

The  advice  was  acted  on,  when  leaving  one  man  to  take  charge  of  the 
nnimals,  we  examined  our  guns  and  pistols,  and  made  sure  that  they 
were  in  order;  and  then,  with  a  few  words  of  encouragement  to  the 
hound,  which  he  appeared  to  understand,  we  moved  along  the  path  we 
had  travelled  when  on  our  first  visit. 

With  guns  on  the  cock,  and  examining  every  thicket  of  bushes  to  see 
if  it  concealed  an  enemy,  we  made  but  slow  progress.  Yet  trusting 
more  to  the  dog  than  to  ourselves,  we  at  length  came  in  sight  of  the 
scene  of  our  former  exploits.  All  was  quiet  and  still  in  the  vicinity. 
Not  a  twig  moved,  unless  displaced  by  a  gaudy-colored  parrot,  too 
lazy,  under  the  withering  influence  of  the  heat,  to  even  chatter. 

The  hound  had  bounded  into  the  enclosure,  and  rushed  towards  a 
pile  of  branches  which  had  been  placed  in  the  clearing  since  we  were 
there.  Regardless  of  every  thing  else  he  tore  away  at  the  wood  with  his 
teeth,  and  uttered  fierce  growls,  as  though  he  had  found  an  enemy 
beneath  that  pile,  and  was  determined  to  get  at  him. 

We  sent  a  man  to  examine  the  neighborhood,  and  then  went  to  our 
four-legged  friend's  assistance.  With  angry  growls  the  dog  helped  us 
to  throw  aside  the  branches,  but  long  before  reaching  the  last  one,  we 
suspected  the  contents  of  the  pile.  A  horrible  stench  had  for  some  time 
warned  us  that  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  carrion. 

The  last  branch  was  removed,  and  lying  in  all  their  ghastly  ugliness 
were  Black  Darnley  and  his  crew.  Darnley  had  greatly  altered  since 
his  death  ;  but  there  was  no  mistaking  that  massive  mouth,  filled  with 
strong  teeth,  firmly  set  together,  as  though  striving  even  with  his  last 
breath  to  overcome  the  King  of  Terrors. 

"  Are  you  satisfied  ?  "  we  asked  of  Murden,  turning  away  from  the 
sickening  sight  with  a  shudder. 

"  I  am,"  he  replied.     "  Black  Darnley  has  committed  his  last  crime 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  93 

in  this  world ;  and  the  man  who  has  caused  the  police  of  Australia  to 
turn  pale  with  fear  is  now  but  a  home  for  worms." 

"  Let  us  rid  the  earth  of  his  remains,"  cried  Fred,  "  and  not  let  them 
fester  here  to  breed  pollution  in  the  air." 

"  Well  said,"  replied  we  all ;  and  after  every  one  had  satisfied  his 
curiosity,  we  gathered  up  dry  branches  and  leaves  and  heaped  them 
upon  the  pile,  and  then  set  it  on  fire,  and  as  the  flames  roared  and 
crackled,  and  licked  the  green  corpses,  we  took  our  leave  of  that  black 
forest,  the  home  of  bushrangers,  natives,  and  poisonous  reptiles. 

As  we  turned  to  have  a  last  glance  at  the  fire,  we  saw  the  hound 
stalking  solemnly  around  that  putrid  pile,  and  watching  as  though  not 
satisfied  until  every  particle  of  his  enemy  had  mingled  with  his  mother 
earth. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

THE  STOCKMAN  AND  HIS  PARROT.  —  DARING  PLOT  OF  A  ROBBER 
CHIEFTAIN. 

TIRED  with  a  hot,  dusty  ride  across  the  prairie,  we  felt  more  like 
resting  after  the  sleepless  night  and  busy  scenes  through  which  we  had 
passed,  than  commencing  our  journey  at  sundown,  and  so  we  intimated 
to  Murden ;  but  he  was  deaf  to  our  hints,  and  gave  his  orders  for  get- 
ting ready  regardless  of  them. 

A  hasty  supper  of  roast  lamb  and  hot  coffee  was  awaiting  us  when 
we  returned  from  the  water,  and  while  we  were  eating,  a  number  of  the 
policemen  were  despatched  along  the  banks  of  the  river  to  drive  in 
Smith's  cattle,  while  others  stored  his  goods,  which  they  had  collected 
during  our  absence,  in  the  hut,  and  returned  to  the  stockman  a  correct 
schedule  of  the  same. 

About  sundown,  the  oxen  were  yoked  together  and  attached  to  the 
cart.  The  horses  were  saddled,  and  awaited  their  riders,  and  the  only 
thing  that  detained  us  was  the  transfer  of  the  bushrangers  from  the 
trees  to  the  cart  in  which  they  were  to  be  transported  to  Melbourne. 
The  wounded  men  were  too  seriously  hurt  to  endure  the  journey,  and, 
indeed,  it  was  doubtful  whether  the  poor  wretches  would  survive  many 
days,  removed,  as  they  were,  hundreds  of  miles  from  a  physician's 
reach,  and  with  no  fit  nourishment  to  sustain  them. 

Muiden,  when  we  remonstrated  against  the  wounded  men  being 
disturbed,  and  given  an  opinion  of  the  fatality  of  the  act,  received  the 
news  with  the  utmost  sang  froid,  and  expressed  no  particular  desire 
that  the  men  should  live,  under  any  circumstances :  and  finding  that  he 
could  do  nothing  with  them,  and  that  they  would  never  survive  the 
journey  to  grace  his  triumphant  entry  into  Melbourne,  he  wisely  turned 
them  over  to  the  care  of  the  aged  convict  and  his  daughter,  both  of 
whom  promised  to  take  care  of  them  to  the  best  of  their  ability,  and  in 
case  they  recovered,  to  hold  them  close  prisoners  until  the  lieutenant 
sent  an  order  for  their  delivery. 


94  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OK 

One  by  one  the  prisoners  were  transferred  from  the  trees  to  the  cart 
Desperate  was  their  resistance,  and  loud  were  the  curses  which  were 
heaped  upon  our  heads.  Manacled  as  they  were,  with  heavy  handcuffs 
around  their  wrists,  in  some  instances  four  men  were  required  to  lift 
one  of  the  villains  to  his  place  in  the  team,  and  it  was  no  easy  task  at  that. 

The  police  worked  with  patience,  and  never  once  lost  their  temper, 
although  I  expected  every  moment  that  they  would  resort  to  extreme 
measures.  To  keep  the  robbers  quiet,  and  prevent  their  committing 
any  violence  on  those  who  rode  in  the  team,  a  stout,  spare  chain  was 
passed  from  the  forward  end  of  the  cart  to  the  back  part,  and  fastened 
underneath.  To  this  the  feet  of  the  men  were  secured,  so  that  it  was 
impossible  for  them  to  move,  or  commit  any  sudden  act  of  violence. 
The  method  was  severe,  but  the  only  safe  plan,  and  Murden  was  too  old 
a  hand  at  rogue-taking  to  adopt  half-way  measures. 

At  eight  o'clock  we  were  ready  for  our  journey.  Three  of  the  police 
were  to  ride  on  the  cart  as  a  means  of  precaution,  and  Fred  and  myself 
were  promoted  to  horses.  Smith  resumed  his  old  position  by  the  side 
of  his  cattle,  and  after  an  affectionate  leave-taking  with  the  old  convict 
and  his  child,  we  started ;  but,  to  our  surprise,  the  hound  trotted  along 
by  my  side,  and  all  words  or  gestures  were  useless  in  forcing  him  to 
return  to  his  mistress. 

Knowing  that  she  valued  the  animal,  I  rode  back  with  him,  and 
requested  her  to  call  him  into  the  hut  and  close  the  door,  but  t.o  my 
astonishment,  she  declined ;  and  when  I  urged  that  I  could  not  induce 
the  animal  to  return  unless  I  accompanied  him,  she  requested  me,  in  a 
quiet  manner,  to  accept  of  him  as  a  gift,  and  the  only  conditions  that 
she  imposed  were,  that  I  should  treat  him  kindly  during  his  life. 

I  joyfully  accepted  her  offer,  and  once  more  saying  good-by,  I 
rejoined  the  troop,  and  with  Rover,  as  I  called  the  dog  after  I  owned  him, 
by  my  side,  bounding  towards  me  to  receive  a  friendly  pat  on  the  head, 
as  though  he  rejoiced  in  the  change  that  had  been  made,  I  journeyed 
on,  in  company  with  Murden  and  Fred. 

All  night  long  did  we  urge  the  oxen  to  their  quickest  paces,  so  that 
we  could  reach  a  stock-hut  by  sunrise,  where  we  could  obtain  food  and 
rest,  both  of  which  we  needed.  A  dozen  times  did  I  fall  asleep  in  the 
saddle,  only  to  awaken  when  I  found  that  I  was  likely  to  pitch  headlong 
to  the  ground,  and  when,  by  the  sudden  efforts  which  I  made  to  recover 
myself,  I  got  thoroughly  awakened,  I  saw  that  my  companions  we*e 
equally  as  sleepy. 

Had  a  strong  force  of  bushrangers  but  attacked  us  that  night,  not  a 
man  would  have  been  left  to  tell  the  story ;  for  so  thoroughly  used  up 
were  the  force,  that  I  doubt  if  even  the  report  of  a  gun  could  have 
roused  them  from  their  lethargy. 

About  daylight  we  left  the  main  road,  and  took  a  course  nearly  par- 
allel, over  a  plain  where  not  a  sign  of  a  wagon  wheel  was  visible.  After 
we  had  lost  sight  of  the  road,  we  began  to  meet  cattle  grazing  upon  the 
prairie,  and  by  their  wildness,  we  imagined  that  visitors  were  a  rare 
sight  to  them. 

At  length,  two  Australian  natives  were  discovered,  nearly  naked,  and 
armed  with  their  favorite  weapons,  spears  and  boomerangs,  squatting 
under  a  tree,  and  watching  our  cavalcade  with  great  interest. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTTTRES.  95 

Murden  spoke  to  them  in  their  native  language,  of  which  he  under- 
stood a  little,  and  inquired  the  distance  to  a  stock-hut ;  and  with  an 
almost  imperceptible  motion  of  their  heads,  they  intimated  the  direction 
which  we  were  to  pursue,  and  then  relapsed  into  their  former  state  of 
stoicism. 

"  Some  of  our  heaviest  cattle-raisers  are  trying  an  experiment,"  said 
Murden,  as  we  rode.  "  Thinking  that  these  poor  devils  are  fit  for 
something,  they  are  employing  them  to  look  after  cattle  on  these  im- 
mense plains.  The  plan  has  worked  admirably  so  far,  for  they  appear 
especially  adapted  for  this  kind  of  work,  as  it  suits  their  idea  of  free- 
dom and  idleness." 

"  And  what  pay  do  they  get  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Their  pay  is  trifling,  but  they  are  assured  of  good,  healthy  food,  and 
clothing  if  they  will  wear  it,  which  in  some  cases  they  reject  with  dis- 
dain. Our  countrymen  have  never  treated  the  natives  as  human  beings, 
and  hence  they  have  never  looked  upon  us  with  any  love ;  fear  alone 
keeps  them  in  subjection.  A  new  theory  is  to  be  attempted,  and  with 
what  success  remains  to  be  seen." 

When  we  came  in  sight  of  the  hut,  we  started  our  horses,  and  left 
the  cart  and  men  to  follow  at  their  leisure.  The  place  was  not  very 
inviting,  and  did  not  reflect  much  credit  on  the  stockman  who  had 
charge  of  the  station. 

The  hut  was  built  of  rough  boards,  patched  in  a  dozen  different  places 
with  bullocks'  hides,  to  keep  out  the  rain  in  the  winter,  and  the  hot  sun 
in  the  summer.  A  small  shed  was  placed  at  one  end  of  the  house,  un- 
der which  all  the  cooking  was  done  during  wet  weather. 

Two  upright  sticks,  with  necks,  on  which  a  cross  bar  was  placed, 
formed  the  fireplace,  and  that  was  all  that  was  required  by  men  who 
live  on  meat  day  after  day,  and  year  after  year,  until,  as  one  stockman 
informed  me,  he  "  felt  horns  growing  on  the  sides  of  his  head." 

Basking  in  the  sun,  \vhich  was  high  in  the  heavens,  was  a  parrot, 
confined  in  a  rough  board  cage,  evidently  whittled  out  with  a  jack-knife, 
during  the  leisure  hours  of  its  master.  The  bird  was  shrieking  out  a 
few  words  of  unmistakable  English,  and  appeared  to  utter  them  with 
the  greatest  glee,  as  though  charmed  by  having  a  number  of  new  lis- 
teners to  whom  it  could  show  off  its  perfections. 

"  D it,  where  do  you  come  from  ?  "  the  bird  yelled ;  and  then 

changing  his  tune,  he  shouted,  "  take  that  dog  away  —  take  him  away  I 
take  him  away  —  cuss  him  !  " 

We  could  but  feel  amused  at  such  proficiency  in  the  English  language, 
and  were  admiring  the  display  of  his  rare  talent,  when  the  proprietor  of 
the  bird  came  to  the  door,  evidently  awakened  from  a  nap  by  his  pro- 
tege. He  first  told  the  parrot  to  "  shut  up,"  and  then  turned  his  lan- 
guid attention  on  his  visitors,  whom  he  did  not  appear  pleased  to  see, 
or  indeed  displeased.  In  fact,  he  seemed  too  lazy  to  exhibit  much 
emotion  any  way ;  and  the  only  energy  he  displayed  was  when  he  used 
his  long,  dirty  finger  nails  on  his  head,  the  hair  from  which  hung  down 
on  his  shoulders  in  tangled  masses,  and  afforded  refuge  to  thousands  of 
animals,  that  would  have  been  homeless,  had  he  had  those  locks  clipped 
close  to  his  skull. 

The  stockman  was  barefooted,  and  his  feet  looked  tougher  than  any 


96  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

sole  leather  ever  brought  to  market.  Dirt,  a  hot  sun,  and  an  entire 
absence  of  water  as  a  cleansing  agent,  had  rendered  them  of  an  inde- 
scribable color,  and  as  he  afterwards  boasted,  he  was  "  not  afeerd  of  any 
varmin  biting  them  'ere,  'cos  they  was  toughened." 

An  old  flannel  shirt,  and  a  pair  of  canvas  trousers,  completed  the 
costume  of  a  man  who  said  he  preferred  to  live  on  a  cattle  station,  and 
receive  about  ten  dollars  per  month,  than  to  trust  to  luck,  and  work 
hard  at  the  mines. 

"  Hullo,  Bimbo,"  shouted  the  lieutenant,  as  the  stockman  came  in 
sight,  and  leaned  languidly  against  the  door,  as  though  too  lazy  to 
support  his  own  weight. 

The  fellow  muttered  something  which  we  did  not  hear,  and  Murden 
shouted  again, — 

"  Did  we  disturb  you  from  a  refreshing  nap,  Bimbo,  or  have  you 
grown  lazier  than  ever  ?  Come,  stir  yourself,  and  start  a  fire ;  we  want 
breakfast.  In  a  few  minutes  there  will  be  a  dozen  more  here,  and  they 
will  eat  you  out  of  house  and  home,  unless  you  are  smart.  Bushrangers 
always  have  good  appetites." 

It  might  have  been  fancy,  but  I  thought  I  saw  the  indolent  Bimbo 
suddenly  start  at  the  word  "  bushrangers,"  and  his  apparently  heavy- 
looking  eyes  were  lighted  up  with  an  energetic  look  that  I  little  expected 
from  a  man  such  as  his  outward  appearance  denoted.  Whether  my 
surmises  were  correct  or  not,  the  man  resumed  his  old  habit  in  a  mo- 
ment, and  if  possible  looked  more  fatigued  than  ever. 

"  I  don't  see  what  you  want,  coming  here  at  this  hour  in  the  morn- 
ing," Bimbo  said,  with  a  yawn.  "  I  was  just  dreaming  that  I  could 
live  without  work,  when  you  roused  me.  What  is  up  that  takes  you 
from  Melbourne?" 

The  question  was  asked  in  the  most  indifferent  tone  that  a  person 
can  imagine ;  but  I  thought  I  detected  an  eagerness  to  know  the  mission 
upon  which  Murden  had  been  engaged  that  but  ill  compared  with  the 
man's  general  indifference  and  lazy  deportment. 

"  We  have  been  after  bushrangers,  Bimbo,"  answered  the  lieutenant, 
dismounting  from  his  horse  and  approaching  the  stockman,  who  still 
retained  his  reclining  position  against  the  side  of  the  door. 

"  And  did  you  meet  any  ?  "  asked  the  stockman,  indifferently,  stealing 
a  look  at  the  face  of  the  officer  as  though  anxious  to  obtain  his  answer 
before  he  uttered  it. 

"  Meet  any  ?  "  replied  Murden,  "  why,  of  course  we  did.  You  will 
not  be  troubled  with  robbers  in  this  part  of  the  country  for  some  time 
to  come,  I'll  warrant  you." 

I  saw  a  black  frown  gather  on  the  stockman's  brow,  but  it  was  dis- 
pelled as  soon  as  formed,  although  I  could  not  help  feeling  that  the 
news  troubled  the  man  exceedingly. 

"  Come,  stir  yourself,"  cried  the  lieutenant,  when  he  saw  that  the 
stockman  did  not  appear  disposed  to  move,  and  as  he  spoke,  he  laid  his 
hand  lightly  upon  the  fellow's  shoulder,  and  pulled  him  from  his  posi- 
tion in  the  doorway. 

"  Come,  awaken,  old  fellow,  and  let  us  have  the  best  quarter  of  beef 
you  possess,  for  we  are  all  hungry,  and  I'll  warrant  that  Jim  Gulpin 
and  his  gang " 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  AD  VENTURE  s.        97 

"  So  help  me,  God,  lieutenant,"  cried  Bimbo,  hurriedly,  "  I  don't 
know  him  or  his  men,  and  I  don't  see  what  right " 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  with  the  man  ?  "  laughed  Murden.  "  I 
didn't  say  that  you  knew  him.  I  meant  that  he  and  his  gang,  or  what 
remained  of  them,  are  my  prisoners,  and  in  less  than  a  week  their  necks 
will  he  stretched  a  few  inches  longer.  There's  news  for  you,  Bimbo." 

"  Gulpin  and  his  band  prisoners,"  I  heard  the  fellow  say,  in  an  under- 
tone, as  though  he  could  scarcely  comprehend  the  news,  and  then  an 
expression  stole  over  his  face,  that  for  a  moment  was  frightful  to  con- 
template. 

"Ah,  here  they  come  at  last,"  Murden  said, _  pointing  to  the  cart, 
•which  was  slowly  creeping  along,  and  had  been  screened  from  view  by 
the  house. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  say  you  and  your  men  took  the  bushrangers 
•without  any  'sistance  from  others,  do  you  ?  "  Bimbo  asked. 

"  Why,  these  two  Americans  lent  their  valuable  aid,"  replied  the  offi- 
cer, pointing  to  Fred  and  myself. 

"  P'raps  it  would  have  been  as  well  if  they  staid  in  their  own  coun- 
try and  looked  after  robbers,  instead  of  coming  to  Australia,"  replied 
the  dirty  scamp,  with  an  aside  glance  at  us  that  spoke  murder  as  plainly 
as  if  he  had  a  knife  at  our  throats. 

"Cease  your  grumbling,"  shouted  Murden,  angrily,  "or  I'll  lay  my 
bridle  over  your  shoulders  until  they  ache.  Why,  you  miserable  dog, 
have  you  not  complained  to  me  a  dozen  times  that  you  feared  your  life 
was  in  danger  from  these  same  prowling  gangs,  and  that  they  stole  your 
cattle  in  spite  of  all  you  could  do  ?  Another  word,  and  I'll  give  you 
cause  for  muttering.  Away  with  you.  Start  a  fire,  and  then  I'll  set  one 
of  my  men  to  cook  breakfast.  You  are  too  dirty  to  be  intrusted  with 
food." 

Bimbo  must  have  exercised  a  strong  control  over  his  emotions,  for  in 
spite  of  the  dirt  and  grease  with  which  his  face  was  smeared,  I  saw  it 
flush  angrily ;  but  no  other  sign  of  passion  was  displayed.  He  thrust 
his  hands  into  his  pockets,  and  with  a  slouching  gait,  as  though  too 
indolent  to  move  without  strong  inducement,  sauntered  towards  the 
shed  and  began  kindling  a  fire. 

"  A  grumbling  cur,"  muttered  Murden,  looking  after  him ;  "  I  have 
half  a  mind  to  tie  him  up  and  scar  his  back,  and  see  if  it  will  not  make 
him  a  little  more  energetic."  But  with  all  of  the  bluster  of  the  officer, 
I  saw  that  he  did  not  suspect  the  man's  honesty,  and  I  was  glad  that  he 
did  not. 

By  the  time  Smith  had  joined  us  with  his  cart  and  prisoners,  Bimbo 
had  started  a  fire,  and  produced  a  hind  quarter  of  a  young  bullock, 
killed  the  day  before,  and  which  had  been  rubbed  over  with  fine  salt  to 
protect  it  from  the  millions  of  insects  which  infest  the  air  of  Australia. 
The  fellow  made  an  offer  to  cut  the  meat  for  us,  but  a  look  at  his  hands 
was  sufficient  to  deter  us  from  accepting  the  proposition. 

Maurice,  the  lieutenant's  never-failing  resort  when  a  meal  was  to  be 
prepared,  was  set  at  work  to  get  breakfast  for  the  officer,  Fred,  and 
myself,  while  one  of  the  men  was  detailed  to  perform  the  same  duty  for 
his  companions.  Another  man  was  stationed  as  guard  over  the  bush- 
rangers, and  the  balance  were  ordered  to  look  to  their  animals,  which 

9 


98  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

attention  consisted  in  watering  them  at  a  spring  near  the  hut,  and  then 
turning  them  loose  with  their  fore  legs  tied  together  to  prevent  their 
straying  to  any  great  distance.  One  animal,  however,  was  kept  ready 
saddled  in  case  of  an  emergency,  and  not  permitted  to  roam  beyond 
the  extent  of  a  long  rope,  like  the  reattas  of  Spain  or  Mexico. 

Although  I  must  confess  that  I  was  intensely  hungry,  and  tired  and 
sleepy  with  my  long  journey  on  horseback  all  night,  yet  I  felt  too 
uneasy  in  my  mind  to  spend  much  time  eating  greasy  beefsteaks  and 
drinking  strong  coffee.  I  had  watched  Bimbo  from  the  time  the  cart 
had  reached  the  hut  to  the  period  when  the  prisoners  were  to  be 
allowed  to  eat  their  ^morning  meal;  and  I  had  noticed  the  nervous 
manner  in  which  the'  fellow  had  acted  in  spite  of  his  assumed  in- 
difference. 

Twice  had  he  sauntered  towards  the  cart  in  which  the  bushrangers 
•were  stilJ  confined,  and  each  time  had  the  sentry  ordered  him  back,  as 
no  communication  was  allowed  with  the  prisoners ;  but  I  saw  the  grim 
face  of  Jim  Gulpin  raised  as  he  heard  the  voice  of  Bimbo,  and  an  al- 
most imperceptible  sign  passed  between  them. 

More  than  ever  convinced  that  there  was  an  understanding  with  the 
parties,  I  watched  for  other  tokens,  but  in  vain  ;  and  it  was  not  until 
one  of  the  policemen  ordered  the  stockman  to  carry  the  bushrangers' 
food  to  them  that  I  determined  to  be  present  and  keep  an  eye  upon  his 
actions. 

The  handcuffs  were  removed  from  the  prisoners'  wrists  to  enable 
them  to  eat,  but  the  irons  were  not  taken  from  their  feet,  for  Murden 
had  no  idea  of  trusting  them  with  their  liberty  even  for  a  moment. 

"  Here's  your  grub,"  shouted  Bimbo,  who  was  allowed  to  pass  the 
sentry  this  time,  as  he  had  a  wooden  pail  in  his  hand,  none  too  clean, 
in  which  the  food  of  the  prisoners  was  placed.  "  Here  it  is,"  he  con- 
tinued, as  he  set  it  down  in  their  midst,  "  and  a  darn'd  sight  too  good 
for  you  it  is  too,  and  mighty  thankful  you  had  oughter  be  that  you  fell 
into  a  gentleman's  hands,  and  one  that  knows  how  to  treat  you.  If  I 
had  the  right  I'd  starve  you  all,  blast  your  picters." 

The  ruffians  replied  with  oaths  and  jeers,  but  they  were  too  energetic 
to  be  sincere,  and  I  suspected  they  were  intended  expressly  for  my  ear, 
as  I  stood  not  far  from  them  listening  to  every  word  that  was  uttered. 

Had  the  bushrangers  not  said  so  much,  I  should  have  suspected  less, 
and  while  I  pretended  to  be  admiring  the  parrot,  I  still  watched  the 
doings  in  the  cart. 

I  saw  the  stockman  glance  around  to  see  if  his  actions  were  observed, 
and  that  stealthy  look  was  like  a  cat's  watching  for  its  prey  —  I  saw 
that  the  sentry  was  examining  the  lock  of  his  carbine,  and  paying  no 
attention  to  Bimbo's  movements,  while  the  rest  of  the  men  were  en- 
gaged in  smoking  and  lounging  near  —  and  then  for  a  moment  the 
heads  of  Jim  Gulpin  and  the  stockman  were  close  together,  as  though 
whispering  confidentially.  It  was  only  for  an  instant,  however.  With 
renewed  oaths  and  abuse  Bimbo  hurried  the  robbers  in  their  meal,  until 
Murden  interfered,  and  ordered  that  they  be  allowed  to  eat  in  peace. 

"  The  idea  of  letting  such  scamps  as  these  eat,"  cried  Bimbo,  with  a 
kick  of  his  bare,  horny  foot  against  one  of  the  bushranger's  ribs.  "  I'd 
sarve  'em  if  I  had  my  way." 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  99 

Bimbo  was  replied  to  with  interest  by  the  robbers,  and  to  stop  the 
noise  the  lieutenant  sent  the  fellow  to  the  hut  to  get  it  ready  for  the  re- 
ception of  the  latter,  as  it  was  thought  to  be  a  good  place  to  keep 
them  during  our  halt,  which  we  expected  to  extend  to  sundown,  owing 
to  the  intense  heat  of  the  day. 

The  robbers  were  removed  to  the  hut,  and  their  manacles  taken  from 
their  feet,  but  the  handcuffs  still  confined  their  hands,  and  as  they  were 
chained  two  by  two  they  were  powerless.  A  sentry  was  posted,  and  the 
men,  glad  to  obtain  a  few  hours'  sleep,  stowed  themselves  under  the 
shed,  and  wherever  they  could  screen  their  faces  from  the  sun. 

Fred  and  myself,  taking  our  saddles  for  pillows,  repaired  to  the  back 
part  of  the  hut,  the  coolest  place  we  could  find,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
both  of  us  were  sleeping  soundly.  I  had  not  slept  long,  however,  be- 
fore I  was  awakened  by  a  peculiar  noise,  that  sounded  like  the  grating 
of  a  saw.  Instead  of  starting  up  to  investigate,  I  pretended  to  sleep, 
and  partly  opening  one  eye,  saw  to  my  surprise  that  Bimbo  was  on  his 
knees  near  my  feet,  and  working  with  cautious  energy  upon  a  board 
which  he  was  endeavoring  to  remove.  The  instrument  he  was  oper- 
ating with  was  an  old  knife,  with  notches  on  the  blade,  made  to  resem- 
ble a  saw. 

I  continued  my  position,  and  by  my  regular  breathing  convinced  the 
fellow  that  I  was  sleeping  soundly.  A  dozen  times  did  he  pause  and 
listen,  and  scrutinize  my  face,  and  then  I  read  the  man's  true  character 
in  his  wicked  eyes,  for  they  gleamed  like  those  of  a  serpent,  and  I  saw 
murder  in  every  look. 

I  resolved  to  continue  counterfeiting,  and  await  the  result.  Half  a 
dozen  times  did  Bimbo  suspend  work,  and  steal  to  the  front  part  of  the 
hut  to  discover  if  his  operations  were  suspected,  and  each  time  he  re- 
turned, and  after  a  glance  at  Fred  and  myself,  commenced  work  with 
renewed  energy. 

At  length  a  hole  large  enough  to  run  his  hand  in  was  obtained,  and 
then  I  heard  low  whispers  pass  between  Bimbo  and  the  robber  chief. 

"  You  must  get  us  out  of  this  scrape,"  said  Jim,  authoritatively. 

"  But  how  can  I  at  present  ?  Better  wait  till  night,  and  then  I  know 
half  a  dozen  coves  what  will  strike  for  you.  We  can  easily  get  ahead 
and  wait  for  you  near  the  Three  Forks." 

"  It  wont  d'o,"  said  Gulpin,  impatiently.  "  Go  and  pick  the  pocket 
of  the  man  that  has  got  the  key  of  our  irons,  and  then  we  can  kill 
every  devil  connected  with  the  troop."' 

"  Hush,"  replied  Bimbo,  after  a  hurried  glance  at  my  face.  "  Them 
two  blasted  Yankees  are  sleeping  close  here,  and  I  think  both  of  'em 
has  spotted  me.  I'd  like  to  cut  their  throats  bloody  well." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  I  thought,  "  but  I'll  save  you  the  trouble." 

"  Go  and  get  the  key,"  repeated  Gulpin,  with  an  oath,  "  and  then 
pass  in  all  the  guns  and  knives  that  you  can  get  hold  of.  When  I  give 
a  signal,  knock  down  the  sentry  at  the  door,  and  mind  that  you  hit  hirii 
hard  enough  to  prevent  his  squalling  —  you  understand  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  but  if  I  do  all  that,  what  share'll  I  get  in  the  swag  in  the 
cellar  ?  I've  kept  it  for  a  long  time  now,  and  you  know  it." 

"  You  shall  have  Darnley's  share,  if  you  do  as  I  tell  you,"  replied 
Gulpin. 


100  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

"  What'll  Darnley  say  to  that  ?  " 

"  He  won't  say  much,  'cos  he's  stiffened  out  —  dead  as  the  devil." 

This  piece  of  information  so  elated  the  stockman  that  he  did  not  stop 
to  make  further  inquiries,  but  disappeared  around  the  corner  of  the 
house,  and  when  I  raised  my  head  to  consult  with  Fred  in  regard  to  the 
matter,  I  found  that  he  was  as  wide  awake  as  myself,  and  was  appar- 
ently debating  what  course  he  should  pursue. 

"  Have  you  heard  all  ?  "  I  whispered. 

Fred  no'dded  his  head,  and  laid  his  hand  upon  his  lips.  Then,  by  a 
gesture  which  I  understood,  he  counselled  that  we  should  remain  quiet 
for  a  short  time,  and  see  how  matters  worked. 

Following  this  advice,  however,  did  not  prevent  us  from  examining 
our  revolvers  and  rifles,  and  also  bringing  the  handles  of  our  bowie 
knives  to  a  better  position.  When  Bimbo  returned,  with  a  cat-like 
tread,  I  could  see  by  his  carrying  a  carbine  that  he  had  been  successful ; 
and  when  I  saw  him  thrust  it  into  the  hole,  and  then  give  up  the  key  of 
the  irons,  I  had  a  great  mind  to  shoot  him  on  the  spot. 

"  Here,"  cried  Bimbo,  "  is  the  key  of  the  ruffles.  Remain  quiet  for 
half  an  hour,  and  by  that  time  I'll  be  ready  for  you.  Remember  your 
word  —  Darnley's  share." 

"  All  right ! "  exclaimed  the  robber,  grasping  with  his  manacled  hand 
the  precious  key  to  his  irons,  and  as  soon  as  he  had  possession  of  it, 
Bimbo  glided  away  to  complete  his  plot. 

"  We  must  be  acting,"  said  Fred,  springing  to  his  feet ;  and  as  he 
spoke  we  sauntered  to  the  front  of  the  hut,  and  saw  that  the  stock- 
man was  just  raising  a  carbine,  which  he  had  taken  from  a  sleeping  po- 
liceman. 

Bimbo  looked  astonished  when  he  caught  sight  of  us,  and  I  saw  by 
the  flashing  of  his  eyes  that  he  was  almost  determined  to  begin  the  bat- 
tle immediately,  and  trust  to  the  robbers  for  the  result. 

If  such  was  his  intention,  however,  he  had  no  time  to  carry  it  into 
effect,  for  with  a  sudden  spring  Fred  landed  in  front  of  him,  and  with  a 
blow  of  his  fist  knocked  the  dirty  fellow  down,  and  before  he  could 
rise  a  revolver  was  pointed  at  his  head,  and  instant  death  threatened,  if 
he  moved. 

The  noise  awakened  Murden  and  his  men ;  and  just  as  they  began  in- 
quiring the  reason  of  our  violence,  there  was  a  loud  shout  heard  within 
the  hut,  the  door  was  rudely  thrown  open,  and  at  the  head  of  the  rob- 
bers, brandishing  his  carbine,  was  Gulpin. 

The  police  fell  back  a  few  paces  in  astonishment ;  but  a  rallying  cheer 
from  Murden  reassured  them,  and  in  spite  of  the  known  desperate 
characters  of  the  bushrangers,  they  charged  on  them. 

Gulpin  did  not  stop  to  discharge  the  weapon  which  he  held,  but 
swinging  it  over  his  head  he  brought  it  down  upon  the  skull  of  the 
foremost  man,  with  a  crash,  shivering  the  gun  into  a  hundred  pieces, 
and  knocking  the  fellow  senseless. 

Gulpin  did  not  wait  to  repeat  the  blow,  but  eluding  the  many  hands 
thrust  out  to  seize  him,  he  sprang  one  side,  and  leaving  his  gang  to 
continue  the  unequal  combat,  ran  swiftly  across  the  prairie,  as  though 
determined  to  escape  at  all  hazards,  even  if  his  gang  were  captured. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  101 

"  The  villain  will  escape  ! "  shouted  Murden,  more  anxious  to  secure 
the  person  of  Gulpin  than  his  men. 

The  lieutenant  rushed  to  the  shed  to  mount  the  horse  usually  kept  in 
readiness,  but  Bimbo  had  turned  him  loose  upon  the  plain. 

With  a  bitter  oath  the  officer  grasped  one  of  his  men's  carbines  and 
discharged  its  contents  after  the  runaway.  The  ball  flew  wide  of  its 
mark,  and  we  could  hear  a  taunting  laugh  from  the  fugitive,  at  his  aim. 

"  Show  me  a  specimen  of  your  American  skill,"  cried  Murden,  after 
a  hasty  glance  at  his  men,  and  finding  that  every  robber  was  secured 
excepting  the  chief;  "  cripple  that  devil  for  me,  and  I  am  your  debtor 
for  life." 

Gulpin  was  about  forty  rods  from  us,  when  the  lieutenant  spoke,  and 
was  running  almost  as  rapidly  as  a  kangaroo  dog.  In  a  few  minutes 
he  would  have  been  beyond  our  reach,  and  recommenced  his  career  of 
crime. 

Under  these  circumstances,  Fred  felt  that  he  owed  a  duty  to  the 
world.  Hastily  bringing  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder,  he  glanced  along  its 
deadly  tube  and  fired.  For  a  few  seconds  we  could  not  perceive  that 
the  shot  had  affected  the  bushranger,  and  I  was  about  to  try  my  skill, 
when  the  villain  staggered  and  fell  heavily  to  the  earth. 

His  leg  was  broken  near  the  knee,  and  the  bone  was  terribly  shat- 
tered by  the  rifle  ball. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

DISCOVERY  OF  STOLEN  TREASURES  IN  THE  STOCKMAN'S  CELLAR. 

LYING  upon  the  ground  were  the  bushrangers,  bruised,  bloody,  and 
dirty,  groaning  with  disappointment  and  pain,  and  one  or  two  of  the 
most  violent  ones  cursing  so  loudly  that  the  air  smelt  sulphurous. 
Across  the  bodies  of  the  fallen  wretches  were  the  policemen,  with  huge 
beads  of  perspiration  standing  on  their  brows,  and  faces  red  with  the 
sudden  and  unusual  exertion  which  they  had  endured  to  conquer  the 
desperate  robbers. 

The  poor  fellow  whom  the  leader  of  the  robbers  had  injured  by  break- 
ing a  carbine  over  his  head,  was  lying  on  the  ground,  bleeding  pro- 
fusely from  a  long  gash  in  his  skull.  He  was  assisted  into  the  hut,  and 
left  for  a  few  minutes,  until  more  pressing  demands  had  been  attended 
to ;  and  after  the  prisoners  were  once  again  ironed,  and  chained  to  the 
cart,  some  one  asked  what  had  become  of  Bimbo  ;  as  that  individual 
had  not  been  seen  since  the  commencement  of  the  attack. 

"  I'll  warrant  the  lazy  rascal  has  gone  to  sleep  somewhere,  and  not 
awakened  during  the  disturbance,"  Murden  said,  not  suspecting  the 
trick  which  the  stockman  had  played  him. 

"  And  what  has  become  of  my  dog  ?  "  I  asked,  surprised  to  think  that 
he  had  also  disappeared. 

9* 


102  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

Fearful  that  he  had  got  tired  of  my  society,  and  left  for  his  mistress, 
I  whistled  shrilly,  and  was  happy  to  hear  a  response,  in  the  shape  of  a 
deep  bay,  back  of  the  hut.  We  hurried  where  we  could  get  a  view  of 
him,  and,  to  my  surprise  and  delight,  I  saw  that  he  was  standing  over 
the  prostrate  body  of  the  miserable,  treacherous  Bimbo,  and  showing  a 
set  of  ivories  at  every  movement  of  the  wretch,  which  would  have  de- 
lighted a  gentleman  versed  in  dentistry,  or  an  admirer  of  white  teeth. 

The  lieutenant,  Fred,  and  myself,  proceeded  to  the  spot,  and  as  we 
approached,  Bimbo  attempted  to  rise,  but  the  vigilant  animal,  with  an 
angry  growl,  grasped  him  by  the  neck,  and  the  dirty  fellow  was  con- 
tent to  lie  quiet,  although  he  used  his  voice  well,  and  broke  forth  with 
lamentations  at  the  hound's  rough  treatment. 

"  Is  this  the  kind  of  usage  a  cove  meets  for  giving  you  something  to 
eat,  and  Booking  after  yer  hanimals.  Take  the  cuss  "off,  can't  ye,  and 
not  let  him  stand  over  me  this  way  ?  " 

"  Call  off  the  dog,"  whispered  Murden  ;  "  I  am  afraid  that  the  animal 
will  choke  him  to  death,  and  then,  lazy  as  he  is,  he  still  would  be  a 
loss,  for  he  gives  me  information  at  times  concerning  the  movements  of 
bushrangers,  which  I  can  obtain  nowhere  else." 

"Did  he  ever  give  you  tidings  that  led  to  the  arrest  of  thieves  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  No,  I  think  not,"  replied  the  officer,  after  a  moment's  reflection ; 
"  but  that,  you  know,  is  no  fault  of  Bimbo's.  By  his  advice,  I  have 
twice  been  near  capturing  parties  of  marauders.  Something,  however, 
has  happened  to  prevent  me  —  either  I  would  get  the  intelligence  too 
kte,  or  the  robbers  had  just  changed  their  haunts." 

"  I  see,"  replied  Fred,  with  a  grin ;  "  the  lazy,  ignorant  Bimbo  has 
blinded  the  eyes  of  one  of  the  smartest  lieutenants  of  police  in  Aus- 
tralia, and  by  pretending  to  furnish  information, 'has  gained  his  confi- 
dence, simply  to  place  him  on  the  wrrong  track." 

"  What  mean  you  ?  "  asked  Murden,  astonished. 

"  I  mean  that  this  scamp  "  —  and  by  this  time  we  were  beside  the  fel- 
low, whose  face  bore  every  mark  of  the  most  abject  terror  —  "has  been 
in  league  with  the  bushrangers  for  years ;  that  he  just  entered  into  a 
contract  with  Jim  Gulpin,  to  set  his  gang  free,  and  that  he  picked  the 
pocket  of  Maurice  to  get  the  key  of  the  robber's  irons,  and  that  our 
deaths  were  deliberately  planned,  and  would  have  been  carried  into 
effect,  had  we  not  chanced  to  overhear  the  bargain." 

"  So  help  me  God,  lieutenant,  it's  a  lie  !  "  shouted  Bimbo,  struggling 
to  his  feet,  a  proceeding  which  the  hound  did  not  exactly  like,  and  he 
looked  into  my  face  as  much  as  to  ask  whether  it  was  all  right,  and 
manifested  hostility  even  when  I  called  him  away. 

"  You  knows  very  well,  lieutenant,  that  I've  been  the  best  spy  on  this 
route  for  years,  and  that  I  always  tells  you  all  that  happens,  and  now 
to  think  that  these  strangers  should  come  here,  and  try  and  take  my 
character  away,  it's  too  bad,  it -is,"  and  the  dirty  scamp  dug  his  fikhy 
fingers  into  his  eyes,  and  tried  to  force  a  tear,  but  the  effort  was  a 
failure. 

"  How  about  the  stolen  articles  in  the  cellar  of  the  hut,  a  portion  of 
which  you  were  to  receive  for  setting  the  gang  free  ?  "  asked  Fred. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  AD  VENTURES.  103 

"  There's  none  there,"  whined  the  fellow,  "  so  help  me  God,  there's 
none  there,  and  there's  no  use  in  searching." 

"  Well,  examine  the  hut  at  all  events,"  replied  Fred ;  and  bidding 
Bimbo  walk  to  the  house,  we  followed  close  at  his  heels,  and  threatened 
him  with  the  fangs  of  the  dog  when  he  hesitated. 

By  the  time  we  had  reached  the  station  hut,  the  policemen  were  just 
depositing  Gulpin  near  the  door,  having  brought  him  in  a  blanket  from 
the  spot  where  he  fell.  The  wretch  was  suffering  great  pain,  and  huge 
beads  of  perspiration  were  streaming  down  his  forehead  from  its  effects. 
The  men  had  stripped  off  the  leg  of  his  trousers,  and  revealed  bones 
protruding  near  the  knee.  But  little  blood  flowed  from  the  wound 
where  the  ball  had  penetrated,  and  I  considered  it,  with  my  imperfect 
knowledge  of  surgery,  as  looking  decidedly  bad  for  saving  the  robber 
chief's  life. 

I  stooped  down,  and  sought  to  examine  the  limb,  but  with  horrid  im- 
precations, the  bushranger  ordered  me  off,  and  swore  that  no  one  but  a 
regular  physician  should  attend  him. 

As  we  were  over  a  hundred  miles  from  Melbourne,  and  there  was  not 
a  doctor,  probably,  between  us  and  that  city,  I  gave  the  man  up  for 
lost,  and  so  I  told  the  lieutenant,  who  merely  shrugged  his  shoulders, 
and  declared  that  there  would  be  one  the  less  to  hang,  and  that  it  was 
always  bad  travelling  with  wounded  men  in  company. 

"  Let  that  man  be  kept  within  musket  shot,"  said  Murden,  pointing 
to  the  guilty  Bimbo,  who  was  still  snivelling,  and  endeavoring  to  excite 
our  sympathies. 

"  And  what  shall  we  do  with  this  poor  wretch  ?  "  Fred  asked,  gazing 
with  pity  at  the  prostrate  form  of  the  robber  chief,  who,  an  hour  before, 
was  a  model  of  health  and  strength. 

"  What  can  we  do  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  with  a  puzzled  expression. 

"  I  am  no  surgeon,"  replied  Fred,  "  but  I  will,  if  the  poor  wretch  i» 
willing,  attempt  to  amputate  the  limb,  and  it  may  be  the  means  of  sav- 
ing his  life." 

"  Save  it  for  a  halter,  hey  ?  "  asked  Gulpin,  opening  his  eyes ;  and  for 
a  moment  they  were  lighted  up  with  a  fierce  fire,  that  showed  the  bit- 
ter hatred  which  the  man  entertained  against  his  captors. 

"  That  is  not  for  me  to  judge,"  replied  Fred ;  "  I  offer  to  save  your 
life,  if  possible,  and  you  must  depend  upon  the  courts  of  Melbourne 
whether  it  is  continued." 

The  outlaw  shook  his  head,  and  after  wetting  his  parched  lips  with 
water  exclaimed,  — 

"  I  would  rather  die  as  I  am ;  no  surgeon's  knife  shall  hack  my  flesh 
while  living,  and  I'm  too  far  from  the  big  town  to  l,hink  they  will  string 
my  bones  on  wires  after  death.  I  shall  live ;  and  if  the  bushrangers  in 
these  parts  get  the  alarm,  I  may  defy  you  yet !  See,  I  grow  stronger, 
and  my  log  no  longer  troubles  me  with  a  racking  pain." 

In  his  desperation,  the  outlaw  struggled  to  sit  upright,  and  smiled  a 
ghastly  smile,  at  his  supposed  triumph  over  death. 

"  Foolish  man,"  I  replied,  "  the  cessation  of  your  pains  is  a  sure  har- 
binger of  death.  Already  has  mortification  set  in,  and  the  best  sur« 
geon  in  the  world  cannot  save  you." 


104  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OE 

"  Is  it  so  ?  "  he  asked,  hoarsely,  after  a  sharp  glance  at  my  face  to  sea 
if  he  could  not  read  trickery,  and  an  attempt  to  deceive  him. 

"  Upon  my  word  as  a  man,  you  are  dying,"  I  replied. 

"  Well,  death  and  me  has  met  many  times,  and  why  should  we  fear 
each  other  ?  Let  him  come ;  he  will  not  find  me  unprepared." 

"  But  your  peace  with  God  ?  "  I  asked,  earnestly. 

"  Look  you,  young  man,"  the  outlaw  said,  "  for  ten  years  I've  led  a 
life  of  crime ;  I've  committed  murders,  and  robbed  all  who  crossed  my 
path,  and  laughed  at  the  agony  of  those  I  have  rendered  penniless.  Do 
you  think  that  God  is  willing  to  pardon  sins  on  such  short  notice  ?  " 

"  There  is  hope  for  all,"  I  replied. 

"  You  may  think  so,  but  I  don't  believe  in  that  kind  of  mummery. 
Go  away  from  me,  and  let  me  die  in  peace." 

"  But,  consider,"  I  urged. 

He  waved  his  hand  impatiently,  as  though  the  conversation  wearied 
him,  and  he  wished  to  terminate  it  without  farther  discussion.  I  joined 
Murden,  who  was  standing  a  short  distance  from  the  dying  man,  calmly 
smoking  his  pipe,  and  apparently  indifferent  to  the  remarks  which  his 
prisoner  made. 

"  Has  he  been  grumbling  ?  "  asked  Murden. 

"  No,  he  appears  to  be  rejoiced  to  think  that  he  will  cheat  the  courts 
of  Melbourne  of  a  victim,  and  declares  that  if  a  man  is  accused  of  be- 
ing a  bushranger,  his  death  is  sealed,  whether  innocent  or  guilty." 

"  There  is  much  truth  in  what  he  says,"  replied  the  officer,  after  a 
moment's  thought ;  "  the  judges  act  upon  the  principle  that  it  is  better 
ten  innocent  persons  should  die,  than  one  robber  escape.  They  do  not 
prove  a  man  guilty,  but  require  him  to  prove  that  he  is  innocent ;  hence 
the  burden  of  proof  rests  upon  the  defendant,  and  he  has  no  means  of 
establishing,  unless  possessed  of  unbounded  wealth,  the  fallacy  of  such 
reasoning." 

"  And  the  people  of  Australia  call  that  law  ?  "  I  asked,  indignantly. 

"  That  is  law,  and  very  good  law,  too,"  replied  Murden ;  "  you  can 
hardly  wonder  at  such  a  state  of  things,  when  you  take  into  considera- 
tion the  lawlessness  of  the  bands  swarming  over  these  vast  plains,  and 
attacking  every  party  weaker  than  themselves." 

Murden  walked  towards  the  hut  as  though  he  declined  to  converse 
any  further  on  the  subject ;  but  just  then  his  eyes  fell  on  Bimbo,  who 
was  seated  under  the  shed,  within  sight  of  the  sentry,  and  the  idea 
occurred  to  make  search  on  the  premises  for  the  goods  which  we  had 
overheard  him  talk  about. 

"  Ho,  Bimbo,"  he  said,  "  show  us  where  the  stolen  property  is  kept, 
and  perhaps  I  may  inferfere  to  save  your  life." 

"  So  help  me,  God,  lieutenant,  I  don't  know  what  you  mean.  I  never 
stole  a  single  thing  in  my  life." 

"  Then  how  came  you  to  be  sent  to  Australia  for  ten  years  ?  "  asked 
the  officer,  with  a  sneer. 

"  Because  I  was  unjustly  suspected,  as  I  am  now.  A  man  swore  that 
I  broke  into  a  store  when  he  knew  I  was  nowhere  near  the  building." 

"  It  won't  do,  Bimbo,"  replied  the  officer,  sending  the  fellow  back  to 
his  place.  "  Remember,  I  have  offered  you  a  fair  chance  to  act  as  a 
government  witness,  but  you  decline." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  105 

I  thought  the  fellow  had  half  a  mind  to  confess,  but  he  apparently 
considered  the  offer,  and  resolved  to  brave  it  out. 

"  Bring  me  a  couple  of  hatchets,"  Murden  said  to  his  men ;  and  when 
they  were  brought  he  led  the  way  to  the  hut,  and  began  splitting  the 
boards  of  the  floor  and  removing  them  ;  but  no  signs,  of  a  cellar  were 
discovered,  and  I  began  to  think  that  the  conversation  must  have  refer- 
ence to  some  other  stock-house,  when  one  of  the  men  uttered  an  excla- 
mation of  surprise,  and  tearing  up  a  board  that  was  placed  against  the 
wall,  we  saw  a  large  hole,  which,  instead  of  being  directly  under  the 
floor,  extended  beyond  the  sides  of  the  hut,  and  formed  a  sort  of  mag- 
azine that  could  only  be  discovered  by  removing,  as  we  had  done,  all 
the  planks  and  timbers. 

"  Jump  down,  one  of  you,"  said  Murden,  addressing  his  men. 

An  exclamation  of  surprise  was  uttered  by  the  man  that  descended. 

"  Here's  a  large  room,"  he  shouted,  "  and  nearly  full  of  different 
articles." 

"  Go  and  slip  a  pair  of  irons  on  Bimbo,"  Murden  said,  turning  to 
Maurice,  "  and  chain  him  to  the  cart  with  the  rest  of  the  thieves." 

A  moment  after  we  could  hear  the  prayers  of  the  fellow  as  he  was  led 
to  the  cart,  and  his  entreaties  to  speak  with  the  lieutenant  just  for  a 
moment. 

"  He  is  too  late,"  was  all  the  remark  that  the  officer  vouchsafed  upon 
being  informed  of  Bimbo's  desire. 

We  entered  the  secret  cellar,  and  then  had  the  articles  which  were 
found  there  passed  up  for  an  examination.  Clothes,  powder,  and  lead, 
liquors,  boxes  of  pickles,  preserved  meats,  China  ginger,  and  other 
sweetmeats,  and  in  fact  it  is  hard  to  remember  all  the  names  of  the  dif- 
ferent articles  stored  in  that  underground  cell.  The  collection  looked 
as  though  it  had  been  plundered  from  various  teams  on  their  way  to  the 
mines,  and  such  we  afterwards  found  to  be  the  case ;  as  Bimbo  con- 
fessed that  he  had  acted  in  the  capacity  of  storekeeper  for  three  or  four 
y^ars,  and  even  before  the  mines  were  discovered  he  was  in  league  with 
bushrangers,  and  always  gave  them  information  when  he  knew  a  party 
of  policemen  were  on  their  trail. 

There  was  another  piece  of  information  which  Bimbo  gave  us,  more 
pleasing  than  any  thing  which  he  had  said.  By  his  directions,  one  of 
the  men  was  set  at  work  digging  in  the  cellar,  and  after  throwing  up  a 
few  shovelfuls  of  earth,  a  canvas  bag  was  reached,  which  proved  to  be 
remarkably  heavy.  The  men  crowded  around,  wild  with  excitement, 
when  Murden  loosened  the  string  tied  around  its  mouth,  and  we  all 
gave  a  shout  when  particles  of  gold  dust  were  discovered,  and  a  louder 
cheer  when  the  lieutenant  emptied  into  a  basin  about  forty  pounds  of 
gold  of  the  first  quality. 

"  This  is  a  prize  worth  something,"  Murden  said,  overjoyed  at  his 
good  fortune. 

"  The  government  will  make  its  expenses  on  this  trip,"  I  remarked, 
as  I  calculated  the  worth  of  the  gold. 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  government  will  ever  see  the  color  of  this 
dust  ?  "  asked  Murden,  with  a  laugh. 

I  replied  that  I  expected  he  would  render  an  account  of  it  to  his 
superior  officer. 


106  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  And  let  my  superior  officer  retain  the  whole  of  that  which  we  have 
worked  hard  for.  I  know  a  trick  worth  two  of  that.  Stand  by  and  let 
me  divide  it  according  to  grade,  men." 

A  pair  of  scales  was  produced  in  a  twinkling  from  one  of  the  saddle 
holsters  of  the  men,  and  with  great  dignity  the  lieutenant  weighed  out 
the  full  amount,  and  then  made  a  calculation. 

"  I  am  going  to  let  these  two  gentlemen  share  equally  with  me.  They 
deserve  more,  but  according  to  the  rules  of  the  service,  volunteers  must 
rate  with  lieutenants." 

Fred  and  I  looked  at  each  other  in  surprise,  hardly  believing  our 
senses,  while  the  men  declared  with  one  accord  that  it  was  but  right  we 
should  receive  our  share,  and  that  we  were  an  honor  to  the  police  force. 

"  There's  twenty-two  hundred  dollars  to  be  divided  among  the  men, 
and  about  two  thousand  dollars  for  us  three,"  said  Murden,  after  finish- 
ing his  calculations. 

"  And  do  you  expect  us  to  take  the  money  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"I  certainly  do,"  replied  the  lieutenant,  with  the  most  refreshing 
coolness. 

"  But  suppose  an  inquiry  should  be  made  by  those  in  authority  at 
Melbourne,  regarding  the  finding  of  this  money?  What  answer  should 
we  return  ?  " 

"You  can  say  that  you  should  like  to  find  more  on  the  same  terms, 
and  refer  inquirers  to  me  for  further  particulars." 

"  But  shall  you  say  nothing  about  the  discovery  when  you  reach  the 
city  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  To  be  sure  I  shall.  I  intend  to  mention  in  my  report  that  I  found 
a  large  quantity  of  stolen  goods,  and  present  a  schedule  of  the  same." 

"  And  the  gold  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  The  gold !  why,  I  have  lived  too  long  in  Australia  to  think  of  giving 
up  my  lawful  prize-money,  and  if  I  did  I  should  be  dismissed  from  the 
police  force  as  not  worthy  of  a  command.  Follow  my  example  and 
pocket  all  that  you  can  get,  and  say  nothing  to  any  one,  or  you  will  be 
laughed  at  for  your  weakness." 

The  argument  of  the  officer  was  not  convincing  as  far  as  the  honesty 
of  the  transaction  was  concerned ;  but  when  I  saw  the  men  empty  their 
share  of  the  dust  into  pouches  which  they  wore  around  their  necks,  I 
confess  the  desire  to  do  likewise  was  overpowering,  and  Fred  and  my- 
self received  our  thirds  of  the  gold,  valued  at  two  thousand  dollars, 
without  farther  argument,  or,  indeed,  caring  particularly  whether  we 
were  doing  right  or  wrong. 


A  GOLD  HUNTKE'S  ADVENTURES.  107 

CHAPTER    XV. 

DYING  CONFESSION  OF  JIM  GTJLPIN,  THE  ROBBER. 

"  IF  you  please,  sir,  Jim  Gulpin  is  dying,  I  think,  and  wishes  to  speak 
to  you,"  said  one  of  the  policemen,  with  a  military  salute. 

I  found  Jim  breathing  with  extreme  difficulty,  and  already  the  moist- 
ure of  death  was  on  his  brow.  His  eyes  were  set,  and  presented  the 
peculiar  appearance  characteristic  of  a  sudden  demise. 

A  cloud  of  insects  was  hovering  around  the  poor  fellow's  head,  and 
many  of  them  had  alighted  upon  his  face,  and  were  sucking  his  blood 
as  eagerly  as  though  they  knew  they  must  improve  their  time.  Gulpin 
was  too  weak,  or  else  unconscious  of  their  stings,  to  make  an  effort  to 
drive  them  from  their  feast ;  and  as  for  the  police,  they  were  too  busy 
in  dividing  the  gold  found  in  the  secret  cellar  to  pay  any  attention  to 
the  dying  robber. 

I  sent  one  of  the  men  for  a  pail  of  fresh  water  from  the  spring  near 
the  house,  and  the  only  place  where  water  could  be  had  within  a  circle 
of  twenty  miles,  and  then  with  a  wet  towel  I  bathed  the  dying  man's 
face,  and  wet  his  parched  lips.  He  appeared  revived,  and  grateful  for 
the  attention  which  I  bestowed  upon  him,  and  murmured  some  words, 
the  meaning  of  which  I  did  not  comprehend.  I  thought  his  mind  wan- 
dered, and  remained  seated  by  his  side,  fanning  his  heated  face,  and 
listening  to  his  respiration,  which  appeared  to  become  more  difficult  at 
every  breath. 

All  at  once  the  robber  chief  roused  himself  from  his  lethargic  state, 
and  carefully  scanned  my  face  with  his  lack-lustre  eyes.  I  met  his  gaze 
without  flinching,  and  perhaps  the  bushranger  read  pity  in  my  looks, 
for  he  merely  uttered  a  sigh,  and  I  heard  him  moan. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  hoarsely  whispered,  extending  his  hand,  "  I  have 
been  harshly  used  during  my  life,  and  what  I  am  the  laws  of  England 
have  made  me.  Once  I  was  honest,  and  free  from  sin  as  a  child,  but 
an  unjust  accusation  and  an  unjust  conviction  made  me  a  bandit.  The 
laws  warred  against  me,  and  I  turned  on  them  and  have  vented  my 
spite  against  not  only  those  who  framed  the  laws,  but  every  body  who 
lived  under  them." 

He  paused  for  a  moment,  and  I  again  moistened  his  mouth  with  the 
wine  and  water.  It  revived  him,  and  he  continued,  although  in  a  sub- 
dued tone,  — 

"  I  will  tell  you  why  I  feel  this  bitter  hatred  for  my  enemies,  and  then 
you  can  judge  whether  I  am  entirely  in  the  wrong.  Raise  my  head 
slightly,  for  I  feel  that  I  am  sinking  fast." 

I  propped  his  back  against  some  spare  blankets,  and  heard  the  bush- 
ranger's story.  I  thought  he  told  me  the  truth  at  the  time,  and  a  few 
subsequent  inquiries  convinced  me  that  such  was  the  fact. 

"  I  was  born  in  the  west  of  England,"  Gulpin  began,  "  and  although 
you  may  doubt  my  story  when  I  tell  you  that  my  family  is  rich  and  hon- 
ored, and  the  only  blot  upon  the  name  was  when  I  was  accused  of 


108  LIFE    IN   AUSTKALIA,   OR 

crime,  yet  such  is  the  fact.  I  am  the  youngest  of  three  sons.  My 
brothers  are  in  the  army,  and  hold  commissions,  and  are  no  douht,  by 
this  time,  if  alive,  high  in  rank  and  power.  My  wish  was  to  enter  the 
army  also,  but  my  father  thought  he  could  not  afford  to  purchase  me  a 
commission,  and  he  had  exhausted  his  favor  with  the  ministry  in  pro- 
viding for  his  eldest  sons.  'Accordingly  I  was  sent  to  a  banking  house 
in  London,  with  which  my  father  had  correspondence,  and  was  ad- 
mitted as  a  clerk. 

"  I  knew  that  the  business  was  unsuited  for  one  of  my  restless  dis- 
position, and  I  should  have  left  and  sought  my  fortune  in  other  parts  of 
the  world  without  a  parent's  sanction,  had  I  not  been  bound  to  my  place 
with  chains  stronger  than  iron,  and  with  all  my  firmness  I  could  not 
break  them." 

The  robber  paused  for  a  moment,  and  while  I  wiped  the  moisture 
from  his  brow  I  thought  a  tear  fell  upon  the  cloth.  He  soon  recovered 
his  voice,  however,  and  continued :  — 

"  Owing  to  the  position  in  which  my  father  moved  in  society,  I  was 

treated  by  my  employers,  the  eminent  bankers,  B &  Brothers,  with 

considerable  favor ;  and  was  often  invited  to  the  house  of  the  senior 

member  of  the  firm.  Mr.  B was  a  widower,  but  had  an  only 

child  who  presided  over  his  palace,  situated  away  from  the  noise  and 
confusion  of  London,  at  the  West  End. 

"  Miss  Julia  B was  just  one  year  younger  than  myself ;  and  both 

of  us  being  motherless  was  in  a  measure  the  reason  why  we  so  soon 
became  on  intimate  terms.  I  know  not  how  it  happened,  but  I  had 
not  seen  the  lady  more  than  twice  before  I  felt  that  if  I  could  not  pos- 
sess her,  I  did  not  care  to  live.  Her  father,  who  was  subject  to  attacks 
of  the  gout,  which  frequently  confined  him  to  the  house  for  weeks,  often 
desired  my  presence  to  receive  his  instructions,  and  I  never  left  his 
apartment  without  trying  to  see  the  object  of  my  passion. 

"  You  smile,"  the  robber  continued,  as  he  caught  my  glance  at  his 
bearded  face,  blackened  skin,  and  hard  hands.  "  I  was  not  always  as 
I  am  now,  and  once  would  hardly  let  the  sun  touch  my  cheek,  for  fear 
it  should  mar  its  whiteness.  Many  years  have  passed  since  then." 

The  bushranger  paused  and  remained  silent  for  such  a  length  of  time 
that  I  feared  his  spirit  was  passing  away ;  but  after  a  while  he  rallied, 
and  continue'd :  — 

"  I  will  not  tell  how  I  contrived,  by  one  pretext  and  another,  to  get 
speech  with  Julia,  and  how  rejoiced  I  felt  to  see  that  my  arrival  was 
hailed  with  real  satisfaction  by  the  fair  girl ;  nor  need  I  tell  how  we  had 
stolen  interviews,  and  exchanged  vows,  and  swore  to  be  true  to  each 

other,  until  one  day  we  were  surprised  by  Mr.  B ,"  who,  pale  with 

rage  and  indignation,  ordered  me  from  the  house,  and  his  daughter  to 
her  room. 

"  I  left  his  presence  without  a  word,  and  for  two  days  I  did  not  go 
near  the  banking  house ;  but  when  I  did,  I  was  ordered  to  the  presence 
of  the  man  who  of  all  others  I  dreaded  most  to  see. 

"  For  three  years  I  have  roamed  the  plains  of  Australia,  and  dared 
death  in  a  hundred  different  ways,  but  I  never  felt  so  timid  as  when  I 
was  called  before  that  weak,  old  man,  whom  I  could  have  struck  sense- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  109 

less  with  a  blow,  and  crushed  as  easily  as  I  and  my  gang  have  crushed 
an  escort  with  gold  dust  under  their  charge. 

"  I  was  received  with  a  lowering  brow,  and  an  expression  that  boded 
me  no  good,  and  I  nerved  myself  for  harsh  words  and  reproaches,  de- 
termined, let  him  say  what  he  pleased,  I  would  not  lose  my  temper. 

" '  I  need  not  refer,'  Mr.  B said,   '  to  the  base  ingratitude  of 

which  you  have  been  guilty  in  seeking  to  compromise  my  daughter's 
honor  and  happiness.  I  do  not  wish  to  upbraid  you  ;  and  to  give  you 
an  opportunity  of  showing  that  I  can  forgive  an  indiscretion,  I  offer 
you  an  honorable  position  in  our  house  at  St.  Domingo ;  the  junior 
manager  has  vacated  his  situation,  and  we  have  concluded  to  give  the 
berth  to  you,  knowing  that  a  few  months  will  cure  you  of  the  foolish 
passion  which  you  now  profess,  and  that  a  few  years'  time  will  place 
you  at  the  head  of  the  house,  and  at  your  disposal  a  handsome  fortune.' 

" '  Then  there  is  no  hope  of  my  seeing  Miss  Julia  once  more  ? '  I 
faltered. 

"  '  Foolish  boy,  read  that  article  and  see,'  the  banker  said,  tossing  a 
copy  of  the  Times  towards  me. 

"  I  read,  and  my  brain  grew  wild  while  I  read.  I  felt  the  hot  blood 
tingling  in  every  vein,  and  boiling  as  though  it  would  burst  its  bounds, 
and  all  the  time  that  the  paper  was  trembling  in  my  hands  —  they 
shook  as  though  I  was  under  a  fit  of  ague  —  I  knew  that  the  banker 
was  scrutinizing  every  gesture  with  his  calm,  cold  eyes,  calculating  the 
effect  which  it  would  have  upon  my  love. 

"  '  You  do  not  read,'  he  said,  at  length,  reaching  out  his  hand  to  take 
the  paper. 

"  He  spoke  the  truth,  for,  although  I  had  glanced  over  the  Times,  I 
did  not  exactly  comprehend  the  meaning,  and  I  was  staring  at  the 
banker,  with  his  cold  eyes,  as  though  I  read  in  them  triumph  at  my 
confusion. 

"  I  mechanically  handed  him  the  paper,  when  he  adjusted  his  specta- 
cles with  his  usual  precision,  and  in  a  calm  voice  read,  — 

"  '  We  understand  that  the  Hon.  Fitzroy  Summerset  Howard,  second 
son  of  the  Earl  of  Paisley,  is  soon  to  be  united  in  marriage  with  tho 

only  child  of  the  rich  banker,  Mr.  B .     A  fortune  of  one  hundred 

thousand  pounds  is  to  be  her  dowry.' 

"  '  That  latter  clause  is  the  bait  that  attracted  you,  no  doubt,'  the 
banker  said,  with  a  sneer ;  '  but  luckily  your  project  is  defeated.' 

"  '  I  solemnly  swear,'  I  exclaimed,  with  sudden  energy,  '  that  I  love 
Miss  Julia  dearly  —  better  than  all  the  world,  and  that  if  you  will  allow 
me  two  years'  time  to  win  her,  you  may  keep  your  fortune,  and  bestow 
it  upon  whom  you  please.' 

"  '  Pshaw ! '  he  said,  with  an  expression  of  contempt ;  '  I  but  waste 
words  with  you.  In  one  week  my  daughter  weds,  and  to  benefit  you, 
and  rid  her  of  an  annoyance,  I  have  offered  you  a  position  at  St.  Do- 
mingo ;  will  you  accept  it  or  not  ?  ' 

"  '  And  fall  a  victim  to  the  yellow  fever  in  a  month  after  my  arrival,' 
I  said,  with  a  taunting  smile,  for  I  felt  the  devil  rising  within  me,  and  I 
did  not  care  to  suppress  it. 

"  '  Perhaps,'  was  the  laconic  answer  ;  and  the  cold  eyes  gleamed  like 
those  of  a  basilisk. 

10 


110  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

•* '  Then  hear  me,  and  know  that  I  too  have  firmness.  Your  daugh- 
ter and  myself  have  pledged  our  mutual  faith  —  we  have  exchanged 
vows  which  soar  above  your  money  bags,  and  as  long  as  I  possess  my 
reason,  my  liberty,  and  health,  so  long  will  I  endeavor  to  see  the  lady, 
and  hold  her  to  her  word.' 

"  I  turned  to  leave  the  room,  but  the  banker  recalled  me  with  a 
word. 

" '  Is  that  your  firm  resolution  ? '  he  asked,  with  as  much  unconcern 
as  he  could  assume. 

"  '  It  is,'  I  answered. 

"  '  Then  I  must  try  other  means,'  he  said ;  and  as  he  spoke,  ho 
touched  a  bell.  . 

"  A  door  leading  to  the  outer  office  was  instantly  opened,  and  a  clerk 
made  his  appearance. 

"  '  Is  the  officer  still  in  attendance  ? '  asked  Mr.  B . 

" '  Yes,  sir.' 

"  '  Let  him  enter.' 

"  I  did  not  suspect  any  thing  unusual,  and  was  about  to  pass  out  of 
the  room,  when  I  found  myself  in  the  embrace  of  a  police  officer,  and 
before  my  surprise  was  over,  a  pair  of  handcuffs  was  slipped  over  my 
wrists,  and  I  was  a  prisoner. 

"  '  What  is  the  meaning  of  this,  sir  ? '  I  demanded,  indignantly. 

"  '  Be  quiet,'  the  man  said ;  '  it's  only  for  a  bit  of  forgery.' 

"  '  Forgery ! '  I  gasped,  astonished  beyond  belief. 

"  '  Take  him  away,  officer,'  the  banker  said ;  '  he  has  confessed  every 
thing  to  me,  and  made  restitution  of  a  portion  of  the  money,  but  an 
example  must  be  made.  Forgery  is  too  common,  nowadays,  to  go 
unpunished.' 

"  The  police  officer  almost  carried  me  from  the  room,  I  was  so  over- 
powered by  the  unexpected,  cruel,  and  unjust  accusation  ;  and  as  I  stag- 
gered from  the  banker's  presence,  I  saw  the  smile  which  I  had  re- 
marked more  than  once  upon  his  features  during  our  interview,  change 
to  one  of  satisfaction,  as  though  he  now  saw  his  way  clear,  regarding 
his  daughter's  marriage." 

The  outlaw  paused  for  a  few  minutes,  closed  his  eyes,  and  breathed 
hard,  as  though  trying  to  suppress  his  emotion ;  but  in  spite  of  his  firm- 
ness, I  saw  tears  trickle  down  his  haggard  cheeks,  as  though  the  revival 
of  his  ill  usage  was  too  much  for  even  his  rugged  nature  to  bear.  At 
length,  he  opened  his  shirt  collar,  and  exposed  a  gold  cross,  of  rare 
workmanship,  upon  his  bosom,  and  confined  around  his  neck  by  a  gold 
chain. 

"  This  cross,"  he  said,  raising  it  to  his  lips,  "  was  presented  to  me  by 
the  only  woman  I  ever  loved.  I  need  not  tell  you  that  her  name  was 
Julia,  and  that  through  all  the  changes  which  I  have  passed,  I  have  re- 
tained possession  of  it.  See,  I  press  my  lips  to  it,  and  solemnly  swear 
that  I  never  committed  forgery  in  my  life,  and  that  I  was  innocent  of 
crime  until  after  I  was  transported.  I  have  but  a  short  time  to  live, 
and  do  you  think  I  would  commit  perjury  upon  the  brink  of  the  grave  ? 
Do  you  believe  me  ?  "  he  asked,  earnestly. 

"  Most  sincerely  I  do,"  I  answered,  for  I  saw  that  the  dying  bush- 
ranger was  in  earnest. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  Ill 

"  Then  I  am  satisfied  that  I  can  trust  you,  and  will  continue  my 
story.  I  was  taken  to  prison,  and  confined  in  a  dungeon,  as  a  forger. 
I  asked  the  amount  of  money  which  I  stood  charged  with  obtaining, 
and  the  turnkey  laughed  in  my  face,  and  told  me  that  I  ought  to  know 
better  than  he  the  sum  of  my  villany. 

"  By  a  liberal  expenditure  of  my  scanty  funds,  I  was  enabled  to  send 
a  letter  to  my  father,  informing  him  of  the  circumstances  of  my  arrest, 
and  vowing  my  innocence.  I  received  a  reply,  that  I  had  disgraced  his 
name,  and  that  he  never  desired  to  see  me  again. 

"  I  sank  under  the  blow,  and  for  hours  I  lay  senseless ;  but  at  length 
I  rallied,  when  a  letter  was  placed  in  my  hands.  It  was  in  the  hand- 
writing of  Julia,  and  with  eager  haste  I  broke  the  seal,  and  scanned  its 
contents.  It  was  but  another  species  of  torture,  but  more  pointed  than 
the  accusation  of  crime. 

"  Her  letter  was  worded  coldly,  and  contained  expressions  which  I 
little  thought  she  would  ever  use  to  me.  She  believed  me  guilty  of  the 
crime  with  which  I  stood  charged,  considered  that  I  had  taken  an  un- 
fair advantage  of  her  father's  kindness,  and  concluded  with  a  hope, 
that  if  I  lived  to  serve  out  my  sentence,  I  would  always  remain  in 
exile,  and  never  distress  my  family  with  my  presence. 

"  Twice  did  I  read  that  short,  heartless  letter,  before  I  fully  compre- 
hended its  meaning  ;  and  when  I  realized  that  I  was  discarded,  believed 
guilty,  I  sat  down,  and  bowed  my  head  upon  my  breast,  and  shed  tears 
of  agony.  I  cared  no  longer  to  live,  and  almost  wished  that  forgery 
was,  as  formerly,  punished  with  death. 

"  During  my  grief,  I  was  summoned  to  the  court,  placed  in  the  pris- 
oners' dock,  and  heard,  for  the  first  time,  that  I  was  charged  with 

forging  Mr.  B 's  name  to  a  draft  for  a  thousand  pounds,  and  that  I 

had  confessed  the  crime,  and  made  restitution  of  most  of  the  money 
which  I  had  obtained,  and  that  on  that  account  I  was  entitled  to  mercy, 
and  that  the  liberal,  patriotic  banker  would  have  spared  me,  if  he  had 
thought  I  would  have  sinned  no  more. 

"  I  was  like  one  in  a  dream  all  the  time  that  I  was  in  the  court  room. 
I  was  asked  by  the  judge,  in  a  severe  tone  of  voice,  if  I  wished  coun- 
sel, and  mechanically  I  answered  in  the  affirmative  ;  and  after  I  had  con- 
sulted a  moment  with  him,  I  recollected  no  more,  until  I  was  led  from 
the  room,  and  told  that  I  was  transported  for  ten  years. 

"  The  next  day  I  was  sent  to  Liverpool,  in  company  with  house- 
breakers, thieves,  and  men  accused  of  all  crimes,  and  from  thence  I 
was  taken  on  board  of  a  ship  loaded  with  felons,  and  bound  for  Aus- 
tralia. Even  after  I  was  safely  chained  between  the  decks  of  the  ves- 
sel, I  did  not  escape  the  vengeance  of  the  man  whose  daughter  I  had 
dared  to  love.  A  newspaper  was  thrust  into  my  hand  by  some  person, 
who  directed  me  to  read,  and  then  disappeared.  My  worst  fears  were 
realized  —  Julia  had  become  the  wife  of  the  earl's  son  on  the  same  day 
that  I  was  condemned. 

"  I  tore  the  paper  into  ten  thousand  pieces,  and  then  vowed,  that  as  I 
was  with  criminals,  and  classed  as  such,  I  would  show  a  felon's  spirit. 
I  no  longer  was  meek  and  dejected.  I  became  a  leader,  and  planned 
for  the  capture  of  the  ship,  and  should  have  succeeded,  had  not  a 
treacherous  hound  betrayed  us  to  punishment. 


112  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  But  I  was  not  discouraged  by  my  failure,  and  when  I  was  beaten 
for  my  rebellious  spirit,  I  had  satisfaction,  for  one  dark  night  I  drove  a 
knife  to  the  captain's  heart,  and  laughed  to  think  I  remained  unde- 
tected. 

"  You  shudder,"  the  robber  said,  when  he  saw  that  I  shrank  from  his 
side  at  this  avowal.  "  I  grant  that  the  deed  was  wicked  and  cruel ;  but 
I  had  been  trampled  upon  as  a  man,  betrayed  and  condemned,  and  my 
feelings  underwent  such  a  change  that  I  was  no  longer  human. 

"After  a  long  and  dreary  passage,  the  ship  arrived  at  Hobson's  Ray, 
and  we  were  landed.  My  reputation  was  too  bad  to  be  allowed  to  serve 
outside  of  the  hulks,  and  accordingly,  day  after  day,  I  dragged  my  chain 
and  ball,  attached  to  my  right  foot,  after  me,  and  performed  labor  that 
caused  many  of  my  fellow-prisoners  to  sink  by  my  side  and  expire, 
while  others  would  fall  to  the  ground,  and  be  lashed  by  the  whips  of  , 
our  taskmasters  into  renewed  activity. 

"  One  hope  alone  kept  me  alive  —  the  expectation  of  an  escape.  I 
planned,  and  sought  to  carry  them  out,  but  the  vigilance  of  my  keepers 
frustrated  my  intentions,  and  it  was  not  until  the  gold  mines  were  dis- 
covered that  I  found  an  opportunity.  Many  of  our  overseers  then  left 
the  employ  of  government,  and  flocked  to  the  mines.  Of  course,  more 
men  were  engaged,  but  they  were  too  green  in  the  service  to  understand 
all  of  the  tricks  which  prisoners  resorted  to  to  blind  their  eyes. 

"  One  dark  night,  a  convict  about  my  own  age,  and  myself,  resolved 
to  make  an  attempt  at  escape.  Our  chains  were  filed  off,  and  knives 
placed  in  our  hands  by  men- outside  of  the  prison  walls ;  these  we  had 
kept  secreted  for  many  weeks,  in  hope  of  finding  a  use  for  them,  and 
when  we  heard  the  rain  dash  against  the  roof,  we  resolved  that  the  hour 
had  arrived  for  an  attempt  for  freedom. 

"  Most  of  the  sentries  were  under  shelter,  when  we  crossed  the  court 
yard,  with  steps  like  those  of  a  cat,  and  stood  before  the  astonished 
turnkey,  who  kept  watch  upon  the  inner  gate.  Before  he  had  time  to 
raise  an  alarm,  we  struck,  and  he  fell  without  a  groan.  We  hastily  tore 
the  clothes  from  his  body,  and  I  dressed  myself  in  them,  casting  away 
the  prison  suit  which  I  wore,  and  then  with  the  key  of  the  massive  gate, 
I  unlocked  it,  and  continued  on  to  the  outer  lodge,  where  I  knew  we 
should  meet  with  another  keeper. 

"  The  latter  was  busily  engaged  in  writing  when  we  entered,  and  did 
not  notice  but  that  we  were  servants  of  the  prison.  He  never  probably 
knew  what  killed  him,  for  he  fell " 

"  Good  God !  "  I  exclaimed  with  horror,  "  did  you  assassinate  him, 
also?" 

"  How  could  we  have  escaped  unless  we  did  ?  By  the  keeper's  side 
was  a  bell  rope,  a  touch  of  which  would  have  brought  a  dozen  soldiers 
upon  us,  and  then  death  would  have  been  certain.  We  had  been  pris- 
oners too  long  to  scruple  at  murder  when  our  safety  was  involved. 

"  My  fellow  convict  removed  the  man's  clothes,  even  before  the  breath 
had  left  his  body ;  and  while  he  was  dressing  himself,  I  glanced  my  eye 
over  the  letter  which  the  keeper  had  been  writing.  I  saw,  to  my  aston- 
ishment, that  it  was  addressed  to  Mr.  B ,  the  banker,  and  that  an 

account  of  my  health,  my  work,  and  rebellious  disposition,  were  set 
forth,  and  a  hope  was  manifested  that  I  should  break  down  under  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  113 

severe  discipline  of  the  hulks,  and  that  if  I  did  not,  other  employment 
would  be  found  in  a  few  weeks,  which  would  surely  end  my  days.  A 
donation  of  twenty-five  pounds  was  acknowledged,  and  thanks  were 
returned  for  the  same. 

"  I  ground  my  teeth  with  rage,  and  then  added  a  line  in  the  letter,  to 
let  the  villain  know  that  I  still  lived,  and  hoped  to  get  square  with  him 
before  I  died. 

"  Time  was  too  precious,  however,  to  waste  it  there.  Every  moment 
was  worth  an  hour  to  us,  for  we  were  liable  to  be  interrupted ;  and  if 
seen  at  large  the  whole  city  would  have  been  aroused,  and  capture 
inevitable. 

"The  huge  key  that  unlocked  the  outer  gate  was  hanging  on  its 
accustomed  peg,  and  to  take  possession  of  it,  and  emerge  into  the  street, 
was  but  a  moment's  work ;  and  then  to  give  our  oppressors  all  the 
trouble  possible,  we  locked  the  gate,  and  hurled  the  key  into  the  river, 
which  ran  hard  by. 

"  The  night  was  pitch  dark,  and,  as  I  said  before,  the  rain  poured 
down  in  torrents,  for  winter  had  set  in  with  uncommon  severity.  The 
streets  were  without  light,  and  the  gutters  were  like  small  rivers ;  but 
by  the  latter  we  were  enabled  to  find  our  way.  You  are  aware  that 
Melbourne  is  partly  built  on  a  hill,  so  by  following  the  course  of  the 
water,  as  it  rushed  towards  the  bay,  we  gained  the  outskirts  of  the  city, 
and  struck  across  the  broad  fields,  and  toiled  on  through  the  long  night, 
and  when  daylight  came,  no  sign  of  house  or  inhabitants  was  to  be 
seen. 

"That  day  we  rested  for  a  few  hours,  and  continued  our  journey 
towards  night,  hardly  knowing  where  we  were  wandering  to,  almost 
famished  with  hunger,  and  dead  with  fatigue. 

"  I  have  not  breath  to  tell  you  all  that  we  suffered  while  getting 
towards  the  bushranging  haunts ;  our  days  of  hunger  and  wretchedness 

—  our  adventures  with  the  natives,  and  their  attempts  to  kill  us  —  the 
desperate  risks  which  we  ran  of  being  captured  and  taken  back  to  prison 

—  and  last  of  all,  our  reaching  this  hut,  which  is  to  be  the  scene  of  my 
death. 

"  Here  is  where  I  first  met  Bimbo ;  and  as  he  is  already  a  prisoner, 
there  can  be  no  harm  in  my  telling  you  that  he  provided  for  our  wants, 
kept  us  in  his  secret  cellar  over  a  week,  until  we  were  fully  recruited, 
and  able  to  grasp  a  musket,  and  then  introduced  us  to  Black  Darnley, 
as  possessing  spirit  enough  to  belong  to  even  his  gang. 

"  By  him  we  were  accepted ;  but  after  I  had  served  in  the  ranks  a 
short  time,  I  raised  a  band  of  my  own,  and  have  pillaged  and  murdered 
to  my  heart's  content." 

The  robber  ceased  speaking,  and  a  spasm  passed  through  his  frame, 
that  I  thought  would  result  fatally ;  but  a  drink  of  wine  restored  him, 
and  he  again  spoke,  but  in  a  voice  not  above  a  whisper. 

"  I  have  a  commission  which  I  wish  you  to  take  care  of,"  the  bush- 
ranger said,  scanning  my  face  to  see  what  effect  his  words  would  have 
upon  me  ;  "  can  I  trust  you  to  take  charge  of  it  ?  " 

I  promised  faithfully  to  fulfil  his  wishes,  no  matter  what  he  required 
of  me. 

"  This  cross,"  he  said,  touching  it  to  his  lips,  and  uttering  a  sigh  as 

10* 


114  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

he  did  so,  that  came  from  the  heart,  "  I  promised  to  send  to  Julia,  only 
when  death  overpowered  me.  Will  you  take  it  to  her,  and  say  that  the 
wearer  has  gone  to  another  world,  where  treachery  and  crime  do  not 
exist,  and  where  I  hope  to  meet  her  and  her  father,  and  then  disprove 
the  unjust  accusation  that  was  brought  against  me  ?  " 

I  promised  to  obey  his  wishes,  and  a  look  of  gratitude  stole  over  his 
dark  face. 

"  My  name,"  he  whispered,  "  is  engraved  upon  the  jewel ;  do  not 
give  it  to  the  world,  but  know  me  as  Jim  Gulpin,  the  robber.  I  do  not 
wish  to  disgrace  my  father's  name,  even  if  I  have  been  unjustly  accused 
by  him." 

I  also  promised  compliance  with  this  request,  and  asked  if  there  was 
any  other  matter  which  he  wished  to  confide  to  me. 

"  You  know  where  the  hut  of  Darnley  stood  in  the  black  woods  which 
you  visited  ?  "  the  robber  whispered,  with  a  painful  effort. 

I  replied  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Near  the  hut  I  buried  all  my  ill-gotten  gains,  and  there  they  remain 
yet ;  to  you  I  bequeath  them,  to  do  as  you  see  fit.  There  are  thousands 
of  pounds'  worth  of  gold  dust  there,  besides  jewels  of  value.  After 
searching  the  hut,  walk  in  a  south " 

The  robber's  voice  failed  him  ;  he  made  painful  efforts  to  recover  his 
breath,  and  during  the  struggle  his  eyes  rolled  fearfully  in  their  sockets, 
and  his  hands  clutched  the  earth  convulsively.  I  feared  that  he  would 
die  without  revealing  the  hiding-place  of  his  hoard,  and  impressed  with 
this  idea,  I  dashed  a  pot  of  cold  water  in  his  face,  and  poured  more 
wine  down  his  throat. 

"Thanks,"  he  gasped,  "I'm  —  going  —  farewell  —  ten  paces  —  in  a 
south " 

There  was  a  gurgle  in  the  bushranger's  throat,  a  convulsive  move- 
ment of  his  limbs,  and  then  all  was  quiet,  and  the  spirit  of  the  outlaw 
chief  had  taken  flight  to  a  better  world. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

A  FORCED  MARCH  TOWARDS  MELBOURNE. 

I  REMOVED  the  cross  from  the  neck  of  the  dead  robber,  placed  it 
around  my  own,  and  reported  his  death  to  Murden. 

"  Dead,  is  he  ?  "  repeated  the  officer,  carelessly ;  "  did  he  make  any 
confession  ?  " 

"  He  spoke  about  an  unjust  sentence,"  I  replied,  "  that  is  all  of  any 
importance,  excepting  a  history  which  he  confided  to  me ;  it  would  be 
uninteresting  to  you,  however." 

"Ah,  I  dare  say,"  answered  Murden,  languidly;  "but  to  tell  you  the 
truth,  the  man  always  passed  for  a  person  of  good  birth,  even  at  the 
hulks ;  and  there  was  some  romance  connected  with  his  sentence,  but 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  115 

what  it  was,  I  have  forgotten.  Old  Pete,  however,  the  same  whom  Gul- 
pin  murdered  when  he  made  his  escape,  used  to  receive  money  from 
some  source  or  other,  for  keeping  them  posted  concerning  his  health 
and  habits,  but  the  old  fellow  was  a  sly  dog,  and  never  divulged 
secrets." 

"  If  a  portion  of  his  story  is  correct,  why  not  the  whole  ?  "  I  asked 
myself,  as  I  thought  of  the  hidden  treasure,  buried  somewhere  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  last  resting  place  of  Darnley. 

The  more  I  pondered  over  the  subject,  the  more  firmly  I  became  con- 
vinced that  Gulpiti  meant  honestly  by  me,  when  he  said  that  thousands 
of  dollars'  worth  of  gold  dust,  taken  from  people  returning  from  the 
mines,  was  deposited  in  the  earth  for  safe  keeping,  and  perhaps  with  a 
hope  that  some  day  it  might  be  removed,  when  its  owner  was  ready  to 
flee  the  country. 

llesolving  to  consult  with  Fred,  as  soon  as  I  could  do  so  without 
exciting  suspicion,  I  left  the  lieutenant  and  Fred  talking  together,  while 
I  went  in  search  of  a  proper  place  to  bury  the  dead  bushranger. 

I  had  been  employed  but  a  few  minutes,  when  Smith  joined  me,  and 
in  spite  of  my  remonstrance,  relieved  me  of  the  work  which  I  was 
performing. 

I  did  not  think  it  necessary  to  tell  him,  at  that  time,  of  the  confession 
of  Gulpin,  although  I  knew  very  well  that  his  assistance  would  be  ne- 
cessary when  we  commenced  our  search  for  the  gold. 

In  spite  of  the  intense  heat,  Smith  soon  had  a  grave  large  enough  to 
admit  the  body  of  the  bushranger,  and  then  we  returned  to  the  hut,  and 
got  Murden  to  allow  three  or  four  of  his  men  to  carry  the  body  to  the 
spot. 

Fred,  Smith,  and  myself  followed  the  procession,  and  consigned  the 
body  to  the  earth,  without  a  word  being  spoken.  It  was  a  solemn  mo- 
ment, and  as  I  heard  the  dirt  fall  upon  the  corpse,  my  thoughts  wan- 
dered to  the  proud  lady,  and  the  stern  father  through  whose  instrumen- 
tality the  lover  and  son  became  a  leader  of  bandits,  and  died  a  violent 
death,  while  setting  at  defiance  the  laws  of  his  country. 

Fred  and  myself  lingered  behind,  and  suffered  the  rest  of  the  party 
to  reach  the  hut  in  advance  of  us ;  and  while  we  sauntered  leisurely 
along,  I  confided  to  him  the  confession  of  Gulpin,  and  asked  his  opinion 
regarding  the  means  to  be  employed  to  discover  the  dust. 

"  I  think  the  man  was  honest,"  Fred  said,  after  a  pause,  "  when  he 
made  the  confession ;  in  fact,  the  gang  must  have  gold  dust  buried 
somewhere,  for  it  is  notorious  that  two  escorts  have  been  plundered  by 
bushrangers  within  three  months.  The  robbers  have  not  been  able  to 
go  into  town  to  squander  their  money ;  they  buy  nothing,  because  they 
take  every  thing  by  force,  and  therefore  it  is  very  evident  to  me  that 
the  treasure  which  they  have  stolen  must  be  in  the  ground ;  but  the 
question  is,  to  find  the  spot." 

I  repeated  the  last  words  the  robber  had  uttered, — 

"Ten  paces  in  a  south " 

"  He  may  have  meant  south-east,  south-west,  or  even  south ;  there 
are  a  dozen  points  of  the  compass  governed  by  south,  and  the  only  way 
we  can  solve  the  mystery  is  to  visit  the  spot,  and  trust  to  our  tact  in 
finding  earth  recently  disturbed.  If  there  is  money  within  the  radius 


116  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

of  ten  paces  from  that  hut,  we'll  find  it,  unless  some  one  gets  there, 
before  us." 

"  And  Smith,"  I  asked,  "  we  shall  want  his  services." 

"  Of  course,  and  a  better  man  we  could  not  have  to  accompany  us. 
His  team  will  not  only  carry  all  the  tools  that  we  shall  need  to  work 
with,  but  provisions  sufficient  to  last  us  a  month,  if  we  think  it  will  pay 
to  spend"  that  length  of  time  in  the  search.  We  must  have  Smith  as  a 
companion,  by  all  means." 

"  Let  us  promise  him  a  share,  if  successful,  and  if  we  fail,  nothing," 
I  said ;  "  he  is  too  stout  a  friend  to  be  offended,  and  his  knowledge  of 
the  country  can  be  turned  to  a  profitable  account." 

"  We  must  hurry  Murden,"  Fred  remarked,  "  and  get  him  to  use 
more  expedition,  or  we  shall  not  reach  the  city  for  a  week.  Time  is 
precious  to  us,  until  we  find  the  buried  treasure." 

"  But,  remember,"  I  whispered,  as  Murden  came  out  of  the  hut  to 
meet  us,  "  do  not  lisp  a  word  of  this  to  him." 

"  You  appear  earnest,  gentlemen,"  said  Murden,  as  he  joined  us ; 
"  pray,  what  perplexes  your  minds  now  ?  " 

"  We  were  conversing  on  the  subject  of  making  a  forced  march  to 
Melbourne,"  Fred  replied,  gravely. 

"And  why  need  that  trouble  you?"  the  officer  inquired. 

"  It  does  not  trouble  us  much,  but  we  were  discussing  the  probability 
of  losing  our  prisoners  before  reaching  the  city,  in  case  the  various 
bands  of  bushrangers  in  this  part  of  the  country  should  concentrate 
their  forces,  and  make  a  sudden  onslaught.  We  do  not  number  many 
fighting  men,  for  remember  that  Haskill's  skull  is  cracked,  and  he  can  do 
nothing  but  hold  it  with  both  hands  and  groan.  The  man  is  threatened 
with  a  brain  fever,  and  should  be  in  a  hospital,  instead  of  on  the  plains." 

Murden  cast  his  eye  over  his  men,  who  were  cooking  their  suppers, 
it  being  near  sundown,  and  was  apparently  debating  in  hi«  mind  the 
force  of  our  words.  He  knew  that  we  were  no  cowards,  for  we  had 
given  him  proof  of  our  fighting  qualities ;  and  not  understanding  the 
secret  motive  which  actuated  us  in  pressing  for  a  speedy  march  to  Mel- 
bourne, began  to  think  that  there  might  possibly  be  reason  in  what  we 
said. 

"  I  hardly  think  the  robbers  would  dare  to  attack  us,"  Murden  said, 
at  length  ;  "  the  scamps  know  that  my  bullies  can  fight  when  roused." 

"  But  you  do  not  look  at  things  in  their  true  light,"  Fred  said. 
"  Your  present  expedition  is  the  first  one  that  has  ever  been  able  to 
cope  with  the  lawless  scoundrels ;  and  you  can  readily  comprehend  how 
the  bushrangers  will  feel  when  they  know  that  two  of  their  most  for- 
midable bands  have  been  broken  up,  and  by  only  a  dozen  men.  In 
Melbourne,  one  dauntless  escaped  convict  is  considered  more  than  a 
match  for  four  policemen,  because  the  former  fights  with  a  halter  around 
his  neck,  and  unless  he  conquers,  death  is  certain.  Be  assured  that  the 
gangs  in  the  vicinity  understand  the  advantage  of  having  a  terrible 
name,  and  that  before  we  reach  the  city  they  will  seek  to  retrieve  it.  I 
should  not  be  surprised  if  even  now  our  trail  was  followed,  and  runners 
sent  from  one  haunt  to  another,  for  the  purpose  of  arousing  the  devils 
to  fall  upon  us,  and  take  vengeance." 

"  If  I  thought  so,"  muttered  the  lieutenant,  glancing  along  the  trail 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  117 

which  we  had  made  on  the  broad  plain,  as  though  he  already  saw  squads 
of  enemies  in  the  distance. 

"  We  cannot,  of  course,  be  certain  that  we  are  followed,  but  I  think 
that  it  is  better  to  be  over-cautious  than  neglectful.  One  hundred 
pounds  on  each  prisoner  delivered  to  the  government,  is  a  sum  of  money 
that  should  not  be  thrown  rashly  away." 

"By  St.  George!"  cried  the  Englishman,  with  warmth,  "that  last 
argument  decides  me.  I  don't  fear  a  battle  with  bushrangers,  but  I 
should  dislike  to  lose  my  prize-money.  Hurry  through  your  suppers, 
men,  and  bring  up  the  animals.  In  fifteen  minutes  we  start,  and  there 
will  be  no  rest  until  we  reach  Boomerang  River." 

"Come  and  share  my  supper  —  there's  not  much  of  a  variety,  but 
what  there  is  you  are  welcome  to,"  Murden  said,  turning  to  us,  after  he 
had  given  his  order. 

"  You  did  well,"  whispered  Fred,  as  we  followed  the  officer  to  the  hut; 
"  don't  let  him  grow  cold." 

"  We've  said  enough  for  once ;  let  him  allude  to  the  subject  the  next 
time,  or  he  will  suspect,"  Fred  rejoined,  in  the  same  low  tone ;  and 
without  renewing  the  conversation,  we  sat  down  upon  the  floor  of  the 
hut,  and  ate  our  beefsteak,  broiled  upon  coals,  and  drank  our  strong 
coffee,  with  a  peculiar  relish. 

There  was  no  allusion  to  the  dead  robber  we  had  just  buried,  and,  in 
fact,  Murden  already  appeared  to  have  forgotten  that  there  ever  existed 
such  a  person.  But  if  his  memory  was  so  defective,  mine  was  not,  and 
I  could  hear  the  last  words  of  the  bushranger  ringing  in  my  ears,  as  he 
gasped  for  breath,  and  exclaimed,  "Ten  paces  in  the  south " 

The  gold  cross,  too,  which  I  had  taken  from  the  dead  man's  neck, 
seemed  to  sear  my  bosom,  and  parch  the  skin,  so  heated  did  I  fancy  it 
grew  when  my  thoughts  wandered  to  the  dying  man  and  his  buried 
treasure. 

"  What  are  we  to  do  with  these  goods,  which  make  such  a  display  ?  " 
I  asked  of  Murden,  glancing  around  at  the  miscellaneous  collection 
which  surrounded  us. 

"  lleturn  all  but  the  wine  and  provisions  to  the  hole  from  whence 
they  came,  and  let  government  send  after  them,"  answered  Murden. 

"  And  the  wine  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  We'll  take  it  with  us,  and  drink  it  on  our  way  to  the  city.  We 
shall,  by  that  means,  prevent  some  other  party  from  being  led  into 
temptation." 

Many  hands  made  light  work  of  returning  the  goods  to  the  secret 
cell,  as  there  was  not  much  formality  in  stowing  them,  and  then  the  floor 
boards  were  replaced,  and  we  were  ready  to  start  on  our  long  journey. 

"  Are  we  all  ready  ?  "  asked  our  commander. 

"All  ready,  sir,"  was  the  answer,  and  a  loud  crack  of  Smith's  whip, 
as  he  touched  up  one  of  the  leading  oxen,  which  appeared  too  eager  to 
start  before  the  word  was  given,  made  us  think  of  the  time  when  we 
first  left  Melbourne  under  his  guidance. 

"  Then  forward  we  go ! "  cried  Murden ;  and  we  had  got  some  paces 
from  the  hut,  when  a  shrill  voice  exclaimed, — 

"  O,  don't  leave  me  —  go  to  thunder  —  who  cares  for  bushrangers  ? 
Bimbo  —  Bimbo  —  where's  Bimbo  ?  " 


118  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  I  had  forgotten  the  parrot ;  what  shall  we  do  with  him  ?  "  asked 
Murden,  ordering  a  halt. 

"  Let  me  stop  and  look  after  him  until  you  come  back  again,"  cried 
the  innocent  Bimbo,  raising  his  dirty  face  from  the  team,  and  gazing  at 
us  with  an  air  of  simplicity  charming  to  behold. 

"  Silence,  you  miserable  traitor!"  shouted  the  exasperated  officer,  "or 
I  shall  be  tempted  to  beat  you  with  my  whip." 

"  I  don't  see  what  this  cove  has  done,  that  he  should  be  snatched  up 
and  lugged  off  this  way.  P'aps  Mr.  Sherman,  who  owns  this  stock- 
house,  won't  scold  when  he  comes  to  hear  of  it.  He  won't  say  nothing, 
and  swear  to  think  that  his  cattle  is  all  running  wild,  'cos  nobody  takes 
care  of  'um." 

"  Lend  me  your  whip,  Smith,"  Murden  said,  as  the  fellow  raised  his 
voice  in  a  sort  of  howl,  at  the  thought  of  being  carried  away  from  the 
hut  which  had  sheltered  and  screened  his  rascalities  for  so  many  years. 

Smith  handed  the  short-handled  instrument  of  torture  to  the  officer, 
who  waved  it  over  his  head  with  a  scientific  flourish,  like  one  accus- 
tomed to  its  use,  and  in  another  instant  Bimbo  would  have  had  some- 
thing to  cry  for,  but  the  cunning  rogue  ducked  his  head  just  in  time  to 
escape  punishment.  The  long  lash  passed  over  his  body,  and  cracked 
like  the  report  of  a  pistol ;  and  while  the  officer  was  drawing  back  his 
arm  for  another  attempt,  the  impudent,  dirty  face  of  the  rogue  was 
raised,  and  a  leer  of  contemptuous  pity  expressed  upon  it. 

Neither  Fred  nor  myself  could  prevent  laughing  at  the  fellow's  cool- 
ness, and  our  mirth  extended  to  Murden,  who  began  to  be  aware  that 
he  was  making  a  ridiculous  exhibition  of  his  temper,  and  tossed  the 
stockman's  whip  to  the  owner,  exclaiming,  — 

"  I  was  foolish  to  allow  the  fellow  to  provoke  me,  and  am  glad  that  I 
did  not  touch  him  with  the  lash  ;  although  if  he  had  not  been  as  quick 
as  lightning,  I'd  have  taken  a  good  piece  of  his  hide." 

" But  what  are  we  to  do  with  the  parrot?  Remember  we  are  losing 
time,"  1  said. 

"  Yes,  what's  to  be  done  with  me — where's  Bimbo  ?  "  shrieked  the  bird. 

"  Put  the  cage  into  the  cart  —  he  will  excite  curiosity  when  we  reach 
Melbourne,  and  perhaps  bring  a  round  sum." 

The  order  was  obeyed,  and  with  shrill  screams  of  delight  the  bird 
and  his  cage  were  stowed  among  the  prisoners,  and  long  after  dark  we 
could  hear  the  talkative  parrot  ask  the  bushrangers  how  they  felt,  and 
when  they  were  going  to  die  ?  Questions  of  great  significance  to  them 
at  the  time.  After  a  while  he  dozed  off  to  sleep,  but  during  the  night 
awoke  about  once  every  half  hour,  and  with  a  shout  of, — •• 

"  Where's  Bimbo  —  darn  Bimbo  —  lazy  Bimbo ! "  and  then  would 
drop  off  to  sleep  again. 

At  about  nine  o'clock  we  reached  "  Boomerang  stream,"  the  same 
place  where  we  had  witnessed  the  natives  of  Australia  gorge  themselves 
with  kangaroo  meat  until  stuffed  to  repletion.  The  place  was  alive  with 
oxen  and  stockmen,  and  carts  filled  with  stores  on  their  way  to  the 
mines.  Many  of  the  drivers  had  just  arrived,  having  been  on  the  road 
from  Melbourne  all  night,  and  were  turning  their  cattle  loose,  intending 
to  pass  the  day  by  the  side  of  the  stream,  for  the  purpose  of  recruiting, 
and  avoiding  the  heat  of  the  noonday  sun. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  119 

We  forded  the  river,  the  waters  of  which  were  not  more  than  twelve 
inches  deep,  and  with  many  flourishes  of  his  immense  whip,  Smith 
drew  up  his  cattle  directly  under  the  shade  of  a  friendly  tree  growing 
near  the  bank. 

Before  the  cattle  were  turned  loose,  we  were  surrounded  by  anxious 
inquirers  desirous  of  asking  a  dozen  questions  regarding  the  safety  of 
the  country,  and  what  the  men  whom  we  had  ironed  had  been  guilty  of. 

Murden,  who  was  both  cross  and  hungry  by  his  night's  ride,  at- 
tempted to  satisfy  their  curiosity  by  replying ;  but  he  might  just  as  well 
have  attempted  to  dam  a  river  with  a  sieve ;  and  the  few  words  which  he 
spoke  were  almost  lost  in  the  confusion. 

"  We  shall  never  get-any  breakfast  or  rest  at  this  rate,"  he  whispered 
to  Fred  and  me,  "  so  lend  us  a  hand  to  clear  the  ground,  and  then  I'll 
keep  them  at  a  distance,  or  break  their  necks." 

We  mounted  our  horses,  and  telling  the  stockmen,  miners,  adventur- 
ers like  ourselves,  speculators,  and  two  or  three  fat  old  fellows,  who 
were  visiting  their  cattle-raising  districts  to  see  how  their  stock  thrived, 
that  we  feared  some  of  them  were  in  league  with  bushrangers,  and  that 
we  would  have  no  one  that  did  not  belong  to  our  force  inside  of  the 
lines  at  present,  drove  them  back  until  we  had  cleared  a  sufficient  space 
for  our  convenience,  and  then  the  men  stretched  a  rope  from  two  posts, 
and  inside  of  that  barrier  no  one  dared  to  venture  without  permission. 

"  Hullo,  you  feller  with  the  blue  flannel  shirt,"  cried  one  of  the 
rough-looking  outsiders,  addressing  Fred,  "  did  you  do  any  thing  to- 
wards grabbing  them  ere  chaps  ?  "  alluding  to  our  prisoners. 

"  Them  ere  two  fellers  is  hextry  policemen,  I  suppose,"  cried  a  newly 
arrived  cockney,  with  great  staring  eyes,  watching  our  movements  as 
eagerly  as  though  we  were  wild  animals  confined  for  his  especial 
amusement. 

"  I  wonder  if  the  stealings  are  good  hi  that  department  ?  "  asked 
another. 

"  Do  you  hear,  Murden  ?  "  Fred  inquired,  with  a  laugh,  and  a  thought 
how  appropriate  the  question  was  under  the  circumstances. 

"  Curse  the  fellow's  impudence,"  muttered  the  lieutenant ;  "  but  I'll 
learn  him  a  lesson  that  he'll  remember  for  a  few  days,"  he  continued ; 
and  then  turning  to  Maurice  who  was  unsaddling  his  horse,  he  said,  — 

"  Take  a  man  with  you  and  arrest  that  blackguard.  I  suspect  him 
to  be  a  bushranger  in  disguise." 

The  policeman  abandoned  his  horse  on  the  instant,  grasped  his  car- 
bine, spoke  a  word  to  a  companion,  and  before  the  inquisitive  genius, 
who  wished  to  know  whether  the  stealings  in  the  police  force  were  good, 
had  a  chance  to  think  of  his  unfortunate  remark,  he  was  in  custody, 
and  threatened  with  instant  death  if  he  even  made  a  movement  towards 
resistance.  He  was  hustled  before  the  commander  of  the  corps,  and 
with  an  indignant  look  and  blustering  voice,  wanted  to  know  for  what 
he  was  seized. 

"  You  think  that  I  don't  know  you,"  said  Murden,  in  a  tone  of  pre- 
tended sternness,  "  but  you  are  mistaken.  You  are  Sam  Firefly,  the 
leader  of  a  gang  of  bushrangers.  I  knew  you  the  instant  that  I  got 
•ight  of  your  face." 

"  So  help  me  God,  I'm  not  —  I  don't  know  the  gentleman  you  speak 


120  LIFE   EN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

of,  I'm  a  stranger  here  —  I  only  arrived  in  Australia  week  before  last  j 
— for  God's  sake  let  me  go,  and  I  won't  do  any  thing  but  what  you 
wish  me  to  ; "  and  the  fellow  wrung  his  hands,  and  looked  the  very  pic- 
ture of  woe  and  fright. 

"I  think  I'd  better  "order  you  to  be  shot,  for  if  I  should  let  you  off, 
and  find  that  you  are  Sam  after  all,  I  should  always  regret  it,"  the  lieu- 
tenant said,  with  mock  gravity. 

"Don't  shoot  me;  please  don't  —  I  never  hurt  anyone  in  my  life. 
I'm  only  in  the  country  to  make  my  fortune,  and  when  I  get  it  I'll  leave. 
I  swear  that  I  will." 

"  On  those  conditions,  then,  I  will  let  you  go — but  remember,  I  shall 
have  an  eye  on  you  hereafter." 

The  fellow  expressed  his  thanks  in  a  confused  manner,  and  darted 
from  the  enclosure,  and  during  the  remainder  of  our  stay  at  the  stream 
we  did  not  hear  an  impudent  remark  concerning  our  blue  flannel  shirts 
or  the  perquisites  of  Australian  policemen.  The  heterogeneous  mass 
were  suddenly  struck  with  Murden's  display  of  authority,  backed  as  it 
was  by  about  a  dozen  men,  well  armed  and  ready  to  do  his  bidding 
without  a  question  or  murmur. 

Fires  were  lighted  and  kettles  soon  boiling,  and  the  smell  of  burning 
meat,  as  it  crackled  on  the  coals,  made  not  only  the  hound  but  the 
weary  guard  look  with  eager  eyes  for  the  call  to  breakfast. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

TRIUMPHAL  ENTRY  INTO  MELBOURNE. 

IN  spite  of  the  intense  heat  and  dust  which  greeted  our  arrival  at 
"  Boomerang  stream,"  we  managed  to  sleep  for  a  few  hours,  and  then, 
after  a  bath  in  the  river,  felt  somewhat  refreshed,  and  were  anxious 
to  proceed  on  our  journey.  The  sun  was  too  high,  however,  and  the' 
plains  too  heated  to  induce  Murden  to  consent,  so  Fred  and  myself 
went  on  an  excursion  through  the  various  camps  near  us,  and  after 
much  hard  work  we  were  fortunate  enough  to  get  hold  of  a  Boston  pa- 
per, and  then  selecting  the  most  secluded  spot  that  we  could  find,  and 
the  freest  from  dust,  we  read  to  each  other  all  the  items  of  interest,  and 
then  commenced  on  the  advertisements,  which  latter  we  finished  just  as 
Michael  called  us  to  supper. 

Each  party  camped  on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  had  a  fire  burning,  and 
the  never-failing  dish  of  coffee  preparing  for  their  evening  meal.  Par- 
ties of  men  were  searching  for  their  cattle,  and  driving  them  in,  prepar- 
atory to  a  start ;  and  a  scene  of  confusion,  it  appeared  to  me,  seemed 
inevitable ;  but  to  my  surprise  the  oxen  walked  slowly  towards  the 
carts  to  which  they  belonged,  and  submitted  to  having  yokes  placed 
around  their  necks,  without  that  resistance  which  I  had  anticipated. 

The  sun  had  hardly  disappeared  before  the  first  cart  started  on  its 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  121 

long  journey  for  Ballarat.  Another  and  another  followed,  and  in  a 
short  time  we  were  the  sole  occupants  of  the  camping  ground. 

In  a  few  minutes  after  we  had  wished  success  to  the  last  party  that 
crossed  the  stream  our  horses  were  saddled,  and  once  more  we  re- 
sumed our  journey  for  Melbourne. 

Nothing  of  general  interest  occupied  our  attention  until  we  were 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  city,  when  Murden  sent  one  of  his  men  for- 
ward to  announce  his  arrival  to  the  captain  of  police,  and  to  confide  to 
him  the  success  which  had  attended  his  enterprise. 

Maurice,  the  person  sent,  must  have  imparted  the  news  to  a  dozen 
friends,  and  they,  probably,  in  turn  told  it  to  every  one  they  met,  for 
just  as  we  came  in  sight  of  the  city,  we  were  surprised  to  witness  a  vast 
concourse  of  people  on  the  road. 

Some  were  on  foot,  and  some  on  horseback,  and  every  description  of 
vehicle  in  Melbourne  appeared  to  have  been  pressed  into  speedy  ser- 
vice, and  loaded  down  with  men  and  women,  anxious  to  get  a  glimpse 
of  the  ferocious  bushrangers,  whose  names  had  long  been  such  a  terror 
to  all  having  business  beyond  the  limits  of  the  city. 

"  We  are  in  for  it,"  said  Murden,  pointing  towards  the  fast  approach- 
ing crowd.  "  Close  up  on  each  side  of  the  cart,  men,  and  let  no  one 
speak  to,  or  insult  our  prisoners  ! " 

Before  the  crowd  reached  us,  Smith  deserted  the  side  of  his  oxen 
for  a  moment,  and  laid  his  hand  upon  my  horse's  bridle,  saying,  — 

"  You  remember  where  you  and  Mr.  Fred  slept  the  first  night  you 
landed  in  Melbourne  ?  " 

"  To  be  sure  I  do,"  I  replied ;  "  in  your  house." 

"  And  remember,"  he  said,  "  I  want  you  both  to  take  up  your  quar- 
ters there  again.  You  will  promise  me  this  ?  " 

"  I  think  that  we  had  better  go  to  some  hotel,"  I  replied,  fearing  that 
we  should  cause  him  trouble  and  expense. 

"  Don't  think  of  such  a  thing ;  you  will  squander  all  of  your  money, 
and  receive  no  equivalent  for  it.  Go  to  my  house,  and  we'll  live  like 
princes  at  a  quarter  the  expense.  Or^  if  you  feel  that  you  are  too  good 
for  the  company  of  a  felon " 

"  Hold  there,  Smith,"  I  said ;  "  have  we  ever  given  you  occasion  to 
speak  thus  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  you  will  be  petted  and  praised,  and  I  fear  that  perhaps  so 
much  attention  will  turn  your  hearts  against  me." 

"  Do  not  fear  that,"  I  rejoined,  pressing  his  hand,  which  he  returned, 
until  I  thought  my  fingers  were  in  a  vice ;  "  we  found  in  you  a  friend, 
and  as  such  we  shall  continue  to  regard  you  until  we  leave  the  island." 

"  Then  you  will  make  my  house  your  home  ?  "  Smith  inquired. 

"  If  you  still  insist,  I  answer  that  we  had  rather  keep  together,  and 
be  under  your  roof,  than  to  be  lodged  in  the  proudest  hotel  in  Mel- 
bourne." 

Smith's  broad,  red  face  was  actually  radiant  with  happiness,  as  he  fell 
back  to  his  place ;  and  as  he  had  no  other  way  of  testifying  his  happi- 
ness, he  began  cracking  his  long  heavy  whip,  which  started  the  cattle 
into  a  trot,  and  shook  up  the  bushrangers  and  the  parrot  so  roughly, 
that  the  latter  yelled  out,  — 

"  Hullo  !  what's  the  row  ?  Where's  Bimbo  ?  Stop,  will  ye  ?  "  ques- 

11 


122  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

tions  which  were  not  answered,  for  just  then  our  attention  was  attracted 
by  a  body  of  mounted  men,  dressed  in  the  same  kind  of  uniform  as  our 
companions,  only  their  clothes  did  not  look  so  soiled,  and  their  arms 
were  radiant  with  recent  polishing. 

At  their  head  rode  a  fine-looking,  stout,  red-faced  man,  who  weighed 
about  two  hundred  pounds,  and  was  a  good  specimen  of  a  hale,  hearty 
Englishman. 

"  Hullo,  Murden,"  he  said ;  "  what  have  you  been  doing  to  thus  set 
the  city  on  fire  ?  Is  the  news  true,  that  you  have  had  several  engage- 
ments with  Darnley  and  Gulpin's  gangs,  and  came  out  best  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  lieutenant,  touching  his  cap  with  an  air  of  re- 
spect ;  "  I  am  happy  to  report  that  both  Darnley  and  Gulpin  are  dead, 
and  that  their  gangs  are  either  killed  or  prisoners." 

"  Why,  you  have  done  yourself  and  the  police  force  great  cred.it, 
Murden,  and  I  must  talk  with  the  lieutenant-governor  about  settling  a 
pension  on  you.  But  how  is  this  —  do  you  let  your  prisoners  go  at 
large  ? "  and  the  speaker  pointed  to  Fred  and  myself  with  his  riding 
whip. 

"  Your  pardon,  captain,"  replied  Murden,  "  but  those  two  gentlemen 
are  Americans,  and  volunteers  of  my  force,  and  without  their  aid  I 
should  have  come  back  as  wise  as  I  went." 

"Where  did  you  pick  them  up  ?  "  I  heard  the  police  captain  ask,  in  a 
half  whisper,  as  he  rode  beside  the  lieutenant. 

"  Hush,  sir,"  we  understood  Murden  to  reply ;  "  they  are  easy  to  take 
offence,  and  are  different  from  the  majority  of  people  who  visit  Aus- 
tralia in  search  of  gold." 

"  Americans,  did  you  say  ?  "  the  captain  repeated ;  and  as  he  glanced 
at  us  from  the  corner  of  his  eye,  I  heard  him  mutter,  "  They  are  not 
dressed  exactly  in  dinner  costume,  but  there's  a  plucky  look  about  the 
fellows  that  I  like,  after  all." 

"  I'm  sure  you'll  like  them,  sir,  after  you've  seen  something  of  their 
Yankee  shrewdness,"  replied  Murden ;  "  if  we  could  only  get  them  to 
accept  of  commissions  in  the  police  service,  I'd  pledge  my  pay  for  a 
year  that  we'd  free  this  part  of  the  country  of  bushrangers  in  less  than 
six  months." 

"  But  won't  they  join  ? "  inquired  the  captain,  turning  completely 
round  in  his  saddle,  where  he  was  riding  in  advance  of  us,  to  get  a  look 
at  our  faces. 

"  I  am  afraid  not,"  replied  Murden  ;  "they  have  got  their  American 
ideas  of  independence,  and  are  as  firm  set  in  their  notions  as  our  coun' 
trymen." 

"  I'll  have  them  yet,"  returned  the  captain.  "  I'll  have  them  dressed 
up  and  presented  to  Latrobe ;  he  is  an  old  courtier,  and  can  wheedle 
the  devil  with  his  tongue.  When  we  reach  the  city,  see  that  they  are 
clothed  in  decent  suits,  and  are  provided  for." 

Fred,  who  was  riding  by  my  side,  overheard  the  conversation  as  well 
as  myself.  We  looked  at  each  other  and  smiled,  and  thought  how  lit- 
tle the  captain  knew  of  the  American  character,  if  he  thought  we  in- 
tended to  depend  upon  the  bounty  of  himself  or  the  lieutenant  for 
clothing  while  we  possessed  a  dollar  with  which  we  could  purchase  for 
ourselves. 


A   GOLD    IIUNTEKS   ADVENTURES.  123 

While  the  officers  were  conversing,  the  sergeants  had  formed  their 
men  in  such  a  manner  that  the  crowd,  which  began  to  press  eagerly 
forward,  was  completely  excluded  from  the  cart,  and  could  only  get  a 
sight  at  the  prisoners  through  a  broken  rank,  or  by  peeping  between 
the  horses'  legs. 

Our  entree  into  Melbourne  was  a  perfect  triumph  ;  and  to  this  day, 
I  am  uncertain  which  excited  the  most  curiosity — the  chained  bush- 
rangers, confined  in  the  body  of  the  cart,  or  Fred  and  myself,  with  our 
short  beards  and  unshaven  faces,  ragged  clothes,  and  deadly  array  of 
rifles,  revolvers,  and  bowie  knives. 

The  escort  of  policemen  cleared  the.  crowd,  who  stopped  to  gaze  and 
ask  questions,  and  as  the  former  advanced  with  their  heavy  horses  and 
drawn  sabres,  the  latter  receded  to  the  right  and  left,  leaving  a  space 
for  the  procession  to  pass. 

Down  through  Collins  Street  we  went,  every  window  on  the  thorough- 
fare filled  with  eager  faces  anxious  to  get  a  sight  of  the  novel  proces- 
sion, and  I  don't  know  how  many  times  Fred  and  I  were  pointed  at  by 
women,  who  appeared  to  possess  as  much  curiosity  to  see  murderers  as 
the  sterner  sex,  and  called  us  bushrangers  and  villains ;  and  once  we 
were  hooted  at  by  an  excitable  old  lady,  who  did  not  for  a  long  time 
discover  her  mistake ;  and  Smith  afterwards  told  us,  in  confidence,  that 
he  heard  her  muttering,  that  if  we  were  not  bushrangers,  our  counte- 
nances belied  us  shamefully,  and  she  would  not  like  to  trust  herself 
with  us,  after  dark. 

"  Where  do  you  intend  to  confine  the  prisoners,  sir  ?  "  asked  Murden 
of  his  captain. 

"  At  the  barracks ;  as  I  consider  them  safer  than  the  jail  at  the  pres- 
ent time,"  replied  the  captain  of  police. 

"  Why  safer  now  than  at  any  other  time,  sir  ?  "  inquired  the  lieu- 
tenant. 

"  Because,  I  do  not  know  how  many  of  the  faces  which  I  see  around 
me  may  belong  to  men  who  have  an  interest  in  the  escape  of  the  bush- 
rangers. Since  you  have  been  gone  some  strange  things  have  come  to 
light,  and  I  am  induced  to  believe  that  men  living  here  under  our  pro- 
tection, and  trusted  with  our  secrets,  have  been  in  league  with  the  rob- 
bers of  the  plains  for  months.  How  have  the  bushrangers  always 
known  when  an  expedition  was  to  be  started  for  their  extermination, 
and  so  faced  it,  or  kept  out  of  the  way,  according  to  the  numbers  we 
sent,  unless  word  was  carried  by  people  who  had  our  confidence?  Be 
assured,  Murden,  that  as  patriotic  and  great  as  we  may  think  ourselves, 
there  are  those  in  our  midst,  and,  I  believe,  high  in  power,  who  do  not 
scruple  to  accept  of  bribes,  even  if  the  gold  which  is  offered  is  stained 
with  blood." 

I  thought  the  lieutenant's  cheeks  blanched  a  shade  paler  than  their 
wont,  and  I  imagined,  considering  he  had  a  few  hundred  pounds'  worth 
of  gold  dust  in  his  pockets,  which  formerly  belonged  to  some  honest 
man,  that  he  would  get  confused,  and  confess  to  the  secret  hoard  which 
we  had  discovered ;  but  to  my  surprise  he  did  no  such  thing,  and  re- 
turned an  answer  that  elicited  my  unbounded  admiration,  it  was  so 
cool. 

"  We  must  ferret  Out  the  parties,"  he  said,  in  reply  to  his  superior, 


124  LIFE   IN   AUSTEALIA,   OB 

"  and  make  an  example,  and  that  will  strike  terror  to  the  hearts  of  those 
disposed  to  accept  bribes,  hereafter." 

"  We  will  talk  of  this  another  time,"  replied  the  captain ;  "  I  feel  now 
so  rejoiced  to  think  chat  we  have  secured  a  number  of  bushrangers, 
that  I  can  hardly  talk  on  any  other  subject.  It  was  only  last  night  La- 
trobe  sent  for  me,  an"1  wanted  to  know  why  I  had  done  nothing  towards 
rendering  a  passage  to  the  mines  safe  ?  The  old  fool !  Why  don't 
he  send  a  company  of  his  idle  soldiers  to  scour  the  country,  if  he 
thinks  it  is  so  very  ^asy  to  find  those  devils  incarnate  —  the  bush- 
rangers ?  " 

"  Perhaps  he  keeps  them  in  Melbourne  because  he  has  fears  of  his 
own  safety,"  replied  lae  lieutenant,  laughing. 

"  Perhaps  so  ;  but  I'd  rather  trust  to  my  police  force  than  all  the  sol- 
diers in  Australia.  J  suppose  your  two  American  friends  will  share  in 
the  reward  which  has  been  offered  ?  " 

"I  hope  so,  for  right  well  do  they  deserve  it,"  replied  Murden, 
heartily. 

The  multitude  moved  to  and  fro,  and  struggled  to  get  glimpses  of 
the  bushrangers  in  the  cart,  and  a  number  of  times  the  police  were 
obliged  to  strike  those  who  pressed  too  near  with  the  flat  of  their 
sabres,  as  a  slight  rebuke  for  their  curiosity ;  but  with  all  the  struggling 
I  heard  no  angry  woi^s  pass,  and  for  so  large  a  crowd,  it  was  the  best 
natured  one  I  ever  saw. 

We  drew  up  before  a  substantial-looking  building,  with  an  open 
square  in  front,  where  a  company  of  soldiers  were  parading. 

A  large  gate  was  opened  for  our  admission,  and  as  soon  as  our  party 
had  entered,  it  was  sr~it  and  bolted,  and  the  crowd  excluded,  although 
many  crawled  upon  the  walls  and  sat  there  patiently,  until  the  bush- 
rangers were  placed  under  lock  and  key,  in  a  strong  dungeon,  where 
hardly  a  ray  of  light  penetrated.  A  guard  was  stationed  before  the 
door  with  orders  to  allow  no  one  to  converse  with  those  inside,  and 
then,  for  the  first  tim°  for  many  days,  I  and  my  friend  found  ourselves 
at  liberty. 

"  Come,"  whispered  Smith,  "  place  your  arms  in  the  cart  and  we  will 
go  home.  There  is  u~  thing  further  for  us  to  do." 

"  Hullo,"  we  heard  Murden  shout,  "  where  are  you  going  to  ?  " 

We  waited  for  a  moment,  until  he,  in  company  with  the  captain,  came 
within  speaking  distai_^e,  and  then  we  replied, — 

"  We  are  going  where  we  can  get  shelter  and  something  to  eat." 

"  Take  them  to  the  station,  Murden,  and  let  them  stop  there  for  the 
night,  and  see  that  they  have  something  to  eat.  To-morrow  we  will  see 
what  we  can  do  for  them." 

"  We  are  able  to  tali?  care  of  ourselves,  sir,"  replied  Fred,  haughtily, 
"  and  do  not  need  the  charities  of  a  station  house.  When  we  do  we 
will  let  you  know." 

I  saw  the  face  of  th^  captain  turn  a  deep  purple,  as  we  continued  our 
•walk,  and  I  was  not  surprised  to  hear  him  thunder  out,  — 

"  Stop,  sir  ;  I  wish  to  speak  further  with  you." 

"  Any  communication  that  you  may  have  to  make,  we  shall  be  pleased 
to  listen  to,  sir,"  I  answered. 

For  the  space  of  a  r^inute  the  captain  surveyed  us  from  head  to  foot, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  125 

as  though  hardly  knowing  whether  to  be  pleased  or  offended  at  our 
dignity ;  but  at  length  he  exclaimed,  — 

"  Who,  in  the  devil's  name,  are  you  ?  " 

"We  are  happy  to  say  that  we  are  Americans,"  rejoined  Fred, 
straightening  his  muscular  form,  and  looking  as  proud  of  the  title  as  a 
senator  just  elected  to  congress. 

"  Blast  it,  that  is  not  what  I  mean.  Are  you  born  gentlemen  ?  "  pet- 
tishly exclaimed  the  captain. 

"  No  one  can  be  born  gentle,  but  every  man  .an  be  a  gentleman  if 
he  but  studies  the  courtesies  of  life,"  remarked  Fred. 

"And  have  you  so  studied  ?  "  asked  the  captain,  with  a  smile. 

"  All  Americans  study,"  replied  Fred,  "  thoug.i  perhaps  no  two  are 
alike.  We  try  to  be  civil  and  attentive  to  all,  and  those  qualities  will 
pass  for  good  breeding  all  the  world  over." 

"  By  heavens,  you  are  right,"  cried  the  captain,  <vith  genuine  English 
bluffness,  "  and  1  should  have  known  better  than  to  have  thought  you 
would  have  accepted  of  a  bed  at  the  station  houg".  Come  with  me,  and 
make  my  house  your  home.  I  assure  you  both  a  welcome." 

"  You  will  excuse  us,  but  we  made  an  engagement  before  we  entered 
the  city  to  stop  at  Smith's  house,  and  we  told  'um  to  rely  upon  our 
word." 

"  And  do  you  prefer  his  company  to  mine  ?  "  asked  the  captain,  with 
astonishment. 

"  We  are  better  acquainted  with  him,"  Fred  said,  evasively. 

"  But  the  man  has  been  convicted  as  a  felon-  and  is  only  at  liberty 
now  on  parole." 

"  He  has  atoned  for  his  fault,  and  has  shown  himself  a  brave  man,"  / 
replied. 

"  But  with  one  word  I  can  order  him  to  prison  again,  and  make  hirt 
serve  out  his  sentence." 

"  You  would  not  think  of  doing  such  an  unkinc7  act,  I  know,"  rejoined 
Fred,  with  a  smile. 

"  I  don't  know  but  I  shall  have  to  for  no  other  reason  than  to  get  hie 
company  away,"  said  the  captain,  smiling ;  "  you  will  pardon  me  if  I 
misjudged  you  both  on  account  of  your  dress ;  we  have  many  strangers 
landing  at  our  port,  and  if  they  disguise  themselves  in  the  clothing  of 
workmen,  they  must  not  feel  slighted  if  they  are  taken  for  such." 

"  We  are  but  workmen,"  I  replied,  "  and  to  prove  it,  I  will  commence 
now.  You  have  it  in  your  power  to  help  confe:  a  benefit,  and  I  mean 
to  work  until  I  get  your  consent  to  the  scheme." 

"  Pray,  what  is  it,  sir  ?     Any  thing  in  my  powe"  I  will  do  willingly." 

"  We  wish  the  pardon  of  Smith,  and  your  lieutenant  will  tell  you  that 
he  richly  deserves  it  for  the  gallantry  and  mercy  which  he  has  shown." 

"Your  request  is  one  fraught  with  difficulty,  I  it  I  will  see  the  lieu- 
tenant-governor, Mr.  Latrobe,  and  lay  the  subject  before  him.  Perhaps 
you  would  like  to  speak  to  the  gentleman  himself  on  the  matter." 

"  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  if  we  did,"  replied  Fred,  with  no 
expression  of  astonishment  on  his  face  at  the  proposal. 

"  Then  I  will  get  you  an  audience  to-morrow  afternoon,  and  mind, 
don't  be  afraid  to  speak  to  the  governor  when  you  see  him." 

"  Have  no  fear  on  that  point,"  I  replied,  with  a  smile. 

11* 


126  LIFE  IN  AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Then  good-by  until  to-morrow ;  I'll  send  Murden  for  you  when  the 
governor  is  ready." 

The  captain  so  far  forgot  his  aristocracy  that  he  actually  extended 
his  hand  at  parting,  and  shook  our  fists  with  a  right  good  will. 

We  joined  Smith,  who  was  standing  a  short  distance  from  us,  and 
had  listened  to  every  word  that  had  been  uttered  with  a  face  of  scar- 
let, but  as -we  turned  away,  I  heard  the  captain  remark, — 

"  Those  are  singular  young  fellows,  and  somehow  I  begin  to  like 
them." 

"  Well,  Smith,"  I  said,  as  he  drove  his  team  from  the  yard,  "  we  are 
to  have  a  hearing  to-morrow,  and  perhaps  in  the  evening  may  be  able 
to  celebrate  your  liberation." 

"  It  will  hardly  be  of  use  to  me,"  he  replied,  bitterly.  "  Let  a  man 
do  ever  so  well,  the  charge  of  once  having  been  a  convict  will  be 
repeated  in  his  ears  until  he  is  no  longer  able  to  hear  it.  God  knows  I 
have  repented  of  my  crime,  and  only  ask  an  opportunity  to  commence  a 
new  life ;  and  I  heard  the  very  man  who  should  have  shielded  me,  say, 
'he's  only  a  convict,'  and  wonders  that  you  dare  trust  your  lives  with  me." 

"  He  don't  know  you,  Smith,"  replied  Fred,  consolingly.  "  Wait 
until  he  hears  of  your  bravery,  and  knows  what  you  have  done,  and 
then  you'll  see  how  quickly  he  will  shake  you  by  the  hand,  and  congrat- 
ulate you." 

"Do  you  think  so? "  asked  Smith,  musing  over  Fred's  words. 

"  I  know  it  will  be  so ;  but  be  you  ever  so  exalted  or  humble,  Smith, 
there's  no  man  on  the  island  we  would  sooner  call  friend." 

"  Then  let  them  call  me  convict  —  if  I  but  possess  the  esteem  of  two 
honest  men,  who  know  me  thoroughly,  hard  epithets  will  fall  harmless." 

Not  another  word  was  spoken  during  our  walk  through  the  streets  of 
the  city  to  the  suburbs,  where  stood  the  rough  board  house  of  Smith, 
exactly  as  we  had  left  it  a  month  before.  A  dozen  or  twenty  buildings 
had  been  thrown  together  in  the  vicinity  during  our  absence,  and  were 
occupied  by  respectable  looking  people,  who  were  engaged  in  business 
in  Melbourne. 

A  number  of  fresh,  rosy-faced  women,  true  models  of  English  wives, 
came  to  their  doors  as  we  stopped,  and  apparently  wondered  who  we 
were. 

We  unlocked  the  door,  and  found  every  thing  undisturbed ;  and  while 
Smith  drove  off  his  team  for  the  purpose  of  taking  his  oxen  to  pasture, 
I  started  a  fire  in  the  old  stove,  and  Fred  went  after  water,  and  to  get 
the  materials  of  a  good  supper  together,  which,  by  long  fasting,  we 
keenly  felt  the  need"  of. 

By  the  time  we  had  eaten  our  meal  it  was  past  sunset,  when,  recol- 
lecting the  business  which  was  laid  out  for  the  morrow,  we  pressed 
Smith  into  service,  and  started  towards  Collins  Street  for  the  purpose 
of  buying  cL  )thing  suitable  to  wear  when  ushered  into  the  presence  of 
the  lieutenant-governor,  who,  we  were  given  to  understand,  did  not 
relish  flannel  shirts  and  heavy  boots,  even  if  they  did  cover  valued  col- 
onists. 

By  good  luck  we  found  a  man  who  kept  an  assortment  of  really 
excellent  ready-made  clothing,  and  after  chaffing  with  the  fellow  until 
he  had  reduced  his  prices  one  half,  we  purchased  two  complete  suits. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  127 

Pleased  with  our  purchases,  we  carried  them  to  the  house,  drank  one 
bowl  of  good  punch,  which  Smith  made  as  a  sort  of  night-cap,  as  he 
termed  it,  and  then  lighting  our  pipes,  turned  in,  and  after  a  brief 
review  of  the  events  of  the  day,  sank  into  a  deep  sleep. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

LARGE  FIRE  IN  MELBOURNE. —ENGLISH  MACHINES  AT  FAULT. 

I  KNOW  not  what  the  others  were  dreaming  about,  but  I  imagined 
myself  standing  by  a  pile  of  brush  and  branches,  on  which  was  placed 
the  dead  bodies  of  Black  Darnley  and  his  gang,  and  I  thought  that  I 
had  just  applied  a  match  to  the  dry  wood,  and  that  the  flames  were 
soaring  heavenward,  filling  the  sky  with  a  luminous,  blood-red  color, 
and  that  the  corpses,  as  the  fire  licked  their  bodies,  began  shouting,  in 
derisive  tones,  for  more  fuel,  when  a  hand  was  laid  upon  my  shoulder, 
and  my  dreams  vanished  in  an  instant.  I  sprang  to  my  feet,  and  even 
then  but  half  awake,  I  reached  for  my  revolver,  and  tried  to  recollect 
where  I  was,  and  how  I  came  there.  The  room  was  as  light  as  day, 
and  through  the  single  window  streamed  the  glare  o:'  such  a  fire  as  I 
had  seen  in  my  dream. 

I  could  hear  the  roaring  of  the  flames,  and  a  shouting  of  voices  afar 
off;  and  an  old  cracked  bell,  upon  a  church  a  short  distance  off,  was 
laboring  hard  to  start  into  life  the  sleepers  of  the  city. 

"  The  city  is  on  fire ! "  cried  Smith,  giving  me  another  shake  to 
awaken  me  into  consciousness ;  "  all  Collins  Street  appears  to  be  in  a 
bright  blaze." 

"  Wake  Fred,  and  we  will  go  and  lend  what  assistance  we  can,"  I  re- 
plied, thoroughly  aroused. 

While  Smith  proceeded  to  do  so,  I  stepped  to  the  door,  and  surveyed 
the  scene,  which  was  grand  in  the  extreme ;  and  I  felt  my  blood  course 
through  my  veins  wildly,  as  old  recollections  of  volunteer  service  were 
brought  back,  when  gentlemen  of  the  utmost  respectability  petitioned 
for  admittance  to  our  organization. 

That  fire  was  like  the  blast  of  a  trumpet,  and  all  the  old  feelings, 
which  had  lain  dormant  for  many  years,  were  revived,  and  I  wished  that 
I  had  an  engine  and  a  brave  company,  to  rush  to  the  rescue.  While  I 
stood  surveying  the  flames,  I  was  joined  by  Fred,  an  old  fireman  like 
myself,  but  cooler,  and  not  so  impulsive. 

"  Do  you  see ! "  I  exclaimed ;  "  half  of  the  city  appears  to  be  in  flames, 
and  I  do  not  hear  the  working  of  an  engine.  Let  us  hasten,  and  ren- 
der what  assistance  is  possible." 

"  Where  are  your  engine  houses  ? "  asked  Fred,  turning  to  Smith, 
who  appeared  to  be  remarkably  cool  and  unconcerned. 

"  That's  more  than  I  can  tell,  and  I  don't  believe  that  even  the  cap* 
tain  of  police  can  find  one,  try  he  ever  so  hard,"  replied  Smith. 


128  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

"  Do  you  mean  that  there  are  no  regularly  organized  companies  hera, 
to  take  charge  of  engines  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  There  are  no  engines  nor  companies,  to  my  knowledge,"  Smith  an- 
swered, after  a  moment's  thought. 

"  Then  how  do  you  arrest  conflagrations  like  the  present  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well,  we  send  for  the  police,"  he  answered,  with  a  laugh. 

"  Pshaw  ! "  I  replied,  impatiently,  "  this  is  no  time  for  joking.  Your 
city  is  burning  down,  and  I  do  not  hear  the  first  effort  to  extinguish  the 
flames." 

"  But  I  do.     Hark !  do  you  not  hear  that  trumpet  ?  " 

We  all  listened,  and  loud  above  the  roaring  of  the  flames,  which  were 
filling  the  sky  with  showers  of  sparks,  and  dark,  pall-like  clouds  of 
smoke,  we  heard  the  shrill  tones  of  a  trumpet. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  blast  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  means  that  the  soldiers  are  marching  to  the  scene  of  the  confla- 
gration," rejoined  Smith,  promptly. 

"  Ah,  then  they  are  to  lend  their  aid  in  suppressing  the  flames  ?  " 

"  They  merely  go  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  the  building  burn,"  replied 
Smith,  laconically. 

"  Explain  yourself,"  I  cried,  impatiently. 

"  I  will.  They  are  marched  to  the  fire  simply  for  the  purpose  of  be- 
ing drawn  up  in  a  line,  and  keeping  people,  who  are  disposed  to  work, 
away  from  the  fl  imes." 

I  looked  at  Smith's  face,  to  see  if  he  was  not  joking ;  but  no,  he  was 
perfectly  serious,  and  I  began  to  have  doubts  about  the  ability  of  the 
Australians  to  subdue  a  conflagration  under  such  difficulties. 

"  Then  nothing  is  done  by  the  thousands  of  people  standing  idly  by, 
•witnessing  the  destruction  of  property  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well,  sometimes  I've  known  water-carts  to  bring  water  from  the 
river,  and  then  a  few  adventurous  fellows  will  offer  to  throw  it  on  to  the 
fire.  But  the  carts  are  not  always  to  be  depended  upon." 

"  Let  us  go  and  see  what  we  can  do,  Fred,"  I  exclaimed,  after  the 
above  explanation ;  and  although  Smith  told  us  we  had  better  remain 
in  the  house,  for  we  should  get  no  thanks  or  credit  for  our  readiness  to 
assist,  yet  we  did  not  heed  his  advice,  and  when  he  saw  that  we  were 
determined  to  go,  he  grumblingly  offered  to  accompany  us. 

I  locked  the  hound  in  the  house,  much  against  the  animal's  will,  and 
then  we  started  for  the  scene  of  the  conflagration.  On  our  way,  we 
met  and  overtook  hundreds  of  people  bound  on  the  same  errand  as  our- 
selves ;  but  to  our  surprise,  they  manifested  no  show  of  excitement,  and 
appeared  to  regard  the  fire  as  a  matter  of  course. 

We  hurried  through  the  streets  until  we  reached  the  thoroughfare  in 
which  the  conflagration  was  raging.  A  long  line  of  soldiers  was  drawn 
up  to  prevent  people  from  approaching  within  twenty  or  thirty  rods  of 
the  fire,  and  within  the  circle  which  they  formed,  were  mounted  police- 
men, with  drawn  sabres. 

There  appeared  to  be  no  effort  made  to  extinguish  the  fire ;  the  sol- 
diers, instead  of  being  employed  to  carry  water,  or  save  goods,  or 
in  blowing  up  buildings  to  arrest  the  flames,  leaned  on  their  guns,  and 
looked  as  though  they  didn't  care  if  the  whole  city  was  consumed,  as 
long  as  they  got  enough  to  eat  and  drink.  The  mounted  police  did  not 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  129 

seem  employed  to  any  better  purpose,  and  the  most  that  I  observed 
them  do  was  to  chase  after  a  poor  devil  who  squeezed  through  the  lines 
in  some  way,  and  appeared  anxious  to  save  his  property,  or  what  there 
was  left  of  it. 

"  Thank  God ! "  exclaimed  a  stout  man  at  my  side,  "  the  fire  is  con- 
fined to  the  stores  of  Jews.  I  think  I'll  go  back  to  bed  again." 

That  remark  made  me  begin  to  comprehend  the  reason  of  the  apathy 
which  prevailed.  The  Jews  were  not  entitled  t~  sympathy  on  account 
of  their  religion.  They  paid  their  taxes,  and  were  as  much  entitled  to 
protection  as  Episcopalians,  or  men  of  other  religious  principles ;  but 
the  stigma  of  being  a  Jew  followed  them  even  tv,  Australia,  where  peo- 
ple were  none  too  moral,  and  if  they  had  not  sold  their  Saviour  it  was 
because  no  one  wished  to  buy,  thinking  the  investment  a  bad  one. 

I  longed  to  get  to  work,  and  once  or  twice  I  asked  an  officer  standing 
near  me  to  let  us  pass,  and  assist  in  extinguishing  the  flames.  The 
young  fop  looked  at  me  with  the  utmost  astonLhment  for  a  moment, 
and  then,  thinking  that  I  was  an  escaped  lunatic,  recommenced  sucking 
the  hilt  of  his  sword  with  renewed  energy,  and  without  returning  any 
answer  to  my  petition. 

"  Don't  mind  him,  poor  fellow,"  said  Fred,  with  a  laugh  at  my  want 
of  success  in  eliciting  an  answer  from  the  officer  •,  "  don't  you  see  that 
he  is  hungry,  and  misses  the  comfort  which  his  mother  has  been  in  the 
habit  of  yielding." 

The  sword  hilt  was  withdrawn  from  the  youn~  fellow's  mouth  in  an 
instant,  and  his  face  flushed  as  red  as  his  scarlef  uniform.  He  felt  the 
more  annoyed,  because  half  a  dozen  fellows,  just  from  the  mines,  all  of 
whom  were  standing  near,  and  had  heard  the  conversation,  set  up  a 
shout  of  laughter.  Even  the  soldiers  smiled  when  their  officer's  back 
was  turned. 

If  the  young  fellow  intended  to  make  a  reply,  he  was  prevented,  for 
just  then  the  rolling  of  a  drum  attracted  his  attention,  and  there  was  a 
murmur  through  the  crowd  that  the  lieutenant-governor  was  coming  to 
see  what  could  be  done  towards  suppressing  the  conflagration. 

The  soldiers  presented  arms,  as  half  a  dozen  plainly-dressed  gentle- 
men walked  towards  the  end  of  the  line  where  F~ed,  Smith,  and  myself 
were  stationed.  They  did  not  stop  until  within  a  few  feet  of  us,  and 
from  the  attention  which  was  bestowed  upon  one  man,  I  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  deciding  which  was  the  governor. 

"  God  bless  me ! "  exclaimed  the  gentleman  I  supposed  to  be  the 
governor,  a  rather  small  man,  with  gray  hair,  and,  I  judged,  about  sixty 
years  of  age ;  "  God  bless  me ! "  he  repeated,  wringing  his  hands  as 
though  washing  them,  and  gazing  upon  the  fire,  "  what  a  dreadful  con- 
flagration." 

"  The  fire  is  making  great  headway,  your  excellency,"  said  one  of  the 
gentlemen  in  the  governor's  suite. 

"  God  bless  me,  so  it  is,"  replied  the  govern''?.  "  How  careless  of 
the  Jews  to  let  their  stores  get  on  fire.  They  give  me  a  great  deal  of 
trouble." 

"  But  shall  we  not  do  something  towards  suppressing  the  flames  ?  * 
asked  the  first  speaker,  with  an  impatient  gesture. 

"  God  bless  me,  what  can  I  do  ?  "  cried  the  governor,  peevishly. 


130  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

"  There  are  two  small  engines  in  the  city  —  they  might  be  brought 
here  and  worked  to  advantage,"  urged  the  aide-de-camp,  for  such  I 
judged  him  to  be. 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  know ;  but,  God  bless  me,  they  won't  stick." 

I  saw  the  governor's  suite  vainly  endeavoring  to  suppress  their  smiles, 
and  for  a  moment,  such  was  their  mirth,  no  further  conversation  ensued. 

At  length  the  aid  said, — 

"  That  difficulty  can  be  overcome,  your  excellency,  by  pressing  the 
water  carts  into  service,  and  letting  them  bring  water  from  the  river  for 
the  engines  to  use.  Much  property  can  be  saved,  also,  by  dismissing 
the  soldiers  to  the  barracks  with  their  arms,  and  then  letting  them  re- 
turn, and  pass  water  in  buckets.  I  assure  your  excellency  that  the 
police  force  is  amply  sufficient  to  keep  order  without  the  troops." 

"  God  bless  me,  I  believe  that  you  are  right,"  cried  the  governor, 
"  but  I  don't  like  to  set  the  soldiers  at  such  work.  They  spoil  their 
uniforms,  and  then  the  government  has  to  supply  them  with  new  cloth- 
ing, and  I  am  blamed  for  it." 

"  Then  let  the  engines  be  brought  here,  and  I  pledge  you  my  word 
that  I  will  find  men  enough  in  the  crowd  to  work  them  without  the 
soldiers'  assistance ! "  exclaimed  the  aid,  energetically. 

"  God  bless  me,  if  you  think  they  are  of  any  use,  bring  them  here ; 
but  I  don't  know  a  person  in  Melbourne  who  understands  working  , 
them." 

His  excellency's  remark  appeared  to  stagger  the  aide-de-camp,  for  by 
the  light  of  the  flames  I  saw  him  bite  his  lips  with  vexation,  and  glance 
over  the  crowd,  as  though  wishing  that  he  could  find  somebody  who 
would  come  to  his  rescue. 

Fred  and  myself  could  no  longer  keep  silent.  We  thought  that  we 
saw  an  opening  for  our  talent  that  should  not  be  lost,  so  giving  the 
nearest  soldier  a  slight  push  one  side,  and  narrowly  escaping  a  thrust 
from  a  bayonet  in  return,  we  suddenly  stood  before  the  astonished 
group. 

"  We  have  come  to  ask  permission  to  take  charge  of  your  engines," 
Fred  said,  before  the  aide-de-camp  could  find  breath  to  order  us  into 
custody,  and  the  soldiers  appeared  disposed  to  make  prisoners  of  us 
before  the  word  was  given. 

"  God  bless  me,  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  cried  the  governor, 
putting  his  eye-glass  up,  and  surveying  us  from  head  to  foot,  as  though 
we  were  animals  of  the  rara  avis  species. 

"  Stand  back,  soldiers,"  cried  the  aide-de-camp,  in  a  tone  of  command, 
when  he  saw  that  the  men  were  disposed  to  force  us  amongst  the  crowd 
again,  "  return  to  your  ranks,  and  leave  me  to  deal  with  these  men." 

"  Now,  my  men,  what  do  you  wish  ?  "  asked  the  aid ;  and  we  knew  by 
the  tones  of  his  voice  that  he  possessed  the  spirit  of  a  man,  and  would 
know  how  to  appreciate  the  services  which  we  were  disposed  to 
render. 

"  We  accidentally  overheard  a  remark  from  the  governor,  that  there 
was  no  one  in  Melbourne  who  understood  the  working  of  your  fire- 
engines,  so  we  have  come  to  volunteer  our  services,"  Fred  said,  boldly. 

"God  bless  me,  but  this  is  most  extraordinary,"  said  the  governor, 
turning  to  his  suite  for  confirmation  of  his  words. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  131 

"  Have  either  of  you  ever  been  accustomed  to  the  working  of  an  en- 
gine ?  "  asked  the  aid. 

"  We  have  both  belonged  to  a  volunteer  fire  department,"  I  said,  "  and 
if  the  machines  are  not  entirely  out  of  repair,  we  think  that  we  can 
work  them  to  advantage." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  there  was  a  volunteer  system  in  England," 
said  the  aid,  whom  we  now  understood  was  Colonel  Hensen.  He  spoke 
in  a  slightly  sarcastic  manner,  as  though  he  had  caught  us  in  a  false- 
hood and  was  determined  to  fathom  our  motives. 

"We  were  not  speaking  of  England,  sir,"  I  said,  with  some  little 
asperity. 

"  Pray,  what  country  do  you  allude  to,  then,  if  I  may  ask  ?  "  the  colo- 
nel inquired. 

"We  meant  our  country,  sir;  we  are  not  Englishmen,  but  Americans." 

I  saw  the  frown  vanish  from  the  brow  of  Colonel  Hensen,  and  a  look 
of  good  nature  passed  over  his  face ;  but  before  he  had  an  opportunity 
to  speak,  the  governor  had  his  eye-glass  up,  and  exclaimed, — 

"  God  bless  me,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  because  you  are  Ameri- 
cans you  can  extinguish  this  fire  ?  Pray,  what  part  of  the  United  States 
do  you  come  from,  that  you  possess  such  assurance  ?  " 

"  We  were  both  born  within  the  shadow  of  Bunker  Hill,  your  excel- 
lency, and  that  famous  spot  overlooks  Boston,  a  city  of  some  impor- 
tance in  America." 

I  heard  a  good-natured  laugh  at  Fred's  speech,  although  I  was  fearful 
that  those  present  would  not  relish  joking  at  their  ancestors'  expense. 
But  I  was  mistaken ;  even  the  withered  features  of  Mr.  Latrobe  re- 
laxed their  expression  of  distrust,  and  he  cried,  "  God  bless  me,"  and 
wrung  his  hands  for  a  minute  or  two  before  he  spoke. 

"  If  these  young  men  think  they  can  do  any  good  with  the  engines, 
why,  God  bless  me,  I  don't  know  but  they  had  better  take  charge  of 
them,"  the  governor  said,  after  a  brief  survey  of  the  fire,  and  seeing 
what  headway  it  was  making. 

"  I  will  answer  for  these  two  young  men,  your  excellency,"  said  a 
deep  voice,  whose  tones  we  recognized ;  and  looking  up,  I  found  that 
our  old  acquaintance,  the  captain  of  police,  had  approached  us,  unseen, 
and  overheard  a  part  of  the  discussion. 

"  Ha,  captain,"  cried  the  governor,  "  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  you 
know  these  two  persons.?  God  bless  me,  how  singular." 

"  Not  very  extraordinary,  sir,  when  I  tell  you  that  these  are  the  Amer- 
icans whom  I  asked  your  excellency  to  receive  to-day,  and  whose  peti- 
tion I  hope  you  will  grant,"  replied  the  captain. 

"  God  bless  me,  it  isn't  possible  that  these  are  the  two  Americans 
who  have  been  killing  and  making  prisoners  of  those  bushranging  vil- 
lains ?  Why,  they  have  hardly  grown  to  be  men ! " 

The  governor  seemed  to  forget  the  fire,  for  he  surveyed  us  through 
his  eye-glass,  and  whispered  to  members  of  his  suite,  and  said  that  he 
hoped  "  God  would  bless  him ; "  and  I  am  sure  I  hope  that  the  Almighty 
will,  for  Mr.  Latrobe  has  asked  for  it  often  enough. 

Fred  and  myself  were  the  centre  of  observation,  and  perhaps  our 
modesty  was  a  little  touched,  for  we  heard  the  captain  whisper  to  Colo- 
nel Hensen,  something  like  the  following :  — 


132  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  Murden  tells  me  they  are  perfect  dare-devils,  and  care  no  more  for 
a  gang  of  bushrangers  than  for  a  troop  of  kangaroos.  I  ain  going  to 
coax  them  to  enter  the  service." 

I  don't  think  that  by  morning  there  would  have  been  a  single  Jewish 
house  or  Christian  store  left  in  Collins  Street  if  we  had  not  again  re- 
minded the  governor  that  the  fire  was  raging  more  fiercely  than  ever, 
and  that  if  the  flames  were  to  be  checked  it  was  high  time  to  commence 
work. 

"  Our  American  friends  are  right,"  said  Colonel  Hensen,  "  and  if  your 
excellency  is  disposed  to  comply  with  their  request  no  time  is  to  be 
lost." 

"  God  bless  me,  then  let  them  go  to  work  without  delay.  I  give  them 
full  power  to  take  as  many  men  as  they  please  to  work  the  engines, 
and  if  they  succeed  in  quenching  the  flames  they  shall  be  well  re- 
warded." 

"  We  ask  for  no  reward,  sir,"  I  said,  "  but  we  do  ask  for  one  hundred 
of  these  soldiers.  Let  them  be  despatched  after  the  machines  without 
delay." 

The  governor  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  gave  Colonel  Hensen 
directions  to  comply  with  my  request. 

Two  companies  deposited  their  arms  in  a  building  near  by,  and  were 
detailed  for  the  duty,  while  an  officer  was  sent  to  hunt  up  the  water 
carts,  and  get  them  filled  at  the  river,  so  that  the  engines  could  have 
something  to  work  upon. 

We  set  Smith  at  work  hunting  up  buckets,  and  then  accepted  volun- 
teers, who  formed  a  lo'ng  line,  and  passed  the  pails  back  and  forth  with 
great  rapidity. 

A  dozen  reckless  miners,  just  from  the  diggings,  clambered  to  the 
tops  of  the  houses  nearest  to  the  fire,  and  dashed  the  water  on  the  roof 
and  sides,  and  by  this  means  held  the  flames  in  check  until  other  lines 
were  formed.  In  half  an  hour  nearly  fifteen  hundred  buckets  were  at 
work,  and  thrice  that  number  of  volunteers  were  lending  their  aid. 

Fred  and  myself  were  every  where,  encouraging  and  giving  direc- 
tions ;  the  police  seconded  our  efforts,  and  saw  that  our  orders  were 
carried  into  effect,  and  they  did  so  the  more  readily  because  we  recog- 
nized all  of  our  old  companions  of  bush-hunting  memory,  and  they 
quickly  imparted  our  history  to  the  rest  of  the  force. 

By  the  time  our  lines  were  in  good  working  order  we  heard  the  rum- 
bling of  the  engines,  and  with  hearty  cheers  the  soldiers  dashed  into 
the  hollow  square,  the  crowd  opening  to  the  right  and  left  to  admit 
them.  With  perfect  firemen's  enthusiasm  they  ran  the  machines  close 
to  the  flames,  unlimbered  the  huge  tongues  which  obstructed  half  the 
street,  and  were  nearly  as  large  as  the  engines  themselves,  and  then, 
with  a  recollection  of  their  discipline,  touched  their  fatigue  caps,  and 
asked  what  was  to  be  the  next  move. 

We  looked  at  our  unpromising  machines  and  found  that  they  were  of 
English  make,  and  capable  of  throwing  a  stream  about  as  large  as  gar- 
den engines.  They  were  covered  with  dust  and  dirt,  and  had  not  been 
worked  for  a  twelvemonth  ;  but  nothing  discouraged,  we  washed  some 
of  the  thickest  of  the  cobwebs  away,  examined  the  screws,  filled  the 
dry  and  cracked  boxes  with  water,  adjusted  the  hose,  and  then  applied 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  133 

the  brakes.  A  low,  wheezing  sound  was  heard,  which  resembled  the 
breathing  of  a  person  troubled  with  asthma,  but  no  water  was  ejected. 

The  soldiers  laughed,  and  ridiculed  the  machines,  and  the  crowd  out- 
side of  the  square  getting  wind  of  our  failure,  shouted  in  derision  at 
the  "  governor's  pets,"  as  they  were  called. 

"  I  say,  old  fellows,"  cried  a  voice,  "  I've  got  a  syringe  in  my  trunk 
at  home  that  you  can  use.  It  will  be  of  more  service  than  those  ma- 
chines." 

"  Grease  'em,"  shouted  another. 

"  Play  away,  No.  2,"  yelled  a  loafer. 

"Hold  on,  No.  1,"  shouted  a  fourth;  and  as  No.  1  had  been  com- 
pelled to  hold  on  for  the  want  of  water,  which  leaked  from  the  boxes 
almost  as  fast  as  put  in,  the  joke  told  hugely. 

"  You  can  do  nothing  with  them,"  said  Colonel  Hensen,  joining  us, 
and  noticing  the  condition  of  the  machines.  "  I  think  that  you  had 
better  send  them  back  to  the  houses,  and  depend  upon  the  buckets. 
The  fire  has  not  gained  headway  for  fifteen  minutes." 

"  We  are  not  easily  discouraged,  sir,"  replied  Fred,  and  together  we 
proceeded  to  examine  the  boxes  of  the  engines  attentively. 

We  found  a  screw,  which  regulated  the  flow  of  water,  nearly  off,  and 
the  plug  in  the  bottom  of  the  box  out.  The  latter  explained  the  leak- 
age at  once,  and  by  the  time  we  had  regulated  matters  the  water  carts 
arrived,  and  once  more  we  filled  the  boxes  and  started  the  brakes.  Af- 
ter wheezing  and  sputtering  a  moment,  a  slight  stream  appeared  at  the 
nozzle  of  the  hose.  It  was  greeted  with  yells  of  laughter,  not  only 
from  those  who  were  passing  water  in  buckets,  but  even  the  soldiers 
joined  in  the  cries.  The  crowd  took  up  the  yells,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
it  seemed  as  though  Bedlam  had  broken  loose. 

Not  discouraged  by  the  ridicule  heaped  upon  us  and  the  engines,  we 
kept  the  boxes  full  and  the  soldiers  at  work  on  the  brakes.  The  result 
was  as  we  had  anticipated.  The  stream  grew  larger  and  larger  as  the 
wood  and  leather  began  to  swell,  and  in  a  few  minutes  after  the  brakes 
were  applied  the  second  time  a  noble  stream  was  playing  on  the  flames, 
and  the  roofs  and  sides  of  houses  in  danger  of  burning. 

Crowds  are  always  fickle,  and  easily  swerved  by  success  or  failure. 
In  this  instance  we  had  no  reason  to  complain  of  want  of  applause,  for 
cheer  after  cheer  was  raised  in  honor  of  our  perseverance,  and  Colonel 
Hensen  was  despatched  by  the  governor  to  thank  us  on  the  spot  for 
our  labor. 

Leaving  the  hose  to  be  directed  by  an  intelligent  sergeant  of  one  of 
the  companies,  we  next  turned  our  attention  to  the  second  engine,  and 
succeeded  in  repairing  that  also ;  and  although  at  times  we  were  obliged 
to  await  the  arrival  of  the  water  carts  to  keep  the  boxes  filled,  having 
no  hose  for  draughting,  we  managed  to  keep  up  two  decently  sized 
streams,  and  with  the  assistance  of  the  buckets,  prevented  the  fire  from 
spreading  to  other  buildings. 

All  night  long  did  we  work,  sometimes  up  to  our  knees  in  mud,  en- 
couraging and  directing  —  running  greater  risks  of  being  crushed  under 
falling  buildings  than  I  should  like  to  enjoy  again  —  resisting  the  appeals 
of  Jews,  who  offered  large  amounts  of  money  if  we  would  only  direct 
the  men  to  save  their  houses  and  stores,  and  getting  well  abused  whea 

12 


134  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

we  refused  to  comply  —  treating  all  alike,  working  for  the  greatest 
good,  until  daylight  appeared  and  the  fire  was  subdued,  and  Melbourne 
was  saved  from  destruction. 

I  looked  around  for  the  lieutenant-governor.  He  had  wrung  his 
hands  three  hours  before,  and  asked  "  God  to  bless  him,"  and  declared 
that  he  was  tired  and  must  retire  to  bed,  and  to  bed  he  had  gone ;  and 
the  only  member  of  his  staff  on  the  ground  was  Colonel  Hensen. 

"  You  have  worked  hard  enough,  gentlemen,"  said  the  officer,  shak- 
ing our  hands  with  a  friendly  grip.  "  Go  to  your  home,  and  leave  the 
rest  to  me  and  my  men." 

"  We  do  not  feel  near  as  tired  as  those  gallant  fellows,"  Fred  said, 
pointing  to  the  soldiers  who  still  manned  the  brakes  of  the  engines. 

"  I  intend  to  have  them  relieved  immediately,  and  allow  them  all  day 
to  get  rested,"  answered  the  officer. 

"  Then  we  will  return  home,  for  our  presence  is  no  longer  needed 
here,"  I  replied. 

"  Before  you  go  let  me  thank  you  in  the  name  of  the  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor. Through  your  instrumentality  thousands  of  pounds'  worth  of 
property  has  been  saved ;  and  our  merchants  owe  you  a  debt  of  gratitude 
which  I  hope  they  will  repay  before  you  leave  the  city." 

"  We  hope  thanks  will  be  the  only  coin  offered,"  cried  Fred,  quickly, 
"  for  we  would  not  have  you  think  that  we  have  labored  through  the 
night  for  hire.  If  we  have  been  instrumental  in  doing  your  city  a  ser- 
vice we  are  glad  of  it,  because  it  may  be  the  means  of  obtaining  a 
better  reputation  for  Americans  than  they  have  hitherto  enjoyed  in 
Australia." 

"  I  shall  ever  look  upon  Americans  with  respect  from  this  time  for- 
ward," the  colonel  said,  warmly.  Once  more  he  shook  our  hands,  and 
then  we  called  Smith  and  edged  our  way  through  the  crowd  to  the  rude 
house,  where  I  found  the  hound  had  broken  half  a  dozen  panes  of  glass 
in  his  desperate  attempts  to  escape  and  join  me. 

Tired  and  almost  exhausted  with  our  night's  work,  we  quickly  threw 
ourselves  upon  our  hard  beds,  and  slept  seundly,  nor  did  we  awaken 
until  the  loud  baying  of  the  hound  aroused  us. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

PARDON  OF  SMITH  AND  THE  OLD  STOCKMAN.  —  GRAND  DINNER  AT 
THE  GOVERNOR'S. 

"  HULLO,"  I  heard  somebody  shout ;  "  is  this  the  way  you  receive 
your  friends  ?  Call  off  the  dog,  or  he'll  eat  me  for  his  dinner." 

I  started  up  and  spoke  to  the  hound,  and  then  saw,  to  my  surprise, 
that  our  visitor  was  no  other  than  the  captain  of  police. 

"  Excuse  me  for  disturbing  you,"  he  said,  taking  a  seat,  and  looking 
around  the  room  with  a  quiet  smile  upon  his  broad  face.  "  I  know  that 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  135 

you  have  had  a  hard  night's  work,  and  need  rest ;  and  I  should  not 
nave  presumed  to  awaken  you,  had  I  not  feared  that  you  would  forget 
the  audience  which  his  excellency  has  granted  on  this  afternoon." 

"  At  what  time,  may  I  ask  ?  "  I  inquired,  trying  to  look  as  though  I 
was  awake  —  in  which  I  did  not  fully  succeed,  I  am  afraid,  for  the  cap- 
tain said,  kindly,  — 

"  There,  there,  go  to  bed  again,  and  let  the  audience  be  postponed 
until  to-morrow.  Latrobe  will  readily  understand  why  you  are  not 
present,  and  if  he  does  not,  I  will  get  Colonel  Hensen  to  explain  the 
reason.  By  the  way,  speaking  of  the  colonel,  he  has  grown  to  be  a 
sworn  friend  to  both  of  you,  and  as  he  has  the  governor's  ear  in  all 
matters,  I  think  it  will  be  well  to  speak  to  him  in  a  candid  manner,  and 
enlist  his  aid." 

We  bowed,  without  speaking  at  the  advice,  and  the  captain  contin- 
ued,— 

"  Then  I  will  ask  the  governor  to  postpone  your  interview  until  to- 
morrow, if  you  desire  it." 

"  By  no  means,"  exclaimed  Fred,  the  last  words  thoroughly  arousing 
him.  "  We  have  not  had  much  rest  for  a  number  of  nights,  but  we  are 
not  so  tired  that  we  cannot  keep  an  appointment.  We  shall  be  ready 
at  the  time  you  state." 

"  Then  in  two  hours'  time  I  will  send  Murden  for  you.  By  the  way," 
the  captain  continued,  in  a  careless  tone,  "  if  there  is  any  thing  I  can 
help  you  to,  command  me." 

We  knew  that  the  captain  alluded  to  our  clothes,  but  we  merely 
shook  our  heads  and  declared  that  we  had  a  full  supply.  He  looked 
incredulous,  but  was  too  polite  to  contradict,  and  was  about  to  depart, 
when  he  suddenly  said,  — 

"By  the  way,  I  don't  suppose  you  have  seen  the  morning  papers? 
Here  are  the  Argus  and  Herald.  You  may  like  to  look  over  them,  as 
they  contain  an  account  of  the  fire,  and  mention  the  gallant  conduct  of 
two  American  gentlemen  who  were  present." 

The  captain  laid  down  the  papers,  and  was  off  without  a  word  of  ex- 
planation. We  felt  that  keen  curiosity  characteristic  of  Americans 
when  they  know  that  their  names  are  in  print,  and  hardly  had  the  sound 
of  the  hoofs  of  the  captain's  horse  died  away  before  we  spread  open 
the  sheets,  and  after  hunting  over  a  column  of  matter  which  related  to 
losses,  with  the  names  of  individuals,  we  came  across  the  following, 
headed, — 

"INCIDENTS.  —  During  the  fire  this  morning,  two  young  men,  whose 
names  are  unknown,  but  whom  we  hope  to  discover  before  our  next 
issue,  made  their  way  to  his  excellency  the  governor,  and  volunteered 
to  take  the  whole  charge  of  the  fire,  and  put  the  two  hitherto  almost 
useless  engines  in  working  order.  After  some  hesitation  on  the  part  of 
his  excellency,  consent  was  given,  and  two  companies  of  a  regiment 
allotted  to  man  the  brakes.  Under  the  direction  of  the  young  men 
the  machines  were  brought  into  action,  and  were  the  means  of  saving 
property  to  a  large  amount.  We  also  hear  it  stated  that  the  same  par- 
tics  organized  the  lines  of  buckets,  although  we  do  not  vouch  for  the 
truth  of  the  statement. 

"  P.  S.  —  Since  writing  the  above,  we  learn  that  the  young  men  are 


136  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

Americans,  and  are  the  same  who  appeared  in  the  procession  yesterday 
afternoon.  They  have  been  engaged  by  the  police  force  for  the  last 
three  weeks  in  hunting  bushrangers.  We  shall  give  the  public  the 
most  reliable  information  to  be  obtained  concerning  them,  and  shall 
issue  an  extra  containing  a  history  of  their  lives  and  adventures,  illus- 
trated with  correct  likenesses.'.' 

"  I  wonder  how  the  editor  expects  to  get  a  history  of  our  lives,  and 
a  correct  likeness  ?  "  laughed  Fred,  laying  down  the  Argus  and  taking 
up  the  Herald. 

The  latter  paper  was  more  disposed  to  glorify  the  governor  and  his 
government  than  ourselves,  and  as  Mr.  Latrobe  was  not  in  great  favor 
with  the  citizens  of  Melbourne  and  the  miners  at  the  time,  an  attempt 
was  made  to  create  some  capital  for  him.  The  article  read  as  fol- 
lows :  — 

"  Our  readers  will  recollect  that  the  lieutenant-governor  promised  the 
miners  that  the  roads  between  the  city  and  Ballarat  should  be  free  of 
robbers  in  less  than  six  months.  Hardly  three  months  have  passed, 
and  we  find  that  his  excellency  has  made  good  his  assertion.  He  has 
taken  the  most  active  measures  to  bring  to  speedy  justice  the  numerous 
gangs  of  bushrangers  who  have  preyed  upon  travellers  and  escorts,  go- 
ing to  and  returning  from  the  mines.  Already  have  two  of  the  most 
formidable  robbers  in  the  country  fallen,  and  with  them  the  destruction 
of  their  followers.  Black  Darnley  and  Jim  Gulpin  are  both  dead. 
They  have  paid  the  penalty  of  their  crimes,  and  the  community  will 
thank  the  government  for  the  active  measures  which  were  taken  to 
bring  about  such  a  result.  Our  police  department  is  now  in  a  better 
state  of  efficiency  than  ever  known  before ;  and  it  is  the  determination, 
we  understand,  of  the  governor  to  increase  its  force  until  he  has 
redeemed  his  pledge,  and  made  Australia  a  law-loving  and  law-abiding 
country. 

"  We  understand  that  the  two  men  whose  dress  and  appearance 
occasioned  so  many  remarks  while  the  procession  was  moving  through 
our  streets  yesterday  afternoon,  are  two  recruits  who  are  to  be  added 
to  the  police  force  with  the  rank  of  sergeants.  They  were  both  born  in 
the  United  States,  but  their  parents  are  English,  and  still  claim  Great 
Britain  as  their  homes.  We  understand  that  they  distinguished  themselves 
gallantly  in  the  conflict  which  ensued  between  the  bushrangers  and  the 
police,  and  for  that  reason  they  are  to  be  rewarded  by  being  taken  into 
our  municipal  force. 

"P.  S.  —  We  understand  that  the  men  mentioned  above  were  very 
active  at  the  fire  this  morning,  and  that  if  any  property  was  saved  by 
their  efforts  the  governor  should  have  the  credit  for  the  same,  for  to 
him  belongs  the  suggestion  of  allowing  the  police  force  to  work  as  fire- 
men, and  also  giving  his  consent  that  the  military  should  have  charge 
of  the  engines.  We  hope  the  citizens  of  Melbourne  will  remember 
these  facts,  and  know  in  what  light  to  regard  the  attacks  made  upon 
his  excellency  by  the  Argus,  whose  editor  left  England  for  causes  which 
have  not  yet  transpired,  although  we  dare  say  that  communications 
addressed  to  the  Home  office  would  be  promptly  answered." 

"  Well,  of  all  the  impudence,"  laughed  Fred.  "  The  puppy  should 
be  whipped  —  and  I've  a  great  mind  to  go  and  do  it." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  137 

"  I  don't  see  any  thing  to  be  enraged  at,"  I  replied,  coolly.  "  Because 
he  says  that  we  are  to  enter  the  police  force,  does  not  make  it  so ;  and 
as  for  the  rest  of  his  remarks,  you  are  too  good  an  American  not  to 
think  highly  of  the  man  for  his  ingenious  effort  to  create  popularity  for 
his  favorite  office-holder." 

Fred  smiled  as  he  thought  of  the  freedom  of  the  press  in  our  coun- 
try, and  I  heard  no  more  about  whipping  the  unfortunate  editor  of  the 
Herald. 

"  Come,"  cried  Smith,  who  had  sat  silent  during  our  reading  of  the 
papers,  "  you  must  be  getting  ready  for  your  visit  to  the  governor.  He 
receives  at  three,  and  dines  about  six." 

"  I  suppose  we  shall  have  to  stop  and  dine  with  him,"  said  Fred,  with 
a  sly  wink  at  me. 

"  You  surely  don't  think  of  such  a  thing  ?  "  demanded  Smith,  with 
horror  depicted  upon  his  face. 

"  Why,  you  don't  pretend  to  say  that  the  governor  is  any  better  than 
us  poor  adventurers  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

Smith  struggled  a  moment  with  his  feelings,  as  though  trying  to  find 
a  suitable  reply  in  which  he  should  not  offend  us,  and  yet  not  outrage 
the  exalted  idea  which  he  entertained  respecting  his  excellency.  At 
length  love  for  us  overcame  his  reverence,  and  he  blubbered  out,  — 

"  Hang  it,  you  know  what  I  mean  —  the  governor  is  placed  in  a  high 
position,  but  I'd  rather  have  a  shake  of  your  hands  than  fifty  men  like 
him.  Don't  talk  to  me  any  more,  but  get  ready  to  visit  him  ;  and  if  he 
don't  ask  you  to  dinner,  all  that  I  can  say  is,  he  don't  know  you  as  well 
as  I  do." 

We  followed  the  advice  of  Smith  without  a  word  of  remonstrance, 
and  in  a  short  time  our  long,  ragged  beards  had  fallen  before  the  sharp 
edges  of  our  razors,  and  after  a  refreshing  bath  in  a  tub,  the  only  bath- 
ing-pan we  could  find  in  the  city,  we  dressed  ourselves  in  our  new 
clothes,  and  once  more  felt  that  clean  linen  was  more  becoming  to  gen- 
tlemen, in  spite  of  its  democracy,  than  blue  flannel. 

For  the  first  time  for  many  months  were  our  limbs  encased  in  broad- 
cloth, and  our  feet  denied  the  privilege  of  an  extended  range  of  sole 
leather.  Smith  surveyed  us,  and  rubbed  his  hands  with  delight.  We 
had  evidently  made  an  impression  upon  him  in  our  new  dresses,  and  to 
tell  the  truth,  we  felt  somewhat  vain  of  it. 

Punctual  to  the  hour,  we  heard  some  one  drive  up  to  the  door,  and 
were  in  a  moment  greeted  by  Murden,  although  at  first  he  did  not  rec- 
ognize the  two  demure  looking  strangers  seated  in  the  room  as  his  late 
companions. 

His  grip  was  none  the  less  hearty,  however,  and  even  while  he  was 
asking  a  half  dozen  different  questions  concerning  us,  he  hurried  us 
along  into  a  vehicle  that  somewhat  resembled  a  chaise,  although  much 
heavier,  and  drawn  by  two  horses. 

The  lieutenant  assumed  the  reins,  and  away  we  rattled,  the  hound 
bounding  by  the  side  of  the  carriage,  and  sometimes  making  playful 
snaps  at  the  horses'  heads,  causing  the  animals  to  swerve  from  the  mid- 
dle of  the  road,  much  to  Murden's  disgust  and  the  dog's  delight. 

"  I  heard  of  your  doings  last  night,"  Murden  said,  as  we  rattled  to- 
wards the  government  house,  causing  people  to  stare  in  astonishment  at 

12* 


138  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OE 

the  recklessness  of  our  pace.  "  You  did  nobly,  I  am  told,  and  those 
blasted  Jews  had  ought  to  come  down  liberally  with  their  dust,  in  the 
shape  of  a  present." 

"  We  were  not  working  in  the  expectation  of  reward,"  Fred  began, 
when  the  lieutenant  cut  him  short. 

"  I  know  all  about  that,  but  if  those  cussed  Jews  are  disposed  to  give 
you  any  thing,  don't  refuse  to  accept  it,  because  it  would  gratify  them 
too  much." 

Before  we  had  an  opportunity  to  enter  into  an  argument,  the  car- 
riage was  driven,  with  much  parade,  up  to  the  door  of  a  substantial, 
freestone  house,  before  which  a  number  of  soldiers  were  keeping  guard, 
as  though  there  was  danger  of  the  governor  being  run  away  with  by 
some  evil-disposed  persons  unless  there  was  a  show  of  force. 

We  were  shown  through  a  long  entry,  or  corridor,  and  ushered  into 
a  reception  room,  plainly  furnished,  and  with  only  one  engraving  hang- 
ing from  the  walls.  It  was  a  likeness  of  the  queen,  in  coronation 
robes,  opening  parliament. 

Half  a  dozen  persons  were  lounging  in  the  room,  awaiting  an  audi- 
ence ;  and  as  we  were  the  last  comers,  of  course  all  eyes  were  directed 
upon  us,  and  we  could  read  an  expression  upon  their  faces,  as  much  as 
to  say,  "  what  in  the  deuse  do  they  want  with  the  governor  ?  " 

Murden  nodded  carelessly  to  those  present,  and  when  one,  more  in- 
quisitive than  his  fellows,  took  him  by  the  button  hole,  and,  in  a  whis- 
per, asked  him  who  we  were,  I  heard  him  say,  in  reply,  — 

"  Hush !  don't  pretend  to  look  at  them,  or  they  will  shoot  you  with- 
out mercy.  They  are  Americans,  and  carry  revolvers  and  bowie  knives 
by  the  dozen." 

The  inquirer,  rather  a  small  sized  man,  after  that  hardly  removed 
his  eyes  from  us,  and  when  word  came  from  the  governor  that  we  were 
to  be  shown  into  his  room,  the  little  fellow  looked  after  us  as  though 
he  never  expected  to  see  such  a  sight  again,  and  was  determined  to  im- 
prove his  opportunity. 

We  mounted  a  flight  of  stairs,  broad  and  imposing,  as  became  a  gov- 
ernor's palace,  and  then  the  servant,  who  had  us  in  charge,  stopped 
before  an  open  door,  at  which  was  stationed  a  man  in  livery.  To  the 
latter  was  given  our  names,  and  in  a  loud  voice  the  fellow  repeated 
them ;  at  the  same  time  he  stood  aside  and  allowed  us  to  pass  into  the 
presence  of  his  excellency,  the  lieutenant-governor. 
•  Mr.  Latrobe  was  standing  near  a  window,  which  overlooked  the 
street,  and  was  conversing  with  Colonel  Hensen,  the  captain  of  police, 
and  a  number  of  other  gentlemen,  whose  faces  we  were  not  acquainted 
with. 

Colonel  Hensen  advanced  to  meet  us  as  we  entered,  and  then,  in  due 
form,  presented  us  to  the  governor. 

"  God  bless  me,"  said  his  excellency,  rubbing  his  hands  as  though  he 
had  caught  cold  the  night  before,  and  he  wished  to  quicken  the  circula- 
tion of  his  blood,  "  God  bless  me,  can  it  be  possible  ?  " 

He  didn't  say  what  it  was  that  surprised  him  so  much,  but  I  gave  a 
shrewd  guess  that  out  change  of  costume  had  improved  our  appearance 
to  such  a  degree  that  we  should  have  been  passed  in  the  street  by  our 
mdst  intimate  friends  unrecognized. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  139 

"  Don't  be  backward  in  making  known  your  wants,"  whispered  the 
colonel,  while  the  governor  was  wringing  his  hands. 

"  Both  of  you,  gentlemen,  are  entitled  to  my  warmest  gratitude  for 
the  zeal  which  you  displayed  last  night,"  the  governor  at  length  said, "  and 
I  embrace  the  present  opportunity  to  thank  you.  God  bless  me,  I  wish 
that  all  of  the  emigrants  who  reach  our  shores  were  of  the  same  stamp. 
We  should  be  more  prosperous  and  happy." 

"  We  trust,  for  the  honor  of  America,  that  all  who  claim  our  coun- 
try as  their  home  will  never  give  your  excellency  cause  of  uneasiness," 
Fred  said,  with  a  slight  bow. 

"  God  bless  me,  I  hope  not,"  echoed  the  governor.  "  But  I  have 
great  cares  on  my  mind,  great  cares ;  and  sometimes  I  think  that  I 
shall  have  to  return  to  old  England,  and  let  some  younger  man  occupy 
my  place." 

The  governor's  suite  maintained  a  profound  silence,  which  struck  us 
as  very  singular ;  but  then  we  did  not  know  that  a  new  ruler  was  on  his 
way  to  Australia,  and  that  the  home  government  had  got  most  heartily 
tired  of  the  vacillating  policy  of  Mr.  Latrobe,  and  that  the  several  gen- 
tlemen who  surrounded  him  were  aware  of  it,  and  were  all  ready  to  pay 
court  to  the  rising  star,  as  soon  as  he  set  foot  ashore  at  Melbourne. 

Finding  that  no  one  replied,  the  governor  slowly  chafed  his  hands, 
and  said,  — 

"  We  owe  you  another  debt  of  gratitude,  I  believe,  for  the  gallantry 
which  prompted  you  to  risk  your  lives,  when  .you  joined  forces  with  our 
police.  You  intimated  that  you  had  some  request  to  make  of  me,  as  a 
reward  for  your  conduct.  Pray,  let  me  hear  what  your  petition  is,  and 
if  it  be  reasonable,  I  will  grant  it." 

For  the  first  time  did  the  governor  seem  to  act  the  part  of  a  ruler. 
He  threw  off,  as  with  a  violent  effort,  all  of  his  shuffling  and  weakness, 
and  stood  before  us  a  man.  Perhaps  the  little  sympathy  which  he  saw 
expressed  upon  the  faces  of  his  suite  was  the  cause  of  his  changing. 

"  If  we  have  been  instrumental  in  freeing  your  roads  of  robbers,"  I 
said,  calmly  and  distinctly,  "  it  is  not  because  we  thirsted  for  the 
blood  of  the  unfortunate  men,  but  simply  from  a  desire  to  pass  to  and 
from  the  mines  without  molestation.  We  do  not,  of  course,  know  in 
what  light  the  captain  of  police  has  reported  our  conduct,  but  there  are 
others  more  deserving  than  ourselves,  and  to  them  should  be  awarded 
all  the  credit,  if,  indeed,  there  is  any  credit  in  resisting  when  attacked." 

"  I  think  that  mention  was  made  concerning  two  convicts  who  had 
displayed  considerable  bravery,  but  it  had  nearly  escaped  my  mind. 
Do  your  remarks  refer  to  them  ?  "  inquired  the  governor. 

"They  do,  sir,"  I  said,  "  and  in  their  behalf  do  we  appear  before  you 
to-day,  knowing  that  your  excellency  will  kindly  consider  all  we  say, 
and  grant  our  petition." 

"  Go  on,  sir,"  said  the  governor,  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  that  was 
full  of  grace  and  dignity. 

"  The  two  convicts  who  were  brought  to  the  notice  of  your  excellency 
fought  with  us  side  by  side,  and  in  one  engagement,  a  band  of  desper- 
ate bushrangers  were  destroyed  before  t,he  police  made  their 
appearance.  Black  Darnley,  the  leader  of  the  gang,  was  killed,  and 
knowing  that  a  large  reward  was  offered  for  his  arrest  or  death,  we 


140  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

thought  your  excellency  would  exercise  your  usual  clemency  and  grant 
the  men  a  free  pardon  for  their  past  offences." 

"  You  know  not  what  you  ask  for,"  said  the  governor,  hastily,  and  1 
thought  impatiently  ;  and  then  in  a  milder  tone  he  continued :  "  I  am  so 
hampered  by  the  home  government  that  I  rarely  interfere  in  such  mat- 
ters, and  would  much  rather  some  other  request  were  preferred." 

"  But  let  your  excellency  consider.  These  men  have  been  on  tickets 
of  leave  for  a  number  of  years,  and  not  a  word  of  complaint  has  been 
received  against  them.  I  believe  that  I  am  justified  in  referring  to  the 
captain  of  police  for  confirmation  of  my  words." 

The  captain  bowed,  and  smiled  at  my  earnestness,  and  I  continued  : 

"  One  of  them,  by  honest  industry,  has  accumulated  a  large  .proper- 
ty, but  the  dreadful  sentence  of  the  court  still  clings  to  him,  and  if  an 
enemy,  actuated  by  the  desire  to  despoil  him  of  his  fortune,  should  pre- 
fer a  complaint,  he  would  be  arrested  and  consigned  to  the  hulks,  to 
die  perhaps  of  a  broken  heart.  That  is  not  the  proper  fate  of  a  gal- 
lant man,  who  has  the  good  of  the  colony  at  heart,  and  is  willing  to 
shed  his  blood  in  its  defence." 

"  Ask  of  me  any  thing  but  the  pardon  of  the  two  persons  you  men- 
tion, and  I  shall  be  most  happy  to  grant  it,"  replied  the  governor,  after 
a  moment's  thought,  and  a  half  irresolute  glance  at  Colonel  Hensen, 
as  though  asking  his  opinion  before  deciding. 

"  We  have  no  other  request  to  make,  may  it  please  your  excellency," 
answered  Fred,  with  dignity.  "  We  came  to  Melbourne  expressly  to  ask 
for  the  men's  pardon,  and  as  it  is  not  granted,  you  will  allow  us  to  take 
our  leave." 

We  bowed  and  stepped  towards  the  door.  The  governor  looked  as- 
tonished at  our  independence,  and  after  a  moment's  whispering  with  hia 
suite,  he  recalled  us. 

"  On  one  condition  will  I  comply  with  your  request,"  he  said,  and  I 
saw  that  the  old  weakness  had  returned  to  his  face,  and  that  he  was  ncr 
longer  the  dignified  executive  officer. 

"  We  await  the  proposition,"  I  said. 

"  Why,  the  fact  is,  I  have  heard  such  good  accounts  of  both  of  you, 
that  I  am  desirous  of  retaining  your  services.  You  are  anxious  for  the 
full  pardon  of  the  two  convicts.  I  will  comply  with  your  request  pro- 
vided you  enter  the  police  service  for  five  years.  The  rank  of  lieuten- 
ants will  be  bestowed  on  both  of  you." 

"  We  are  under  the  necessity  of  declining  your  intended  kindness," 
replied  Fred,  ironically,  "  and  as  we  cannot  obtain  what  we  wish  with- 
out sacrificing  our  independence,  we  again  take  our  leave." 

I  saw  a  smile  of  satisfaction  beam  on  the  face  of  the  colonel,  and  I 
knew  that  our  course  met  his  approval. 

"  God  bless  me,  what  do  they  want  ?  "  asked  the  governor,  in  an  ago- 
ny of  irresolution,  appealing  to  the  colonel. 

"  They  ask  for  no  more  than  what  your  excellency  should  grant," 
replied  the  colonel,  bluntly. 

"  But  suppose  the  convicts  should  commit  fresh  crimes  after  I  have 
pardoned  them  ?  "  asked  the  governor.  "  What  would  the  home  office 
nay?" 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  141 

"  Point  to  the  good  which  the  men  have  done,  and  see  if  it  does  not 
•utweigh  heavy  faults,"  replied  the  colonel. 

"  You  are  right,  and  the  petition  of  the  young  men  is  granted.  Call 
to-morrow  at  the  office  of  the  secretary,  and  obtain  the  documents ;  at 
the  same  time  let  me  inform  you  that  if  the  home  office  does  not  con- 
cur in  my  decision,  the  pardons  are  void.  I  do  not  anticipate  any  seri- 
ous objections,  however,  when  I  state  the  reasons  which  have  governed 
my  conduct." 

We  thanked  his  excellency  in  suitable  terms,  and  were  about  turning 
away,  when  an  almost  imperceptible  movement  on  the  part  of  Colonel 
Hensen  claimed  our  attention.  Slight  as  it  was,  we  understood  him, 
and  determined  to  strike  while  the  iron  was  hot. 

"  We  do  not  wish  to  give  your  excellency  unnecessary  trouble,  but  if 
you  would  instruct  your  secretary  to  furnish  the  pardons  this  afternoon, 
we  know  of  one  man  who  will  receive  it  as  the  greatest  birthday  pres- 
ent that  can  be  given  him." 

"  God  bless  me,  is  that  the  case  ?  "  cried  the  governor. 

We  repeated  our  statement  that  Smith's  birthday  would  be  celebrated 
in  a  becoming  manner,  if  his  excellency  was  disposed  to  be  lenient. 

"  Then  God  forbid  that  I  should  be  the  cause  of  any  one's  unhappi- 
ness.  Mr.  Secretary,  prepare  the  documents,  and  I  will  sign  them  im- 
mediately." 

The  governor  had  hardly  ceased  before  the  gentleman  referred  to 
had  left  the  room.  While  he  was  absent  a  number  of  questions  was 
asked  us  concerning  our  country,  and  I  think  a  few  of  our  replies  sur- 
prised not  only  Mr.  Latrobe,  but  the  staff'  which  surrounded  him. 

"  God  bless  me !  it's  marvellous  to  think  of.  The  Americans  are  a 
great  people,  there's  no  denying  it,  and  I  think  in  time  will  even  equal 
the  parent  country." 

We  did  not  enter  into  any  argument  with  those  present  concerning 
the  relative  strength  of  the  two  nations,  but  just  as  a  question  was  ad- 
dressed to  us  regarding  our  navy,  the  secretary  returned  and  handed 
two  papers  to  the  governor,  who,  after  a  brief  glance  at  their  contents, 
affixed  his  signature,  and  handed  the  documents  to  us. 

"There,  I  have  gratified  you,  young  gentlemen,  and  now  I  request  a 
return  for  my  kindness,"  said  the  governor,  smiling. 

"  Any  thing  that  your  excellency  may  wish,"  stammered  Fred,  hardly 
knowing  what  was  coming. 

"  I  wish  both  of  you  to  stop  and  dine  with  me  to-day,  and  if  you  re- 
fuse, never  ask  me  for  another  pardon." 

The  governor  smiled  good-humoredly  as  we  hesitated,  and  before  we 
knew  how  to  frame  an  excuse  we  were  moving  towards  the  dining-room 
arm-in-arm  with  Colonel  Hensen  and  the  captain  of  police. 

That  dinner  will  long  live  in  my  memory,  not  only  for  the  good  cheer, 
to  which  we  had  long  been  strangei-s,  but  for  the  social  manner  in  which 
we  were  treated  by  the  governor  and  his  guests. 

Even  the  hound,  who  had  received  a  large  share  of  attention,  was 
permitted  to  enter  the  dining-room,  and  by  the  manner  in  which  his 
eyes  glistened  I  thought  he  appeared  to  enjoy  himself  as  well  as  the 
rest  of  the  company. 


142  LITE  IN   AUSTRALIA,  OB 

CHAPTER    XX. 

DUEL  BETWEEN  FEED  AND  AN  ENGLISH  LIEUTENANT. 

EVEN  at  this  distant  day,  I  think  that  I  have  a  faint  recollection  of 
walking  through  the  streets  of  Melbourne  at  a  late  hour  on  the  after- 
noon that  we  dined  with  the  governor  —  and  I  also  think  that  we  were 
escorted  to  our  home  by  Colonel  Hensen,  and  a  number  of  other  gen- 
tlemen, although  who  they  were  I  have  not  the  slightest  recollection. 

It  was  a  late  hour  the  next  morning,  when  we  awoke  with  aching 
heads  and  parched  throats.  Our  faithful  friend,  Smith,  was  stirring,  and 
by  the  aroma  we  knew  that  a  strong  dish  of  coffee  had  been  prepared 
by  his  hands,  and  that  it  awaited  us  as  soon  as  we  rose  —  an  act 
which  we  had  no  inclination  to  do  ;  but  a  sight  of  his  sorrowful  face  aa 
he  spread  the  table,  made  me  alter  my  mind. 

I  slipped  on  my  clothes,  and  bathed  my  heated  head  in  cool  water 
just  taken  from  the  river,  and  felt  refreshed  by  the  operation  ;  and  by 
the  time  Fred  had  gone  through  with  the  same  process,  breakfast  was 
pronounced  ready,  and  down  to  it  we  sat  with  but  scant  appetites. 

"  What  have  you  got  such  a  long  face  on  for  this  morning  ?  "  I  asked 
of  the  stockman,  who  hardly  raised  his  eyes  while  he  was  drinking  his 
coffee. 

"  Can  you  ask  ?  "  he  replied,  looking  up,  and  I  saw  by  the  expression 
of  his  face  that  he  had  not  slept  during  the  night. 

"  Can  I  ask  ?  "  I  repeated,  "  to  be  sure  I  can.  We  got  a  little  out  of 
the  way  last  night,  but  the  circumstance  is  too  common  to  provoke  re- 
mark in  Australia." 

"  Ah,  it  was  not  that  I  was  thinking  about.  I  was  considering  how 
unkind  the  governor  has  treated  me,  in  not  granting  me  freedom  after 
so  many  years  of  good  conduct,"  replied  Smith. 

"  O,  is  that  all  ?  "  I  cried,  with  an  appearance  of  indifference.  "  I 
thought  you  were  sick,  or  had  heard  some  bad  news." 

I  saw  the  poor  fellow's  face  flush  at  my  apparently  unkind  speech, 
and  I  saw  an  expression  of  surprise  in  his  blue  eyes  which  cut  me  to 
the  heart.  I  sprang  from  the  table,  and  taking  from  my  coat  pocket 
the  two  pardons,  laid  them  before  him  without  a  word  of  remark. 

His  eyes  were,  the  instant  he  read  his  name,  blinded  with  tears.  He 
laid  his  head  upon  the  table,  and  wept  long  and  bitterly  without  speak- 
ing,  and  his  stout  frame  shook  with  the  violence  of  his  emotion.  We 
suffered  him  to  continue  without  interruption  ;  but  when  he  did  look 
up,  he  grasped  our  hands,  and  pressed  them  convulsively,  muttering,  — . 

"  At  length,  O,  at  length,  I'm  a  free  man,  and  no  longer  subject  to  a 
keeper's  nod.  I  can  call  my  soul  and  body  my  own  property,  and  look 
a  policeman  in  the  face  without  trembling.  Ah,  blessed  liberty,  how 
much  I  have  longed  for  thee ! " 

He  kissed  the  pardon  —  he  kissed  his  name,  which  was  written  in  a 
bold  hand  on  the  document  —  and  then  pressed  to  his  lips  the  signature 
of  the  governor. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  143 

"  Do  you  now  feel  truly  happy  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  I  feel  so  joyous  that  there  is  nothing  on  earth  which  I  crave,"  replied 
Smith. 

"  Then  we  may  ask  you  to  lend  us  your  aid  before  many  days,  and  I 
hope  that  you  will  not  refuse." 

"  Me  refuse  ?  Ask  of  me  the  most  difficult  task  and  I  will  do  it ; 
for  to  you  do  I  owe  freedom,"  cried  our  friend,  enthusiastically. 

Fred  was  about  to  confide  to  him  the  secret  of  the  buried  treasure, 
and  solicit  his  aid,  when  we  were  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  a  stran- 
ger, dressed  in  the  uniform  of  an  English  officer. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  sirs,"  he  said,  glancing  around  the  hut  with  a 
slightly  supercilious  air  at  the  want  of  comfort  which  was  plainly  mani- 
fest, "  but  I  think  I  have  entered  the  wrong  house." 

"  We  cannot  tell  whether  you  have  or  not,  until  we  know  what  your 
business  is,"  replied  Fred. 

"  My  business  has  reference  to  two  gentlemen  who  dined  with  the 
governor  yesterday,  and  were  conspicuous  at  the  fire  night  before  last," 
replied  the  officer,  who  was  a  young  man,  and  of  prepossessing  appear- 
ance. 

"  Then  it  is  very  probable  we  are  the  parties,"  said  Fred,  carelessly. 
"  We  dined  with  the  governor  yesterday,  and  we  did  something  to- 
wards extinguishing  the  fire  on  Collins  Street  night  before  last." 

"  One  other  question,  gentlemen,  and  I  shall  be  certain.  Are  you 
Americans  ?  "  demanded  the  officer. 

"  We  claim  the  United  States  as  our  home,  and  to  the  best  of  our 
belief,  we  were  born  there,"  I  answered,  wondering  what  the  fellow  was 
driving  at. 

"  Then  you  will  excuse  me  for  the  disagreeable  duty  which  I  have 
taken  upon  myself.  Night  before  last  one  of  you  gentlemen  addressed 
words  of  an  insulting  nature  to  a  brother  officer.  As  long  as  he 
thought  you  were  beneath  the  rank  of  gentlemen  he  did  not  choose  to 
notice  them,  but  the  governor  having  recognized  you  as  an  equal,  my 
friend  feels  that  he  can  safely  demand  satisfaction,  or  an  ample  apology 
for  your  remark." 

"  Why,"  said  Fred,  with  a  soft  smile,  "  this  looks  to  me  like  a  chal- 
lenge." 

"  It  is  one,"  replied  the  Englishman. 

"  4uid  I  am  expected  to  retract  the  words  which  I  uttered,  or  be 
shot  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  If  you  are  the  gentleman  who  uttered  them,  I  must  reply,  yes,"  an- 
swered the  officer. 

"Well,  upon  my  word,  I  hardly  know  what  I  did  say,"  cried  Fred. 
"  Do  you  recollect  ?  "  he  added,  appealing  to  me. 

I  shook  my  head,  and  remained  silent.  I  was  thinking  of  the  dan- 
ger my  friend  was  in,  and  wondering  how  I  could  get  him  out  of  it. 

"  I  think  that  my  friend  had  the  hilt  of  his  sword  in  his  mouth,  and 
your  allusion  was  to  the  infantile  instinct  which  prompted  him  to  do  so," 
replied  the  officer,  looking  red  in  the  face. 

"  O,"  laughed  Fred,  "did  the  youngster  take  offence  at  my  words? 
Tell  him  that  hereafter  I  will  swear  that  he  was  brought  up  on  a  bottle." 

"  This  is  no  apology,  sir,"  cried  the  officer,  inclined  to  laugh. 


144  LIFE    IN    AU8TEALIA,   OB 

"  Isn't  it  ?  Well,  it's  all  that  I  am  disposed  to  give,  at  present; "  and 
Fred  helped  himself  to  a  fresh  cup  of  coffee. 

"  By  the  way,"  I  continued,  "  perhaps  you  have  not  been  to  break- 
fast. Pray  be  seated,  and  have  a  dish  of  coffee." 

The  officer  hesitated  for  a  moment,  but  thinking,  perhaps,  that  he 
could  best  arrange  the  affair  while  sipping  coffee,  he  finally  took  his 
seat  upon  an  old  box,  while  Smith  helped  him  to  a  cracked  cup  minus 
a  saucer. 

"  Then  there  is  no  way  of  arranging  this  little  affair,  is  there  ?  "  asked 
the  officer,  whom  we  now  understood  was  Lieutenant  Merriam. 

"  O,  yes,  there  are  half  a  dozen  ways,"  replied  Fred,  coolly.  "  In  the 
first  place,  your  friend  can  withdraw  his  challenge " 

"  Never  !  "  exclaimed  the  officer,  firmly.  "  We  feel  too  deeply  in- 
jured." 

"  And  in  the  next  place,  I  can  refuse  to  accept  it,"  Fred  continued, 
without  noticing  the  interruption. 

"  But  you  will  apologize,"  cried  Merriam,  eagerly.  "  Say  that  you 
will  do  that,  and  I  will  take  my  leave." 

"  Then  I  shall  do  no  such  thing,  for  we  are  not  often  forced  into  the 
company  of  her  majesty's  officers,  and  we  wish  to  improve  the  acquaint- 
ance." 

The  lieutenant  looked  at  Fred  as  though  mentally  calculating  what 
kind  of  a  man  he  was,  but  in  spite  of  his  dignity  and  bold  face,  he 
smiled,  and  held  out  his  cup  for  more  coffee. 

"  Then  I  suppose  that  you  will  refer  me  to  a  friend  with  whom  I  can 
consult,  and  settle  all  preliminary  arrangements  ?  "  inquired  the  officer. 

"  Tell  me,"  asked  Fred,  for  the  first  time  looking  serious,  "  is  your 
friend  really  in  earnest  in  this  matter  ?  " 

"  I  have  to  inform  you  that  he  is,  sir ;  and  that,  as  his  friend,  I  have 
promised  to  see  him  through  the  affair  with  honor,"  our  visitor  replied. 

"  Then  I  will  gratify  his  fighting  propensities,  as  I  do  not  feel  disposed 
to  retract  words  which,  under  the  circumstances,  he  should  have  con- 
sidered as  harmless.  Jack,  my  boy,"  Fred  said,  turning  to  me,  "  will 
you  settle  with  this  gentleman  when  the  affair  shall  come  off,  and  act 
by  me  the  part  of  a  friend  ?  " 

I  knew  the  nature  of  the  man  too  well  to  try  and  dissuade  him  from 
the  duel  —  the  most  that  I  could  do  was  to  stand  by  him  and  endeavor 
to  turn  every  thing  to  his  advantage.  I  gave  him  the  promise  he  re- 
quired, when  turning  to  Smith,  who  had  sat  at  the  table  a  patient  lis- 
tener, during  the  whole  conversation,  Fred  said  - — 

"  Come,  Smith,  you  and  I  will  visit  the  scene  of  the  fire,  and  leave 
them  together." 

" Now  to  business,"  the  lieutenant  said.  "You  are  the  challenged 
party,  and  have  the  right  to  choose  weapons.  I  have  a  beautiful  pair 
of  pistols  at  the  barracks,  which  I  wish  you  would  make  choice  of. 
You  will  fall  in  love  with  them  at  the  first  sight." 

"  Very  probable,"  I  replied,  coolly ;  "  but  if  pistols  are  to  settle  the 
quarrel,  I  have  a  pair  of  Colt's  revolvers  which  I  know  will  command 
your  admiration.  Here  are  the  two  instruments,"  and,  as  I  spoke,  I 
laid  them  on  the  table. 

"  A  murderous  looking  weapon,  and  not  suited  for  the  use  of  gentle- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  145 

men  at  ten  paces,"  Merriam  said,  handling  the  revolvers  with  great  re- 
spect. 

"  So  I  thought,"  I  replied  composedly,  "  and  have  resolved  to  have 
nothing  to  do  with  pistols  of  any  kind.  They  are  an  unsatisfactory 
weapon,  and  a  man  has  got  to  be  a  good  shot  to  put  a  ball  just  where 
he  pleases  at  ten  paces." 

"  Ah,  then  you  have  concluded  to  try  the  sword  ?  A  more  gen- 
tlemanly weapon  it  would  be  hard  to  find.  Let  swords  decide  it, 
then." 

I  saw  a  glow  of  satisfaction  upon  the  face  of  the  lieutenant,  and  I 
knew  that  his  principal  was  an  adept  in  the  use  of  the  sword  as  well 
as  though  he  had  told  me  in  so  many  words. 

.  "  I  cannot  make  choice  of  the  sword,"  I  replied,  "  because  my  friend 
does  not  understand  its  use,  and  therefore  the  advantage  would  be  all 
on  your  side." 

"Then  pray  name  what  weapon  you  will  fight  with,"  Merriam  said, 
impatiently. 

"  This  is  the  weapon  we  will  use,"  I  replied,  producing,  to  the  aston- 
ishment of  the  officer,  my  three  foot  six  inch  barrel  rifle,  which,  during 
our  absence  the  day  before,  Smith  had  cleaned  and  polished  up  thor- 
oughly. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  he  asked,  astonished. 

"  This,"  I  replied,  "  is  an  American  rifle,  and  a  very  good  one  it  is,  I 
assure  you." 

"  But  we  cannot  fight  with  only  one,  and  unless  another  is  produced 
precisely  like  it,  some  other  weapon  will  have  to  be  resorted  to,"  cried 
the  officer,  with  a  slight  expression  of  joy. 

"I  am  aware  of  that,"  I  replied  coolly,  and  to  his  astonishment  I  pre- 
sented him  with  a  fac-simile  of  the  first. 

"  These  rifles,"  I  remarked,  "  were  both  made  by  the  same  person, 
and  he  was  instructed  to  manufacture  them  without  a  shade  of  differ- 
ence in  regard  to  size  or  weight.  The  only  method  we  have  of  telling 
them  apart  is  to  consult  the  stocks,  where  our  names  are  engraved. 
Examine  them  attentively,  and  then  select  whichever  you  please.  One 
is  as  good  as  the  other,  and  each  carries  well." 

The  Englishman  stared  at  the  rifles  with  a  countenance  blank  with 
dismay.  They  were  weapons  which  he  was  entirely  unacquainted  with, 
and  he  felt  that  the  safety  of  his  principal  demanded  a  remonstrance 
against  their  use. 

"  I  object  to  the  use  of  rifles,"  he  said,  at  length,  firmly  and  decided- 
ly. "  My  friend  is  entirely  unacquainted  with  these  kind  of  weapons, 
and  it  would  be  madness  on  his  part  to  go  to  the  field  with  such  odds 
against  him." 

I  listened  calmly,  and  with  my  mind  unchanged.  I  knew  that  Fred's 
safety  depended  upon  my  selection,  and  inwardly  vowed  that  if  he  had 
got  to  fight,  he  should  settle  the  difficulty  with  his  own  weapons. 

"  This  quarrel,"  I  remarked,  "  is  not  of  our  seeking.  A  few  words 
were  spoken  in  jest  by  my  friend,  and  as  soon  as  spoken  were  forgot- 
ten ;  and  it  is  probable  that  even  now  we  should  not  remember  the  man 
we  insulted.  If  my  friend  has  got  to  fight,  he  shall  be  placed  upon  an 
equality  with  his  adversary." 

13 


146  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  But  I  do  not  call  this  equality,"  echoed  the  lieutenant,  gazing  with 
looks  of  dismay  at  the  rifles. 

"  Neither  do  I  feel  disposed  to  risk  my  friend's  life  with  swords,  a 
weapon  which  he  knows  nothing  of,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  perhaps  we  had  better  settle  the  matter  satisfactorily  with- 
out fighting,"  Mr.  Merriam  said. 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  I  cried,  with  alacrity.  "  I  will  meet  you  half 
way  in  any  scheme  of  pacification." 

"  Then  let  your  friend  say  that  he  is  sorry  for  using  the  words,  and 
send  a  note  to  that  effect  to  my  principal." 

"  We  can't  do  that,"  I  replied,  after  a  moment's  thought.  "  But  I 
will  tell  you  what  we  will  do.  We  will  say  that  during  all  our  travels 
we  never  saw  a  man  who  could  suck  a  sword  hilt  so  gracefully  as  your 
friend." 

"  Pshaw,"  cried  the  Englishman  with  a  grim  smile,  "  don't  let  us  trifle 
over  the  matter,  it  is  too  serious." 

"  I  know  that,  and  it's  the  very  reason  why  I  wish  to  settle  the  quar- 
rel without  bloodshed,"  I  answered. 

"  Then  you  decline  to  apologize  ?  "  inquired  Merriam,  after  a  short 
pause,  during  which  he  helped  himself  to  another  cup  of  cotfee. 

"  Only  on  the  grounds  which  I  have  stated,"  I  answered. 

"  And  you  still  insist  upon  rifles  being  used  ?  "  continued  he. 

"  A  just  regard  which  I  have  for  my  friend  compels  me  to  say  that  I 
cannot  conscientiously  consent  to  use  any  other  weapon.  At  the  same 
time  I  protest  against  being  called  to  the  field  for  a  few  words  spoken 
in  jest." 

The  Englishman  slowly  sipped  his  coffee  and  remained  deep  in 
thought,  as  though  there  was  some  matter  on  his  mind  in  which  he 
wished  enlightenment,  yet  feared  to  broach  the  subject.  At  length  he 
showed  his  hand,  and  I  saw  his  move. 

"  The  rifle  is  extensively  used  in  America,  I  believe,"  Merriam  said, 
carelessly. 

"  In  some  sections  of  the  country  it  is  a  favorite  weapon,"  I  replied. 

"  I  have  heard  much  of  the  rifle  shooting  in  the  United  States,  and 
have  often  longed  to  witness  a  specimen  of  the  skill  of  its  marksmen. 
Has  your  friend  seen  much  service  with  that  weapon  ?  " 

"  He  has  lived  in  a  city  since  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,"  I  replied, 
evasively,  "  and  in  cities  there  is  not  much  chance  to  practise." 

"  Then  he  is  not  a  skilful  marksman  ?  "  cried  Merriam,  eagerly. 

"  He  is  fair,"  I  replied.  "  In  Vermont  he  would  be  called  only  a 
third-rate  marksman." 

"  And  pray,  may  I  ask  what  you  call  a  first  class  marksman  ?  " 

"  A  good  rifle  shot  is  a  man  who  can  hit  a  shilling  piece  five  times 
out  of  six,  standing  at  a  distance  which  requires  a  telescope  to  see  the 
money." 

"  And  what  is  a  third-class  marksman  ?  "  asked  the  lieutenant,  in  dis- 
may. 

"  He  can  hit  the  same  only  twice  out  of  six  times,"  I  replied,  compos- 
edly. 

"  The  devil ! "  I  heard  my  visitor  mutter,  between  his  teeth ;  but  he 
was  too  much  of  an  Englishman  to  retreat,  and  I  fancied  that  he  grew 


A  GOO)  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  147 

more  and  more  determined  when  he  learned  that  the  odds  were  against 
him. 

"  The  only  matter  that  now  remains  unsettled,"  the  lieutenant  said, 
"  is  when  the  affair  is  to  come  off.  What  time  do  you  think  you  shall 
be  at  leisure  ?  " 

"At  any  hour  that  suits  your  convenience." 

"  Would  to-morrow  morning  be  too  soon  ?  "  hinted  the  officer. 

"  That  time  is  as  well  as  at  a  later  period." 

"  And  the  distance  ?  We  must  not  talk  about  feet,  but  how  many 
rods  our  friends  are  to  be  placed  apart  ?  "  Merriam  said. 

"  I  have  given  the  subject  a  moment's  consideration,"  I  replied, 
"  and  think  that  ten  rods  will  be  better  for  your  friend  than  double  that 
distance." 

"  I  shall  certainly  venture  to  disagree  with  you  on  that  point,"  replied 
the  lieutenant.  "  I  think  that  twenty  rods  is  full  near  enough." 

"  Why,  they  will  hardly  be  able  to  distinguish  each  other  so  far 
apart,"  I  said ;  "  but  you  shall  have  it  as  you  wish." 

"  Thank  you.  Then  nothing  farther  remains  but  to  point  out  a  very 
beautiful  spot  where  the  business  can  be  settled  in  the  most  amicable 
manner.  If  you  will  step  to  the  door  I  think  I  can  show  you  the  field, 
with  not  a  tree  or  hill  that  can  line  either  party  on  ground.  Ah,  yes, 
there  it  is,  away  to  the  right  after  passing  the  end  of  the  road, 
and  beyond  the  white  fence.  Do  you  see  it  ?  " 

I  nodded  in  the  affirmative. 

"  Well,  say  five  in  the  morning  to  be  on  the  ground.  Does  that  suit 
your  convenience  ?  " 

"  Perfectly." 

"  Then  good-by.  By  the  way,  may  I  ask  you  to  bring  the  rifles  to  the 
ground  ?  I  am  sorry  to  trouble  you,  but  in  the  case  you  know " 

"  I  understand.  Be  under  no  concern  ;  I  will  see  that  the  guns  are 
in  good  condition,  and  ready  for  your  loading." 

"  Thank  you.  Another  request  I  have  to  make.  May  I  ask  that 
you  will  not  bring  a  surgeon  on  the  ground,  but  trust  to  the  regimental 
one  whom  we  shall  have  present.  You  are  strangers,  and  by  express- 
ing a  desire  for  a  doctor,  might  communicate  an  alarm  to  the  police, 
which  would  have  a  tendency  to  postpone  the  meeting." 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  suggestion,  sir,"  I  answered,  "  and  will  do  as 
you  request ;  although  I  frankly  tell  you,  thut  I  hope  there  will  be  no 
occasion  for  a  surgeon  to  exercise  his  duties." 

"  The  affair  has  gone  too  far  to  be  stopped  without  blood-letting,  I 
think,"  replied  Merriam,  shaking  his  head,  "  although  with  some  men  I 
should  not  yet  give  up  all  hope  of  a  pacification." 

He  shook  me  warmly  by  the  hand  as  he  took  his  departure,  and  I 
was  left  alone  to  meditate  on  the  disagreeable  duty  which  I  had  assumed 
for  my  best  friend.  I  little  thought,  at  the  time  I  was  so  calmly  mak- 
ing the  arrangements  for  the  duel,  that  his  adversary,  Lieutenant  Wat- 
tles, had  already  killed  two  men,  in  spite  of  his  youth,  and  that  a  more 
determined  duellist  did  not  exist  on  the  island. 

I  had  just  mixed  a  strong  glass  of  punch,  and  was  about  to  raise  it 
to  my  lips,  for  the  purpose  of  looking  cheerful  when  Fred  returned, 
*hen  I  heard  his  voice. 


148  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  Ah,  that  is  stealing  a  m^rch  on  us,  old  boy,"  he  shouted,  pleasantly. 
"  Here  have  we  been  parading  the  dusty  streets  of  Melbourne,  and  my 
eyes,  ears,  and  mouth  are  fed  with  dirt  and  cobble  stones.  However, 
we  saw  nothing  of  the  city,  for  such  clouds  of  dust  filled  the  air  that 
we  had  to  hire  a  boy  with  a  lantern  to  lead  us  home.  Hand  me  the 
bottle,  for  I'm  famished  for  vant  of  a  drink." 

While  he  was  filling  his  glass,  he  ran  on,  talking  about  half  a  dozen 
subjects,  and  it  was  not  until  Smith  asked  the  result  of  the  interview, 
that  he  would  be  quiet  enough  to  listen  to  my  communication. 

"  I  have  arranged  every  thing,"  I  said.  "  We  are  to  use  the  rifles, 
and  meet  to-morrow  mornir^  early." 

"  And  did  you  make  no  attempts  at  a  reconciliation  ?  "  demanded 
Smith,  reproachfully. 

"  Don't  answer  that  ques^on,  Jack,"  Fred  said,  seriously.  "  I  placed 
my  life  and  honor  in  your  hands,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  you  dealt  with 
me  as  though  I  were  a  brother." 

I  grasped  his  extended  hand,  and  for  a  few  moments  we  sat  thus, 
without  exchanging  a  word,  both  buried  in  thought  and  conjuring  up 
reminiscences  of  the  past,  "hen  a  few  months  before  we  had  left  Bos- 
ton to  search  for  gold  in  California,  and  then,  actuated  by  a  spirit  of 
adventure,  had  emigrated  to  Australia,  still  cherishing  the  hope  of  re- 
turning home  with  riches  ana  with  honor. 

"  I  shall  write  a  few  letters  to-day,  Jack,"  Fred  said,  at  length.  "  One 
of  them  will  be  addressed  t"  you,  and  if  any  thing  should  happen  you 
will  find  full  directions  how  to  dispose  of  the  few  things  which  I  own." 

"  Let  me  meet  the  man,"  blubbered  Smith.  "  I'm  of  no  account, 
and  if  killed,  shan't  be  mic:ed,  while  both  of  you  have  something  to 
live  for." 

"  It  cannot  be,"  replied  Fred.  "  I  insulted  the  gentleman,  and  to  me 
alone  does  he  look  for  redress.  God  knows  I  do  not  desire  the  man's 
blood,  and  still  hope  that  I  shall  not  be  forced  to  spill  it." 

"  At  least  promise  that  I  may  accompany  you  to  the  field  ? " 
Smith  said. 

His  request  was  readily  complied  with ;  but  all  day  long  Smith  s  face 
seemed  as  though  he  had  lo  '.;  his  only  friends. 

The  day  wore  away  slowly.  We  dined  with  Murden,  and  chatted 
gayly  about  old  times,  and  congratulated  him  on  an  addition  which  had 
been  made  to  his  pay,  owin,.,  to  the  capture  of  bushrangers  which  had 
been  effected  by  his  command.  We  hardly  touched  our  lips  to  the 
wine  which  he  freely  circulated  ;  and  at  an  early  hour  took  our  leave, 
much  to  his  surprise,  and  without  his  suspecting  the  business  which 
was  to  occupy  our  attention  in  the  morning. 

We  went  to  bed  early,  leering  Smith  to  wake  us  at  a  suitable  hour 
in  the  morning,  which  he  promised  to  do,  as  he  declared  he  felt  too  ner- 
vous to  sleep.  Sure  enough,  daylight  was  just  stealing  along  the  east- 
ern horizon  when  we  were  ct^ied  and  found  a  steaming  pot  of  hot  coffee 
upon  the  table,  which  the  careful  stockman  had  prepared  for  us  previ- 
ous to  our  leaving  for  the  field. 

We  drank  our  coffee  in  so^mn  silence,  and  then  started  for  the  ren- 
dezvous, Smith  carrying  the  rifles  and  ammunition,  and  uttering  com- 
ments at  every  step  at  the  folly  of  our  proceedings.  Just  as  we  locked 


*  A   GOLD    HUNTER'S   ADVENTURES.  149 

the  dcor,  the  old  cracked  bell  upon  the  church,  near  the  villa  of  our 
friend,  struck  the  hour  of  four.     Finding  that  we  had  plenty  of  time, 
we  walked  along  quite  leisurely,  meeting  _nly  a  few  people,  and  those 
longshoremen,  who  were  hurrying  to  their  work  on  the  quays,  and  fear-  ' 
ful  of  being  late. 

No  one  paid  any  attention  to  us,  for  tl,3  carrying  of  arms  in  Mel- 
bourne was  common  in  those  days ;  and  so  without  remark  we  gained  the 
crossing,  and  then  continuing  on  for  a  shc"*t  distance,  entered  an  open 
space,  far  enough  from  the  road  to  escape  observation,  and  there 
awaited  our  adversaries. 

We  did  not  have  to  wait  long.  A  carriage  containing  three  persons 
stopped  within  gunshot  of  where  we  stood,  and  presently  we  saw  Mer- 
riam  and  his  friend,  and  a  short,  fat  gentleman  in  an  undress  uniform, 
carrrying  a  small  box  under  his  arm,  advar.  -e  towards  us. 

Lieutenants  Wattles  and  Merriam  were  smoking,  and  appeared  per- 
fectly cool  and  unconcerned  regarding  the  result.  We  heard  the  old 
gentleman,  whom  we  presumed  to  be  th^  surgeon,  remonstrating  at 
something  that  did  not  appear  to  please  him,  and  from  what  we  could 
overhear,  we  found  that  he  disapproved  of  fhe  use  of  cigars  at  so  early 
an  hour  in  the  morning. 

"  Ah,  the  divil,  smile,  will  ye,  at  what  I  say,  but  it's  poor  Harris,  of 
the  thirty-sixth,  who  had  cause  to  regret  i^  A  finer  officer  the  queen 
never  had ;  and  yqt  he  would  disarrange  his  nerves  by  the  use  of  tobac- 
co at  an  early  hour  in  the  morning,  and  what  was  the  consequence  ? 
Killed  at  ten  paces  by  a  fellow  who  hardly  c .  er  saw  a  pistol  before.  Its 
truth  I'm  spaking,  and  ye  well  know  it." 

The  doctor's  companions  did  not  pay  much  attention  to  his  remarks, 
for  they  continued  to  smoke  perfectly  unconcerned,  and  while  they  were 
advancing  slowly  towards  us  we  could  hear  the  Irish  surgeon  lecturing 
them  for  their  want  of  generalship. 

"  It's  a  pretty  mess  ye're  in  now,  and  the  uevil  thank  ye.  The  young 
fellows  are  on  the  ground  afore  us,  and  that  don't  Ipok  like  fear,  and  by 
the  same  token,  they  have  got  their  muHerous-looking  instruments 
with  them.  Bad  luck  to  it,  couldn't  ye  manage  somewhat  differently 
than  to  want  to  fight  two  Americans,  who  were  born  wid  rifles  in  their 
hands." 

Wattles  made  a  reply,  but  it  was  too  low  and  indistinct  for  us  to 
hear,  and  the  next  moment  the  party  were  within  speaking  distance. 

The  principals  raised  their  caps  and  tuon  walked  one  side,  while 
Merriam  and  myself  shook  hands,  and  then  I  was  introduced  to  the 
surgeon,  Doctor  Michael  O'Haraty,  a  genuine  specimen  of  an  Irish  gen- 
tleman. 

"  We  arranged  the  distance  yesterday,  and  there  is  nothing  to  be 
settled  but  who  shall  give  the  word,"  Merr?  m  said. 

"  Don't  let  that  bother  your  brains,  for  I'll  do  that  without  the  ask- 
ing. Ah,  it's  many  a  signal  I've  given,  and  sometimes  they've  bin  fatal 
ones,  too,"  the  doctor  said. 

I  agreed  to  that,  and  then  calling  Smith,  I  desired  Merriam  to  make 
choice  of  the  rifle  which  he  liked  best.  H^  was  some  time  selecting, 
but  at  length  hit  upon  mine,  thus  leaving  Fred  at  liberty  to  use  his  own 
weapon. 

13* 


150  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OK 

"  I  use  the  same  size  balls  that  you  do,"  I  said,  selecting  one  from 
some  half  a  dozen  that  Smith  held  in  his  hand. 

I  carefully  loaded  Fred's  rifle,  and  offered  to  assist  Merriam,  but  he 
declined ;  and  even  when  I  told  him  that  he  had  got  a  third  more  pow- 
der than  was  necessary,  he  did  not  heed  my  advice,  and  perhaps  I  was 
glad  that  he  did  not. 

"  Now,  thin,"  cried  the  doctor,  "  do  you  take  hold  of  this  tape  line, 
my  man,  and  we'll  measure  off  twenty  rods  in  a  jiffey." 

Smith,  who  was  appealed  to,  did  as  he  was  directed,  and  in  a  short 
time  we  had  our  men  stationed  and  waiting  for  a  signal  which  I  longed 
for,  yet  dreaded. 

Fred  looked  a  shade  paler,  but  he  was  as  firm  as  a  rock ;  and  when  I 
shook  hands  with 'him  and  handed  him  his  rifle,  I  could  not  discover  the 
least  tremor  of  nerves,  or  any  unusual  agitation. 

"  If  I  should  fall,"  Fred  said,  once  more  shaking  me  by  the  hand, 
"  you  will  find  in  the  letter  which  is  directed  to  you,  full  instructions 
how  to  dispose  of  my  effects.  God  bless  you,  Jack ;  I  never  loved  you 
half  as  well  as  I  do  now." 

I  brushed  away  a  tear,  and  with  a  voice  choked  by  emotion  asked  if 
there  was  any  thing  which  he  wished  to  say  before  the  word  was  given. 

"  I  did  think,"  he  replied,  examining  his  adversary's  bearing,  "  that  I 
would  fire  over  his  head ;  but  I  see  that  he  is  bent  on  mischief,  and  is 
determined  to  kill  me,  if  possible.  Under  the  circumstances  I  think 
that  I  shall  do  no  great  wrong  if  I  touch  him  slightly." 

"  Do  as  you  please,"  I  replied,  stepping  back,  and  joining  the  doctor, 
who  held  a  white  handkerchief  in  one  hand  and  his  snuffbox  in  the 
other. 

"  Let  me  speak  to  Mr.  Fred  before  you  give  the  signal  ? "  asked 
Smith. 

"  Not  a  word,  my  man,"  returned  the  doctor,  regaling  his  nose  with 
a  pinch  of  snuff,  and  scanning  the  bearing  of  the  men  with  evident  de- 
light. 

"  It's  beautiful  they  look,"  murmured  the  doctor,  in  a  low  tone,  and 
then  elevating  his  voice,  he  continued,  "  the  signal  will  be  '  one,  two, 
three,'  and  then,  the  dropping  of  this  handkerchief.  Mind,  gentlemen, 
and  reserve  your  fire  until  you  see  the  handkerchief  lave  my  hand. 
Now,  thin,  are  ye  ready  ?  " 

Wattles  and  Fred  braced  themselves  as  though  expecting  a  shock, 
drew  their  caps  a  little  more  over  their  eyes,  and  signified  that  they 
were. 

"  One ! "  cried  the  doctor,  in  a  loud  voice. 

The  duellists  brought  their  rifles  to  their  shoulders,  fully  cocked. 

"  Two  ! "  exclaimed  the  doctor. 

The  rifles  were  levelled,  and  eager  eyes  glanced  along  the  tubes. 

"Three!" 

For  a  second  after  the  word  was  spoken  the  doctor  held  the  white 
handkerchief  aloft ;  but  as  it  slowly  fell  towards  the  ground,  there  was 
but  one  report,  so  closely  did  they  fire  together. 

I  had  not  taken  my  eyes  from  Fred,  and  to  my  joy  I  saw  that  he  did 
not  move.  I  glanced  towards  Wattles.  He  had  dropped  his  rifle  and 
was  rubbing  his  right  arm,  which  hung  down  powerless  by  his  side. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  151 

"  By  the  mass,"  cried  the  doctor,  grabbing  his  box  of  instruments 
and  running  towards  his  brother  officer,  "  the  Americans  have  got  the 

best  of  this  fight,  as  I  knew  they  would  with  their  d d  rifles.     But, 

by  Saint  Patrick,  it  was  illegantly  done,  and  that  I'll  stick  to  as  long  as 
I  live." 


CHAPTER    XX. 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  THE  SEARCH  FOR  GULPIN'S  BURIED  TREASURES. 

I  STARTED  to  congratulate  Fred,  but,  quick  as  were  my  movements, 
1  found  that  Smith  had  taken  the  lead,  and  was  shaking  hands  with  him 
at  a  tremendous  rate. 

"  Are  you  injured  ?  "  I  asked,  running  my  eye  over  his  form  to  see  if 
I  could  discover  any  signs  of  blood. 

"  No,  thank  Heaven,  I  have  escaped  ;  although  my  adversary's  bullet 
whizzed  close  over  my  head,"  replied  Fred. 

"  I  knew  that  he  was  overcharging  the  rifle  when  loading  it,"  I  cried, 
delighted  to  think  that  Merriam  had  done  so. 

"  It  was  the  means,  perhaps,  of  saving  my  life,  for  the  fellow  aimed 
with  good  intentions,  and  I  saw  by  the  expression  of  his  face  that  he 
was  bound  to  hit  me  if  possible." 

"  Well,  since  you  are  safe,  I'll  run  and  see  how  your  adversary  is  do- 
ing," I  said,  glancing  towards  the  doctor,  who,  with  coat  off,  was  kneel- 
ing on  the  ground,  and  wiping  away  blood  with  a  cloth  which  he  had 
taken  from  his  mysterious  box. 

"  Do  so,"  replied  Fred,  "  and  if  I  can  be  of  any  assistance,  let  me 
know ;  I  have  no  enmity  against  the  man,  and  should  really  like  to 
shake  hands. with  him  before  parting." 

I  ran  to  the  spot  where  Wattles  was  lying  on  the  ground,  and  found 
him  looking  very  pale  and  weak.  Merriam  and  the  doctor  had  ripped 
off  the  sleeve  of  his  coat,  and  torn  off  the  arm  of  his  shirt ;  and  while 
one  was  making  bandages,  the  other  was  cleaning  a  ragged  looking 
wound,  just  above  the  elbow  of  the  right  arm.  • 

"  If  I  can  be  of  any  service,  doctor,  I  will  assist  you,"  I  said,  in  a 
half-hesitating  way,  for  I  feared  that  they  might  consider  it  an  in- 
trusion. 

"  Sarvice,  my  dear  boy  ?  "  echoed  the  doctor,  stopping  to  look  up  for 
a  moment  from  his  work.  "  Of  course  ye  can  be  of  sarvice.  Stoop 
down  here  and  lind  me  a  helpin'  hand  by  straightening  out  the  arm  a 
bit,  so  that  I  can  see  if  the  bones  are  smashed,  or  only  one  broken." 

I  readily  complied  with  the  request,  and  the  doctor  continued,  — 

"  There's  no  raison  in  the  world  for  ye  to  be  inemies  now.  Your 
friend  has  had  a  pop  at  the  lieutenant  here,  and,  I'm  sorry  to  say,  he's 
got  the  worse  of  it,  although  it's  about  time,  for  Wattles  has  been 
mighty  lucky  in  these  things,  and  was  hardly  ever  hit  afore." 

Here  the  wounded  man  opened  his  eyes,  and  uttered  a  suppressed 


152  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,-  OB 

groan ;  whether  at  the  recollection  of  his  numerous  duels,  or  because 
the  doctor  wrenched  his  arm,  is  more  than  I  can  tell. 

"  Ah,  man,  don't  groan,  for  it's  only  a  broken  arm  ye  have ;  but  I'll 
tell  ye  privately  that  it's  yer  life  it  would  have  been,  had  the  American 
been  disposed  to  take  it,  for  a  divil  a  fear  but  he  put  the  bullet  jist  where 
he  intended.  I  saw,  the  instant  he  raised  the  rifle,  that  it  was  only  a  flesh 
wound  he  wished,  and  that  he  didn't  know  whether  to  pop  ye  on  the 
right  or  left  arm.  Here,  swallow  that,  and  see  if  it  don't  put  the  life 
into  ye,  and  make  ye  open  yer  eyes  and  sing  psalms." 

The  doctor  emptied  a  teaspoonful  of  cordial  into  the  wounded  man's 
mouth,  and  its  strength  must  have  been  very  beneficial,  for  he  opened 
his  eyes,  a  healthy  color  came  to  his  face,  and  he  spoke  without  anv  pain- 
ful effort. 

"Ah,  a  divil  a  fear  is  there  of  ye  now,  and  if  I  can  save  the  arm,  ye'll 
be  at  it  again  in  less  than  six  months,"  muttered  the  doctor,  as  he  ap- 
plied a  balm  to  the  wound,  and  then  covered  it  with  lint. 

"  There  is  no  fear  of  that,  is  there,  doctor  ?  "  asked  Wattles,  who  was 
a  youngster  not  more  than  twenty-two  years  of  age. 

"  I'll  do  all  that  I  can ;  but  rifle  bullets  are  different  intirely  than  pis- 
tol balls.  It's  many's  the  good  wound  I've  cured  made  by  the  latter, 
and  well  ye  knows  it,  Wattles ;  but  who'd  have  suspected  ye  of  fighting 
with  murdering  rifles  ?  " 

The  young  officer  made  no  reply,  and  the  doctor,  tearing  a  piece  of 
linen  cloth  into  strips  about  two  inches  wide,  continued  working  and 
talking  at  the  same  time. 

The  bandages  were  all  tied  on,  and  Smith  had  been  sent  after  the 
driver  of  the  carriage  to  tell  him  to  bring  his  vehicle  as  near  as  possible, 
so  that  the  wounded  man  could  enter  without  exerting  himself  to  walk. 
While  we  were  waiting,  Wattles  looked  at  me,  and  a  grim  smile  crossed 
his  face,  as  he  said,  — 

"  Your  friend  is  in  luck  to-day,  sir." 

"  If  you  think  that  he  considers  it  luck  because  you  are  wounded, 
you  are  mistaken,"  I  replied. 

"  He  had  the  advantage  in  the  use  of  a  weapon  with  which  he  is  ac- 
customed, and  therefore  I  did  not  expect  a  favorable  result.  Had  we 
used  pistols,  he  would  now  be  occupying  my  place." 

"  Ah,  have  done  with  your  boasting,  lieutenant,  and  think  no  more 
of  the  quarrel.  Ye  challenged  the  gentleman,  and  he  accepted  and 
chose  his  weapons ;  and  it's'  mighty  lucky  ye  may  think  yourself  to  get 
off  with  life,  for  he  could  have  killed  ye  as  easily  as  a  kangaroo.  It's 
myself  that  knows  he  could  have  done  it,"  said  the  surgeon,  warmly. 

"  Is  that  so  ?  "  asked  Wattles,  turning  to  me  for  confirmation. 

"  He  could  have  killed  you,  had  he  been  so  disposed,  even  at  twice 
the  distance,"  I  replied. 

The  lieutenant  looked  sober  and  thoughtful  for  a  moment,  when, 
thinking  to  make  an  impression,  and  get  him  to  drop  the  quarrel  for- 
ever, I  continued,  — 

"  My  friend  did  contemplate  firing  over  your  head,  and  would  have 
done  so  had  not  your  looks  convinced  him  that  you  intended  mis- 
ehief." 

"  By  the  Lord,  I  aimed  for  a  vital  part,  but  am  glad  that  I  missed 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  153 

my  object.  Ask  your  friend  to  shake  hands  with  me.  From  all  ac- 
counts I'm  convinced  that  he  is  a  gentleman  to  cherish  and  know." 

"  Ah,  Wattles,  divil  fear  ye  but  yer  heart  is  in  the  right  place,  afther 
all,"  cried  the  doctor,  delighted  at  the  proposed  reconciliation. 

I  told  Fred  the  request  of  his  adversary,  ~nd  without  a  moment's  hes- 
itation he  joined  the  group,  and  extended,  his  hand  to  the  wounded 
man. 

"  You  have  got  the  best  of  me,  sir,"  V.  "attics  said,  faintly,  his  pain 
beginning  to  grow  excessive. 

"  I  trust  that  it  is  a  mere  gun-shot  wound,  and  that  you  will  soon  be 
well,"  replied  Fred. 

"  I  don't  know  —  I  don't  know,"  moaned  the  lieutenant.  "  It  seems 
as  though  the  doctor  would  kill  me  with  hi~  cursed  probing  and  punch- 
ing. Half  of  it  is  unnecessary,  I  believe." 

"  Do  you  hear  that  ?  "  cried  O'Haraty,  appealing  to  us,  in  astonish- 
ment. "It's  like  an  infant  I've  treated  h'm,  and  now  ye  see  how  he 
abuses  me." 

"  Excuse  me,  doctor,"  replied  the  lieutenant,  faintly,  "  but  I  hardly 
know  what  I  am  saying,  I  feel  so  weak.  Cet  me  into  the  carriage  as 
quick  as  possible,  and  take  me  to  the  barracks  where  I  can  be  quiet." 

"  We'll  do  that,  Wattles ;  but  it's  a  gre~t  pity  that  you  don't  know 
who  your  friends  are.  Come  along  with  yer  carriage,  ye  blackguard, 
and  don't  stop  there  looking  behind  ye,  as  though  ye  were  a  light- 
house." 

The  latter  portion  of  the  doctor's  remarks  was  addressed  to  the  dri- 
ver of  the  vehicle,  who,  instead  of  paying  any  attention  to  the  words 
of  O'Haraty,  was  gazing,  with  an  anxious  glance,  towards  the  city. 

"  What  is  the  spalpeen  looking  at  ?  "  demanded  the  doctor,  angrily. 
"  Come  here  with  the  horses,  and  waste  no  more  time." 

"  I  see  a  cloud,  as  though  a  party  of  horse  was  galloping  this  way, 
and  kicking  up  a  dust.  I'm  suspicious  that  it's  the  police,  and  divil  a 
bit  do  I  want  to  be  put  into  limbo  for  bei~g  concerned  in  the  duel," 
cried  the  driver,  making  preparations  to  turn  his  horses. 

"  Are  ye  certain  that  it's  the  police  ?  "  demanded  O'Haraty,  eagerly. 

"  Yes,  I'm  certain ;  for  now  I  can  see  c  ;er  the  bushes,  and  distin- 
guish their  blue  coats.  Every  one  for  himself,  and  the  devil  take  the 
hindmost.  I'm  off,  sure." 

The  fellow  turned  his  animals'  heads,  anu  started  towards  the  open- 
ing, but  a  loud  threat  from  O'Haraty  caused  him  to  stop  for  a  moment 
—  and  only  for  a  moment. 

"  Curse  ye  for  a  cowardly  villain ! "  yelleu  the  doctor.  "  If  yer  don't 
stop  this  instant,  I'll  drive  a  piece  of  cold  lead  through  yer  thick 
skull." 

He  drew  from  his  breast  pocket  a  rifle  pistol  as  he  spoke,  and  aimed 
it  at  the  runaway. 

The  driver  looked  over  his  shoulder,  ?'">.d  seemed  half  inclined  to 
obey,  but  the  sound  of  approaching  horses  stirred  him  into  life.  He 
struck  his  animals  a  smart  blow  with  his  whip,  and  they  sprang  forward; 
but  as  they  did  so,  the  doctor  raised  hi_  pistol,  sighted  hastily,  and 
fired. 

The  fellow's  hat  fell  to  the  ground,  and  with  a  yell  of  triumph  at  his 


154  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

lucky  escape,  the  driver  continued  on,  and  in  a  few  minutes  would  hare 
been  beyond  reach ;  but  just  at  that  instant  my  noble  dog  —  the  hound 
which  I  had  left  under  lock  and  key  at  Smith's  house  —  bounded  to- 
wards me  and  covered  my  face  with  his  kisses. 

A  lucky  thought  occurred  to  me ;  I  glanced  at  Wattles,  and  saw  that 
he  had  fainted  from  exhaustion  and  pain,  and  that  it  was  certain  death 
for  him  to  be  exposed  to  the  hot  rays  of  the  sun  for  any  length  of  time, 
so  I  determined  to  save  him  at  any  hazard. 

"  Here,  Rover,"  I  said,  calling  to  the  dog,  and  pointing  to  the  re- 
treating carriage,  "  seize  him,  good  dog  —  seize  him,"  I  shouted. 

The  animal  did  not  hesitate  for  an  instant.  With  a  mighty  bound 
he  cleared  over  twenty  feet  of  the  distance  which  separated  him  from 
the  object  which  I  had  called  his  attention  to,  and  almost  before  I 
could  think,  he  seized  the  near  horse  by  the  throat,  and  brought  him 
heavily  to  the  ground.  The  driver  rose  from  his  seat  and  plied  his 
whip  with  desperate  energy,  in  hopes  of  beating  the  dog  off,  but  such 
was  the  agility  of  Rover  that  not  a  blow  reached  him,  and  while  his  at- 
tention was  thus  occupied,  O'Haraty  stole  forward,  grasped  the  man 
by  the  leg,  dragged  him  to  the  ground,  and  commenced  to  beat  him  Un- 
mercifully, mingling  his  blows  with  such  exclamations  as  — 

"  Lave  us,  would  ye  ?  May  the  divil  saze  ye,  ye  mane  thief  of  the 
world.  Whin  I  hired  ye  to  tend  us  and  behave  like  a  dacent  man,  ye 
up  and  cuts,  jist  because  me  friend  gets  a  scratch  on  his  arm." 

"  The  police  are  coming,"  roared  the  fellow,  rendered  desperate  by 
his  beating. 

"  Let  them  come,  if  they  will,  but  ye  shan't  go,"  cried  the  doctor, 
sitting  astride  of  his  fallen  foe  and  glancing  at  Fred  and  I  in  triumph, 
while  the  perspiration  streamed  down  his  face  in  torrents. 

"  I  saw  the  police  trotting  down  the  road,"  yelled  the  fallen  man. 

"  Who  calls  the  police  ?  "  cried  a  deep-toned  voice  near  at  hand. 

I  knew  the  speaker  well,  although  I  confess  that  it  started  me  to  hear 
him  so  unexpectedly,  and  looking  up  I  saw  that  Murden  sat  on  his 
horse,  a  few  paces  off,  calmly  surveying  the  strange  group  before  him. 
At  a  short  distance  were  six  of  his  men,  also  mounted  and  drawn  up  in 
line  awaiting  their  chiefs  solution  of  the  difficulty. 

"  I  think  that  my  presence  is  needed  here  if  you  intend  to  murder 
that  fellow,  doctor,"  Murden  said,  good  naturedly,  addressing  O'Hara- 
ty, who  kept  his  position,  looking  somewhat  foolish  at  being  caught. 

"The  mane  scamp,"  began  the  doctor,  when  Murden  checked 
him. 

"  What  is  the  cause  of  the  gathering,  and  why  do  I  find  an  officer  of 
her  majesty,  lying  on  the  ground  wounded  and  insensible  ?  " 

"  Why,  the  fact  of  it  is,  Mr.  Officer,"  Merriam  began,  but  apparent- 
ly afraid  of  the  consequences,  he  stopped  and  looked  hard  towards  the 
doctor,  as  though  asking  him  to  take  up  the  answer  and  carry  it 
through  in  the  best  manner  possible. 

"  O,  the  divils,"  roared  the  doctor,  rising  from  his  seat,  much  to  the 
relief  of  the  driver,  who  apparently  thanked  God  that  he  was  rid  of 
such  an  incumbrance. 

"  O,  the  spalpeens,"  continued  O'Haraty,  shaking  his  fist  at  an  im- 
aginary enemy  a  long  distance  off.  "  O,  if  there  is  law  to  be  had  in  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  155 

fend  we'll  pursue  ye  wid  not  only  the  police'  force,  but  the  whole  array, 
and  then  we'll  see  if  ye  are  so  bold." 

"  What  is  the  matter,  doctor  ?  "  asked  Murden,  who  I  thought  sus- 
pected what  had  taken  place,  and  was  disposed  to  overlook  it,  yet  not 
a  word  of  recognition  had  he  bestowed  upon  Fred  and  myself,  so  we 
kept  in  the  background. 

"  Matter  ?  "  yelled  the  doctor,  apparently  desperately  angry ;  "  why, 
here's  me  friends  and  myself  out  for  a  bit  of  a  walk  and  to  kill  a  kan- 
garoo or  two,  when  a  party  of  sneaking  bushrangers  ups  and  fires  at  us, 
and  down  tumbles  Wattles,  shot  in  the  arm  quite  nately.  It's  chase 
we  gave  to  the  villains,  but  run  they  did,  and  when  we  came  back  we 
found  that  this  scamp  was  disposed  to  escape  to  Melbourne  and  lave  us 
to  foot  it  back  to  the  city." 

"Indeed!  Pray  which  way  did  they  go  ?  "  asked  Murden,  not  mov- 
ing a  muscle  of  his  face. 

"  Over  the  hill,  there.  Ride  quick,  and  I  think  it's  prisoners  they'll  be 
in  no  time,"  cried  the  doctor. 

"  Did  you  count  how  many  there  were  ?  "  asked  the  police  officer. 

"  Count  them  ?  How  the  divil  could  we,  there  were  so  many  ?  "  re- 
plied O'Haraty. 

"  O,  then  if  the  bushrangers  were  in  such  force,  it's  surprising  they 
Bhould  run  from  only  six  men.  I  thought  better  of  their  courage," 
and  a  sarcastic  smile  stole  over  Murden's  face  as  he  watched  the  doc- 
tor's companion. 

"  Well,  well,"  stammered  O'Haraty,  "  if  ye  had  heard  us  shout,  ye 
would  have  thought  we  could  have  frightened  the  divil  himself." 

"  Well,  whether  Wattles  was  wounded  by  a  bushranger  or  a  compan- 
ion, it  will  do  him  no  good  to  remain  here  in  the  hot  sun.  Place  him 
carefully  into  the  carriage  and  drive  to  the  barracks.  I'll  follow  short- 
ly, and  continue  my  investigation  of  this  mysterious  affair." 

Murden  spoke  like  one  accustomed  to  be  obeyed.  The  driver  of  the 
carriage,  who  hardly  moved  two  steps  without  keeping  his  eyes  on  the 
dog  —  the  animal  appearing  to  have  some  strong  antipathy  against 
him  —  readily  lent  his  aid,  and  with  Smith's  assistance  the  wounded 
lieutenant  was  propped  up  on  a  seat,  and  the  doctor  stowed  his  corpu- 
lent person  alongside  of  him, 

"Why  did  you  not  tell  me  of  this  yesterday?"  asked  Murden,  beck- 
oning to  me,  and  whispering  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Because  we  were  fearful  that  you  would  interrupt  the  proceedings," 
I  replied. 

"  I  certainly  should  have  done  so.  Are  you  aware  that  Wattles  is  a 
most  experienced  and  successful  duellist  ?  That  he  has  been  out  half 
a  dozen  times,  and  always  came  off  without  so  much  as  a  scratch  ?  " 

"  No,  I  was  not  aware  that  such  is  the  case,"  I  answered. 

"  He  is  all  that  I  tell  you,  and  if  I  had  suspected  that  a  duel  was  to 
come  off  between  Fred  and  the  soldier,  I  should  have  had  both  of  them 
arrested  and  locked  up,  and  kept  them  until  they  were  ready  to  swear 
that  they  would  not  lift  their  hands  against  each  other." 

"  And  then  Fred  and  myself  would  have  been  imputed  as  informers, 
and  a  stain  would  have  rested  on  our  reputations,  and  we  should  no 
longer  have  been  considered  fit  company  for  gentlemen." 


156  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

"  That  does  not  necessarily  follow,"  answered  Murden.  "  No  one  who 
knows  you  both  can  call  you  aught  but  brave  men." 

"  But  did  we  not  dine  with  you  after  we  had  received  the  challenge  ? 
We  made  no  secret  of  our  going  —  hundreds  saw  us  enter  your  house, 
and  hundreds  saw  us  depart.  Had  we  but  lisped  a  word  of  our  intended 
doings,  it  would  have  been  said  that  we  visited  you  on  purpose.  Come, 
look  at  the  matter  in  a  sensible  light,  and  you  will  take  a  different  view 
of  the  affair." 

Murden  shook  his  head  as  if  he  considered  it  not  only  a  breach  of 
the  law  but  a  breach  of  friendship  to  fight  a  duel  without  his  knowl- 
edge ;  and  he  intended  to  reply,  but  the  doctor  poked  his  jolly  looking 
face  from  the  window  of  the  carriage,  and  bade  us  good-by,  and  re- 
quested the  pleasure  of  our  company  to  dinner  on  the  next  day. 

"  And  do  you  come  too,  Murden.  I've  a  few  bottles  of  the  rale  Irish 
whiskey,  and  better  cannot  be  found  in  the  world,  and  if  ye  come  I'll 
brew  a  jug  of  punch  that'll  make  ye  think  ye  are  in  paradise  after 
drinking  a  few  tumblers.  Good-by,  boys,  and,  Murden,  keep  a  sharp 
look  out  for  the  bushrangers." 

The  driver  started  his  horses,  and  for  a  few  minutes  after  the  car- 
riage had  left  the  field  we  could  hear  the  mellow  voice  of  the  doctor 
laughing  at  the  idea  of  his  quizzing  the  police  lieutenant  with  his  story 
about  bushrangers. 

"  Come  and  breakfast  with  us,"  I  said,  turning  to  Murden.  "  We 
cannot  celebrate  the  escape  of  our  friend  Fred  in  a  more  appropriate 
manner." 

"  Agreed,"  he  cried ;  and  then  turning  to  his  men,  he  said,  "  return 
to  the  station  and  report  that  Lieutenant  Wattles  was  severely  injured 
this  morning  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  his  rifle  while  hunting  kan- 
garoos. If  I  am  wanted  you  know  where  to  find  me." 

"  Pray,  how  came  you  on  the  road  so  early  ?  "  I  asked  Murden. 

"  Because  I  got  wind  that  there  was  trouble  between  you  and  Wat- 
tles. One  of  my  men  overheard  Fred's  remark,  the  other  night,  and 
then  he  saw  Merriam  leaving  your  house,  and  putting  all  and  all  togeth- 
er—  the  fact  that  your  party  were  early  on  the  road,  and  Wattles  being 
seen  in  a  carriage  —  he  considered  it  of  sufficient  importance  to  report 
to  me,  which  he  did  an  hour  too  late  this  morning,  while  I  was  dream- 
ing of  bushrangers  and  prize  money." 

"  But  how  did  you  find  us,  and  how  came  the  dog  loose  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  That  is  a  secret,  but  I  don't  mind  telling  you.  I  rode  to  your  house 
and  tried  the  door.  It  was  locked,  but  I  heard  the  hound  making  an  aw- 
ful howling  within ;  so  I  just  fitted  a  key  to  the  lock,  and  opened  the 
door,  and  was  nearly  knocked  down  by  the  dog,  who  thought  his  mas- 
ter had  returned.  However,  Rover,  after  bis  disappointment,  received 
me  with  a  wag  of  his  tail,  and  then,  after  snuffing  around  for  a  moment, 
started  in  a  trot  towards  the  field  we  have  just  left.  We  followed  close 
to  his  tail,  and  then  the  trot  became  a  gallop  —  the  gallop  a  run,  and  to 
save  our  distance  we  drew  our  reins,  and  jogged  along,  keeping  a  good 
lookout  on  both  sides  of  the  road  ;  but  I  believe  that  we  should  have 
missed  you  had  not  the  report  of  your  pistol  given  us  token  of  your 
whereabouts." 

Chatting  thus  in  an  old  familiar  manner,  we  reached  "  Smith's  villa," 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S'  ADVENTURES.  157 

as  we  called  it,  and  prepared  for  breakfast,  a  meal  we  were  ready  to  en- 
joy, as  our  early  rising  had  sharpened  our  appetites. 

"  By  the  way,"  cried  Murden,  suddenly,  "  your  portion  of  the  money 
due  for  the  capture  and  death  of  the  bushrangers  will  be  paid  when- 
ever you  are  disposed  to  call  for  it." 

"  How  much  does  ft  amount  to  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  for  you  three,  I  think  near  two  thousand  pounds.  That  of 
course  includes  Black  Darnley  and  his  gang." 

"  Most  ten  thousand  dollars ! "  cried  Fred,  surprised  at  the  large 
amount. 

"  I  wish,  with  all  my  heart,  it  was  twice  the  sum.  Join  me,  and  in 
less  than  two  months  we  will  have  a  bill  against  the  treasurer  which 
•will  cause  him  to  look  wild." 

"  We  can't  spend  our  time  hunting  men,"  replied  Fred,  "  when  there 
Is  so  much  gold  in  the  earth  that  we  have  only  to  dig  to  obtain  it.  As 
to  the  rewards  which  are  offered  for  captured  bushrangers,  I  must  own 
that  I  feel  none  too  willing  to  accept  that  which  is  due  to  me,  without 
striving  to  earn  more.  It  looks  to  me  as  though  we  were  only  butch- 
ers and  dealers  in  human  blood." 

"  If  we  were  the  only  ones  who  ever  accepted  of  rewards  for  mur- 
derers and  thieves,  I  might  be  induced  to  respect  your  conscientious 
scruples,"  replied  Murden,  with  a  laugh.  "  But  as  it  has  been  the  cus- 
tom from  time  immemorial  for  rewards  to  be  offered  for  shedders  of 
human  blood,  and  many  men  whose  respectability  cannot  be  questioned 
have  received  rewards  for  services  so  rendered,  I  think  that  I  shall 
pocket  my  share,  and  consider  all  three  of  you  very  weak  and  spleeny 
not  to  do  the  same." 

Murden  swallowed  his  coffee  with  a  dogmatical  air,  as  though  Ms  ar- 
guments were  unanswerable,  and  shortly  took  his  leave,  after  making  us 
promise  to  breakfast  with  him  the  next  day,  and  go  and  draw  the  mon- 
ey which  was  awaiting  our  orders. 

We  studied  over  the  subject  for  some  time  after  Murden  had  gone, 
and  hardly  knew  how  to  proceed.  Smith  was  consulted,  and  was  willing 
to  abide  by  our  decision,  at  the  same  time  he  did  not  scruple  to  inform 
us  that  his  last  trip,  owing  to  the  treatment  his  cargo  had  received  from 
the  bushrangers,  was  a  most  disastrous  one ;  but  still  he  had  a  few 
thousand  pounds  which  he  could  place  his  hand  upon,  and  should  com- 
mence purchasing  another  load  immediately,  as  eveiy  day  lost  was  mon- 
ey out  of  pocket.  We  then  considered  it  a  fitting  time  to  speak  to  the 
stockman  about  the  business  we  were  desirous  of  entering  upon.  We 
told  him  of  the  confession  of  Jim  Gulpin,  and  the  determination  to 
which  we  had  come  to  search  for  the  buried  treasure. 

He  listened  attentively,  and  then  pledged  his  word  to  aid  us  with  all 
of  his  ability.  He  would  make  no  bargain  concerning  his  team  and 
labor,  but  agreed  to  let  his  promised  reward  depend  upon  the  success 
with  which  we  met.  If  nothing  was  found,  we  would  continue  on  our 
way  to  the  mines,  and  were  welcome  to  his  labor  and  time.  If  we  suc- 
ceeded we  might  give  him  what  we  pleased. 

We  closed  with  him  immediately,  and  contributed  money  to  buy  pro- 
visions and  luxuries  which  we  never  dreamed  of  buying  on  our  first 
passage.  Smith  was  also  directed  to  purchase  a  tent  for  our  uae,  shovels 

14 


158  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

and  pickaxes,  and  three  or  four  boxes  of  claret  —  a  perfect  luxury  in  a 
warm  climate  —  and  a  number  of  articles  which  we  desired  for  a  resi- 
dence in  the  mines. 

We  also  wanted  three  good  saddle  horses,  but  found  that  our  funds 
would  be  greatly  reduced  by  the  purchase,  and  after  a  short  debate  we 
determined  in  council  that  necessity  compelled  us'to  accept  of  the  mon- 
ey paid  for  the  capture  of  the  bushrangers,  and  after  that  question  was 
decided  we  felt  that  a  great  load  was  removed  from  our  minds,  and  that 
vte  began  to  look  upon  it  as  a  mere  matter  of  business. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

DEPARTURE  FROM  MELBOURNE.  —  FIGHT  WITH  THE  NATIVES. 

DURING  the  following  week  we  were  busy,  visiting ;  dining  with  one, 
and  supping  with  another,  yet  we  were  obliged  to  decline  many  press- 
ing invitations,  and  offered  as  an  excuse,  our  speedy  departure  for  the 
mines. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Murden,  we  were  enabled  to  purchase  three 
excellent  horses,  saddles,  &c.,  which  belonged  to  the  police  department. 

The  animals  were  just  what  we  wanted,  for  they  were  quick  in  their 
actions,  and  had  been  taught  to  stand  motionless  while  firing  guns  or 
pistols  from  their  backs.  We  were  enabled  to  buy  them,  owing  to  a 
surplus  of  horses  which  the  department  owned,  and  had  no  use  for. 

Our  hardest  task  was  when,  on  the  evening  of  the  seventh  day  af- 
ter Fred  had  met  the  officer  in  mortal  combat,  Smith  yoked  his  oxen, 
attached  them  to  a  moderately  filled  cart,  and  declared  he  was  ready 
for  a  start. 

Murden,  Wattles,  Merriam,  Doctor  O'Haraty,  and  a  dozen  others, 
whose  acquaintance  we  had  cultivated  during  our  brief  residence  in 
Melbourne,  were  assembled  at  "  Smith's  villa,"  and  came  to  say  fare- 
well. 

"  You  heard  the  word,  gentlemen,"  said  Fred ;  "  our  leader  says  that 
he  is  ready,  and  we  must  not  detain  him.  We  wish  to  place  twenty- 
five  miles  between  us  and  Melbourne  before  morning,  and  to  do  so  re- 
quires an  early  start.  The  next  time  we  meet,  I  hope  that  our  days 
will  not  be  limited.  In  the  mean  time,  if  any  one  present  should  visit 
Ballarat,  don't  fail  to  make  our  tent  his  home." 

"  Ballarat  be  blessed  !  "  growled  O'Haraty  ;  "  the  idea  of  two  dacent, 
sinsible  people  digging  for  gold,  when  there's  so  much  can  be  had  with- 
out work." 

"  I  have  only  my  left  hand  to  offer  you,"  said  Wattles,  presenting  it 
to  Fred,  "  but  my  grasp  is  as  friendly  and  sincere  as  though  both  were 
free." 

"  Your  arm  is  improving  ?  "  inquired  Fred,  who  had  not  seen  his  ad- 
versary before,  since  the  morning  of  the  meeting. 


A  GOLD  UUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  151) 

"  Thanks  to  the  doctor,  and  your  kindness  in  not  aiming  at  a  more 
Vulnerable  part,  I  shall  soon  be  well.  Do  we  separate  as  friends  ?  " 

"  I  say  yes,  with  all  my  heart,"  cried  Fred,  eagerly. 

Some  one  locked  the  door  of  "  Smith's  villa,"  and  handed  him  the 
key,  and  then  once  more  bidding  good-by,  the  oxen  were  started,  and 
in  company  with  Murden,  we  soon  reached  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 

It  was  past  dusk  when  our  friend,  the  police  lieutenant,  drew  rein, 
and  decided  to  return  to  the  city  We  allowed  Smith  to  continue  on, 
while  we  stopped  and  chatted  for  a  few  moments. 

Murden  appeared  sad  at  parting,  and  more  than  once  he  declared 
that  he  wished  he  was  to  accompany  us,  for  now  that  we  were  to  leave 
him,  he  should  have  no  one  who  would  enter  into  his  adventures  with 
the  same  degree  of  interest  which  we  had  shown. 

"  There  is  one  question  which  we  wish  to  ask,  Murden,"  I  said,  a  few 
minutes  before  he  left  us. 

"  Name  it,"  he  replied. 

"  How  many  of  the  bushrangers  whom  we  captured  have  been  con- 
demned to  death  ?  " 

"  Why  do  you  ask  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Because  you  know  that  we  have  not  been  able  to  obtain  any  informa- 
tion on  the  subject.  A  select  few  were  admitted  to  see  them ;  but  they 
had  no  formal  trial,  that  I  am  aware  of." 

"  You  are  'right,  they  had  no  formal  trial,  and  they  did  not  deserve 
one.  The  examination  was  secret,  and  even  now  not  more  than  fifty 
people  in  Melbourne  know  that  the  bushrangers  are  dangling  by  their 
necks  in  the  prison  yard. 

"  All  ?  "  I  cried,  surprised  at  the  secrecy  which  had  been  maintained. 

"  Not  a  man  is  now  alive.  They  rightly  merited  their  fate,  for  their 
careers  were  stained  with  cruel  crimes ;  and  may  God  forgive  them,  for 
man  would  not." 

Murden  wrung  our  hands,  and  the  next  instant  he  was  galloping 
swiftly  towards  Melbourne. 

We  resumed  our  journey,  feeling  somewhat  saddened  by  the  intelli- 
gence which  we  had  received ;  yet  we  felt  that  we  had  only  done  our 
duty  in  assisting  in  the  arrest  of  the  robbers,  and  with  this  conviction, 
we  tried  to  banish  the  thoughts  of  their  death. 

We  soon  overtook  Smith,  who  was  mounted  like  ourselves,  and 
through  the  night  we  jogged  along  by  his  side,  relieving  the  loneliness 
of  the  journey  with  stories  and  reminiscences  of  our  other  expeditions. 

It  was  just  about  daylight,  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day  from  Mel- 
bourne, and  we  were  pressing  the  oxen  to  their  utmost  to  reach  a 
camping  ground  before  sunrise,  when  Rover,  who  had  been  jogging  far 
in  advance  of  us,  stopped  suddenly  before  a  thick  clump  of  bushes, 
which  extended  some  ways  along  the  roadside,  and  with  an  angry  howl, 
remained  regarding  some  object  which  was  concealed  from  our  sight. 

I  called  the  animal,  but  he  refused  to  move,  and  I  began  to  suspect 
that  some  kind  of  beast  was  concealed  among  the  brush,  and  that  he 
was  too  formidable  for  the  dog  to  attack  alone.  With  this  view,  Fred 
and  myself  unslung  our  rifles  and  examined  the  caps,  and  rode  slowly 
forward.  We  were  not  more  than  ten  rods  from  the  hound  when  we 
saw  a  spenr  whiz  past  him,  and  enter  the  bushes  on  the  other  side  of 


160  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OB 

the  road.  We  then  knew  what  was  concealed  ;  but  whether  the  pur. 
pose  was  hostile  or  friendly,  we  did  not  have  an  opportunity  to  ask,  fot 
Vie  had  barely  time  to  call  the  dog  from  such  a  dangerous  locality,  when 
another  spear  passed  near  our  heads. 

"  Turn  back !  "  shouted  Smith,  _who  was  jogging  on  with  the  cattle,  a 
few  rods  distant,  and  saw  the  whole  transaction.  "Turn  back,"  he 
continued,  "  or  you  are  dead  men." 

We  wheeled  our  horses  and  galloped  from  a  place  where  nothing  but 
spear  heads  were  to  be  seen,  for  we  did  not  like  the  idea  of  fighting 
people  who  ran  no  risk. 

When  we  joined  Smith,  we  found  that  he  had  turned  his  oxen,  and 
was  driving  them  at  full  speed  towards  an  open  plain  half  a  mile  dis- 
tant. 

"  Are  you  going  back  to  Melbourne  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  I  am  going  to  gain  yonder  plain  as  fast  as  possible,"  the  stockman 
cried,  casting  an  uneasy  glance  over  his  shoulder,  as  though  fearful  of 
pursuit. 

"  For  what  reason  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  Because  I've  no  idea  of  risking  my  life  by  running  an  ambush, 
where,  no  doubt,  twenty  or  thirty  natives  are  stationed,  determined  to 
kill  the  first  one  who  passes." 

"  I  thought  they  were  harmless,"  I  replied. 

"  So  they  are,  when  they  choose  to  be ;  but  it's  very  probable  that 
miners  have  been  committing  outrages  upon  their  women,  and  now  they 
are  determined  to  revenge  their  injuries  upon  us.  Keep  your  eyes 
upon  the  bushes,  and  don't  mind  me  if  you  see  signs  of  their  following. 
Escape  to  the  open  plain,  and  trust  to  me  to  join  you.  Once  there,  we 
can  hold  fifty  of  them  at  bay." 

"  Do  you  think  we  are  so  cowardly  as  to  desert  a  comrade  ? "  de- 
manded Fred.  "  Let  them  attack  us  if  they  will,  but  we  will  stick  to 
you  and  the  team  as  long  as  life  remains." 

"  I  expected  the  answer,"  cried  Smith,  applying  his  long  whip  to  the 
sides  of  the  reeking  cattle,  and  starting  them  into  a  run.  "  But  if  you 
will  not  save  yourselves,  at  least  take  care  of  the  oxen  and  let  me  cover 
the  retreat." 

"  Do  you  think  they  will  dare  to  follow  us  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Here  is  your  answer,"  cried  the  stockman ;  and  as  he  spoke  a  slim 
poled  spear  whistled  within  an  inch  of  my  head,  and  passed  out  of 
sight,  far  to  the  other  side  of  the  road. 

"  And  here  goes  my  reply,"  exclaimed  Fred,  who  held  his  rifle  in  his 
hand  ready  for  use. 

He  raised  it,  and  hardly  took  time  to  sight  a  naked,  black  body,  which 
was  visible  for  a  moment  before  he  fired. 

A  yell  of  bodily  pain  followed  the  explosion,  and  for  a  moment  we 
could  hear  a  great  commotion  among  the  bushes,  and  then  all  was  still. 

"  Help  me  to  urge  the  cattle  forwaixl,"  shouted  Smith.  "  Now  is 
our  time  to  escape,  while  the  devils  are  with  the  wounded  imp." 

We  were  about  to  comply,  when  a  club,  about  three  feet  long,  flew 
over  our  heads,  touched  the  ground  in  advance  of  the  cattle,  bounded 
from  the  earth,  and  came  towards  us  with  undiminished  velocity. 

"  Look  out  for  their  boomerangs,"  shouted  Smith,  and  we  dodged 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  161 

our  heads  in  time  to  save  them  from  a  blow  that  would  have  unhorsed 
us. 

That  was  the  first  time  we  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  most  skil- 
ful weapon  in  use  by  the  natives.  They  throw  the  boomerang  with 
unerring  precision,  and  had  we  not  heard  of  the  manner  of  its 
working,  and  been  apprised  of  the  necessity  of  avoiding  its  flight,  by 
the  warning  voice  of  Smith,  one  of  us  would  have  made  a  meal  for  an 
Australian  native  that  morning. 

The  boomerang  is  a  piece  of  hard  wood  about  three  feet  long,  slightly 
curved  in  the  form  of  a  bow ;  and  when  a  native  wishes  to  strike  an 
object,  he  does  not  throw  his  weapon  directly  at  it,  but  from  it.  and  by 
some  unexplained  principle  of  retrogradation,  the  boomerang  touches  the 
ground,  and  then  flies  with  great  force  directly  at  whatever  it  is  aimed. 
I  have  seen  the  natives  exhibit  their  proficiency  a  hundred  different, 
times  —  and  the  more  I  saw  of  the  game,  the  more  I  became  bewildered 
at  the  science  displayed. 

We  did  not  stop  to  fight  an  unseen  enemy,  but  continued  our  head- 
long course,  and  at  length  had  the  pleasure  of  reaching  an  open  space 
where  we  could  wait  the  approach  of  those  disposed  to  attack  us, 
although  whether  they  would  venture  to  make  a  demonstration  on  the 
plain  was  uncertain. 

Smith,  however,  was  determined  to  be  prepared  for  the  worst.  He 
unyoked  his  cattle,  but  instead  of  turning  them  loose,  when  they  soon 
would  have  fallen  a  prey  to  the  rapacious  appetites  of  the  natives,  he 
grouped  them  around  the  cart,  and  chained  them,  to  prevent  their 
flight  in  case  of  an  attack.  By  this  method  they  served  as  a  shield  to 
us,  and  did  not  interfere  with  our  rifle  practice. 

We  had  no  sooner  got  our  arrangements  completed,  than  a  dozen  or 
twenty  of  the  filthy-looking  wretches  —  naked,  with  the  exception  of  a 
mat  around  their  hips  —  appeared  at  the  edge  of  the  bushes,  and  seemed 
to  survey  our  disposition  of  the  order  of  battle.  Two  or  three  of  them, 
self-elected  leaders,  apparently  wished  for  an  immediate  assault ;  but 
we  could  see  that  the  proposition  met  with  no  approval  from  the  mass, 
and  the  motions  were  ma^e  towards  the  men,  as  though  to  wait  until 
night  time. 

"  We  shall  have  a  sleepless  night,  and  must  be  prepared  for  the  black 
devils'  mischief,"  Smith  said,  surveying  the  force  and  comprehending 
their  meaning. 

"  Do  .they  often  attack  teams  ?  "  we  asked  of  Smith,  who,  now  that 
his  cattle  were  safe,  had  regained  all  of  his  cuteness  and  colloquial 
powers. 

"  During  all  my  freighting  to  the  mines,  this  is  only  the  second  time 
the  scamps  have  manifested  hostility.  Once  I  got  clear  by  giving  them 
an  ox,  and  thought  I  got  off  quite  cheap  at  that.  But  this  time  they 
appear  to  be  serious ;  and  if  we  get  clear  with  a  whole  skin,  may  think 
ourselves  lucky.  Some  team  ahead  of  us  must  have  trespassed  on 
their  rights  in  an  outrageous  manner  to  render  them  as  rebellious  as 
they  are." 

"  I  have  a  great  mind  to  try  the  range  of  my  rifle,"  Fred  said.  "  I  think 
that  I  can  send  a  ball  into  their  midst,  and  make  them  scatter  to  the 
bushes,  instead  of  standing  there  and  quarrelling  among  themselves." 


162  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

Smith  measured  the  distance  with  his  eye  and  shook  his  head. 

"  It's  over  a  half  mile,"  he  said,  "  and  I  never  yet  saw  the  shooting 
iron  that  could  do  damage  at  such  a  distance." 

"  Then  look  at  one  for  the  first  time ; "  and  as  Fred  spoke,  he  sighted 
a  native,  who  appeared  desirous  of  making  an  immediate  attack,  for  he 
was  gesticulating  in  the  most  absurd  manner,  and  shaking  his  long  spear 
at  us  as  though  trying  to  get  at  close  quarters,  where  he  could  do  instant 
execution. 

The  act  of  Fred  was  observed,  and  a  yell  of  defiance  greeted  his 
hostile  attitude.  Before  it  had  died  away,  the  sharp  report  of  the  rifle 
drowned  their  shrill  screams,  and  then  the  conspicuous  native,  who  had 
flourished  his  spear  so  threateningly,  threw  up*  his  arms,  and  with  a 
most  unearthly  yell,  fell  to  the  ground. 

.  In  an  instant  not  a  native,  with  the  exception  of  the  wounded  one, 
was  to  be  seen,  and  a  stranger  would  hardly  have  supposed  that  the 
clump  of  bushes  near  us  contained  a  couple  of  dozen  human  beings, 
who  were  watching  every  motion  which  we  made,  and  speculating  as  to 
the  best  mode  of  putting  us  to  death,  and  sharing  the  goods  and  pro- 
visions loaded  upon  the  cart. 

"  An  American  rifle  forever,"  shouted  Smith,  who  suspended  his  work 
of  getting  out  a  water  keg,  containing  eighteen  or  twenty  gallons,  which 
he  had  taken  the  precaution  to  fill  with  water  and  place  upon  the  cart, 
so  that  his  animals  and  companions  need  not  suffer  with  thirst  during 
the  long  stretch  across  the  prairies. 

"  A  few  more  such  shots  as  that  and  the  black  devils  will  retire  in 
disgust,  and  we  shall  have  the  road  free,"  Smith  continued,  with  an  ad- 
miring look  at  his  American  friend. 

"  There  is  no  use  in  wasting  our  powder  by  firing  at  random,  and  un- 
til the  natives  show  themselves  I  shall  rest,  so  as  to  be  able  to  keep  my 
eyes  open  to-night." 

Under  the  shadow  of  the  cart  Fred  spread  his  blanket,  and  after  as- 
sisting Smith  to  water  the  cattle,  and  taking  a  good  drink  myself,  I 
joined  him,  and  left  Rover  and  the  stockman  to  keep  guard. 

We  slept  until  dark,  and,  upon  awakening,  found  that  Smith  had 
joined  us,  and  left  the  whole  responsibility  of  giving  warning,  if  the 
natives  approached,  to  the  dog.  The  latter,  however,  was  worth  a  doz- 
en men  for  such  a  purpose,  and  we  commended  Smith  for  his  sagacity 
in  securing  rest  before  the  time  arrived  when  we  knew  that  demonstra- 
tion would  be  made  against  our  encampment. 

We  gathered  some  dried  grass  and  made  a  fire,  sufficient  to  boil  a 
teakettle,  and  then  deliberately  prepared  a  dish  of  coffee,  not  know  ing 
but  that  it  would  be  our  last.  After  we  had  concluded  our  supper  we 
examined  our  rifles  and  revolvers,  found  them  in  good  order,  and  then 
carefully  reviewing  the  animals  so  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  get 
loose  without  cutting  their  fastenings,  we  took  up  our  positions  at  an 
equal  distance  apart,  and  in  a  circle  outside  of  the  cattle. 

Rover  placed  himself  by  my  side,  and  looked  into  my  face  as  much 
as  to  say  that  he  understood  all  that  was  going  on,  and  hoped  that  ha 
was  to  be  trusted  with  any  important  business  which  might  come  be- 
fore us. 

The  night  wore  slowly  away.     Sleep  we  did  not,  for  the  insects  were 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  163 

so  troublesome  that  it  seemed  as  though  we  inhaled  them  at  every 
breath.  They  filled  the  air  and  dashed  their  dry  wings  in  our  faces 
while  flitting  over  our  heads,  and  their  eternal  buzzing  was  like  the 
murmuring  of  a  distant  waterfall. 

I  judged  that  it  was  near  two  o'clock,  and  at  the  period  when  sleep 
is  the  strongest,  that  my  attention  became  riveted  upon  the  singular 
movements  of  some  animal  which  appeared  to  be  feeding  upon  the 
withered  grass  which  covered  the  plain.  Sometimes  it  moved  near 
enough  to  allow  me  to  almost  discern  what  it  was,  and  then  it  would 
recede  and  be  lost  from  sight  for  a  few  minutes,  to  again  appear  and 
approach  nearer  than  at  first. 

Hover  appeared  to  be  as  deeply  interested  in  the  animal  as  myself, 
for  his  eyes  j*lowed  like  balls  of  fire  as  he  watched  the  movements  of 
the  strange  nondescript,  and  appeared  to  wonder  why  I  did  not  tell  him 
to  investigate  the  matter  instead  of  sitting  there  with  staring  eyes. 

Presently  a  second  and  then  a  third  animal  came  in  sight,  and  their 
movements  were  like  that  of  the  first.  Slowly  and  in  an  irregular  line 
they  approached  me,  halting  every  two  or  three  seconds  as  though  feed- 
ing upon  the  grass,  which  was  rank  and  tasteless,  and  at  length  I  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  they  were  animals  peculiar  to  Australia,  and  such 
as  I  had  not  seen  before. 

"  Smith,"  I  said,  calling  to  that  worthy  man,  who,  I  thought,  was  nod- 
ding in  a  mysterious  manner. 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  rubbing  his  eyes  and  trying  to  appear  as 
though  he  had  not  thought  of  sleeping  on  his  post. 

"  What  kind  of  animals  are  these  within  a  rod  of  the  camp,  feeding 
so  quietly  ?  " 

When  I  spoke  and  pointed  to  them,  I  was  astonished  to  find  that, 
during  the  short  time  my  attention  was  occupied,  half  a  dozen  others 
were  in  sight,  but  they  were  no  longer  feeding  —  they  appeared  to  be 
surprised  at  the  sound  of  a  human  voice,  and  were  listening  atten- 
tively. 

"  Why,  hang  it,  man,  do  you  mean  to  say  that  you  don't  know  a  kan- 
garoo when  you  see  one  ?  "  and  Smith  laughed  at  my  greenness. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  those  are  kangaroos  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  Of  course  they  are ;  see  that  fellow  sitting  on  his  tail  near  you. 
He  is  almost  as  large  as  a  native,  and  were  it  not  for  showing  the  black 
devils  our  position  I  would  knock  him  over,  and  we  would  have  fresh 
steaks  for  breakfast." 

"  But  I  supposed  that  the  kangaroo  was  a  very  wild  animal,"  Fred 
said,  joining  in  the  conversation. 

"  So  they  are ;  but  in  the  night  time  I  have  known  them  to  mingle 
with  horses  and  not  leave  until  daylight.  They  appear  to  have  a  re- 
markable attachment  for  horses ;  and  a  man  riding  over  a  prairie  can 
approach  them  within  a  few  rods  without  exciting  suspicions." 

I  was  listening  attentively  to  Smith,  but  still  I  kept  an  eye  on  our 
visitors,  and  noticed  that  they  gradually  lessened  their  distance  between 
us,  and  were  so  near  that  they  could  not  fail  to  note  our  positions. 

"  Do  kangaroos  usually  carry  spears  in  their  paws  ?  "  I  asked  of  Smith, 
in  a  whisper. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  he  demanded. 


164  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  I  mean  that  instead  of  animals  we  have  natives  to  deal  with,  and 
in  another  moment  our  throats  would  have  been  cut  by  the  sly  scamps." 

I  snatched  up  my  rifle,  and  hardly  waiting  to  place  it  at  my  shoulder, 
fired. 

The  kangaroo,  alias  a«native  sewed  up  in  a  skin,  sprang  towards  me, 
but  with  a  yell  of  agony  fell  dead  at  my  feet. 

I  seized  my  revolver,  but  before  I  could  use  it  Fred's  rifle  and  Smith's 
double-barrelled  gun  answered  my  lead,  and  two  more  natives  were 
bleeding  upon  the  field. 

The  smoke  slowly  drifted  past,  but  no  more  live  kangaroos  were  to 
be  seen. 

I  looked  for  Rover,  but  he  had  disappeared  during  the  firing,  and  he 
did  not  return  for  ten  minutes,  when  by  his  panting  I  knew  that  he  had 
pursued  the  natives  to  the  bushes,  but  what  other  damage  he  had  done 
the  latter  only  knew. 

"  We  shall  rest  in  peace  for  the  remainder  of  the  night,"  Smith  said, 
"  that  is,  provided  any  one  can  get  rest  with  so  many  blasted  bugs 
buzzing  in  the  air.  The  natives  will  not  make  a  second  attack  upon 
us,  you  may  be  assured." 

Smith's  words  were  found  to  be  correct,  for,  when  daylight  appeared, 
a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  to  our  camp,  and  an  old  native  demanded  per- 
mission to  remove  the  bodies  of  his  fallen  friends.  We  gave  a  willing 
consent  on  condition  that  we  were  allowed  to  pass  on  our  way  without 
further  molestation ;  and  after  accepting  our  terms,  we  detained  the 
old  fellow  as  a  hostage  until  we  were  safe  from  their  ambush,  when  we 
dismissed  him  with  a  number  of  presents,  and  he  returned  to  his  camp 
apparently  delighted  at  his  treatment. 

We  urged  our  cattle  to  their  utmost  exertions,  and  at  sundown  \fe 
were  in  sight  of  the  old  convict's  hut,  and  in  close  proximity  to  the 
buried  gold. 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

ARRIVAL  AT  THE  OLD  STOCKMAN'S  HUT.  —  MYSTERIOUS  INTERRUP- 
TIONS DURING  THE  HUNT. 

As  we  drew  near  the  hut  which  had  withstood  so  hot  an  assault  from 
the  gang  of  Jim  Gulpin,  we  saw  that  its  proprietor  was  seated  before 
his  door,  busily  engaged  in  reading  a  book,  in  which  he  appeared  deeply 
interested,  for  he  never  raised  his  eyes  until  Rover,  who  recognized  him, 
thrust  his  cold  nose  on  his  hand  and  demanded  a  welcome. 

The  old  man  looked  surprised,  dropped  his  book,  and  then  apparently 
comprehended  that  we  must  be  near,  for  he  glanced  eagerly  round,  and 
when  his  eyes  fell  upon  Smith,  he  started  towards  us  at  a  brisk  pace, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  the  two  were  shaking  hands  like  friends  who  had 
been  separated  for  months  and  years. 

"But  where  are  your  companions?    Where  are  the  two  generous 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  165 

Americans  who  fought  so  bravely  when  I  revenged  my  daughter's  inju- 
ries ?  "  demanded  the  old  man,  who  did  not  recognize  us,  dressed  as  we 
were  in  a  respectable-looking  thin  'suit  of  clothes,  and  with  our  beards 
shaven  off. 

"  0,"  answered  Smith,  carelessly,  "  they  became  infatuated  with  the 
pleasures  of  Melbourne,  and  have  remained  behind." 

"  And  our  pardons  ?  "  asked  the  stockman,  after  a  moment's  silence, 
during  which  we  could  see  that  he  was  struggling  for  fortitude  and 
composure. 

"  Here,"  exclaimed  Fred,  "  a  free  and  unconditional  pardon  is  granted 
to  convict  No.  2921,  subject  only  to  the  approval  of  the  Home  office, 
for  distinguishing  himself  in  an  encounter  with  a  gang  of  desperate 
bushrangers." 

The  old  man  knew  his  voice,  and  tears,  which  he  had  before  sup- 
pressed, now  flowed  freely.  He  grasped  Fred's  hands  and  pressed 
them  convulsively,  and  then  fell  upon  me  and  nearly  smothered  me  with 
his  embrace. 

"  Read  it  again,"  he  cried,  handing  the  pardon  to  Fred.  "  Let  me 
once  more  be  assured  that  I  am  a  free  man." 

Fred  complied  with  his  request,  and  was  about  to  inquire  concerning 
his  daughter,  when  she  made  her  appearance  at  the  door  of  the  hut, 
and  appeared  to  be  slightly  astonished  at  seeing  her  father  conversing 
with  strangers. 

"  Come  here,  Becky,"  he  cried,  "I  have  news  for  you  —  great  news." 

Followed  by  the  hound,  who  had  sought  her  out  a  few  moments  be- 
fore, she  came  to  meet  us ;  and  being  a  more  acute  observer  than  her 
parent,  she  readily  recognized  us  in  spite  of  our  change  of  costume. 

"  Here,  Becky,"  cried  the  old  man,  with  childish  eagerness,  "  read 
that  document  that  his  excellency  the  governor  has  sent  me.  I  am  a 
free  man,  Becky  —  a  free  man,  and  can  travel  to  any  part  of  the  island, 
and  not  a  soldier  or  police  officer  can  harm  me,  or  lay  the  weight  of  his 
hand  upon  me,  and  ask  why  I  leave  my  flocks  without  permission.  I 
shall  yet  be  rich,  and  instead  of  tending  sheep  I  will  own  them,  and 
have  shepherds  who  will  look  to  me  for  orders.  I'll  not  be  known  as 
the  shepherd  convict,  but  the  rich  landed  proprietor.  O,  I  will  show 
you,  Becky,  if  it  pleases  God,  how  I  will  work,  and  you  shall  be  a  lady, 
and  no  longer  dress  in  cheap  stuff,  but  wear  silks,  and  be  waited  upon. 
I  know  a  thing  or  two  which  you  little  suspect." 

"  I  am  contented  as  I  am,  if  I  can  but  be  near  you,  father,"  she  an- 
swered, trying  to  check  the  old  man's  sudden  energy. 

"  I  know,  I  know  ;  but  we  must  bide  our  time,  and  remain  poor  for 
the  present,  Becky  —  only  for  the  present." 

"  Perhaps  our  visitors  would  like  supper,"  the  young  woman  sug- 
gested, in  hopes  of  turning  the  conversation. 

"  By  all  means ;  they  shall  have  the  best  that  we  can  give,"  replied 
the  stockman,  emerging  from  his  deep  reverie,  and  playing  the  host  to  per- 
fection. "  Cook  them  the  hind  quarter  of  the  lamb  I  killed  to-day,  and 
add  whatever  else  you  may  have  in  the  house." 

"  But  we  object  to  that,"  said  Fred.  "  We  did  not  come  here  to  rob 
you  of  your  provisions,  and  while  we  have  a  full  supply  will  not  tres- 
pass upon  your  store.  It  is  you  whom  we  invite  to  share  our  supper. 


166  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

Recollect  we  are  just  from  Melbourne,  and  have  a  rare  quality  of  tea 
in  our  cart  which  we  want  you  and  your  daughter  to  test." 

"  There  surely  can  be  no  harm  in*  accepting  of  your  offer,"  replied 
the  old  man,  musingly.  "  When  I  am  rich,  it  will  of  course  be  a  dif- 
ferent thing  —  then  you  can  partake  of  my  hospitality." 

"  If  we  proposed  to  you  to  help  us  to  wealth,  what  answer  should  you 
return  ?  "  Fred  asked  of  the  convict. 

"  The  answer  of  a  grateful,  honest  man.  Show  me  that  the  means 
to  get  the  wealth  are  honest,  and  I  will  work  without  complaining,  for 
months,  and  when  you  are  satisfied  with  your  share  of  worldly  goods, 
I  will  seek  to  get  mine,"  returned  the  old  man,  promptly. 

"  Then  we  ask  your  aid  for  the  space  of  a  few  days.  In  yonder  for- 
est, a  treasure  is  buried,  and  we  expect  that  some  work  is  required  to 
find  it.  Will  you  aid  us  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  replied  the  stockman,  without  a  moment's  hesi- 
tation. "  I  am  under  too  great  an  obligation  to  you,  gentlemen,  to  re- 
fuse assistance  in  so  small  a  matter.  When  shall  we  start  ?  " 

"  To-morrow  morning,  at  daylight.  Time  is  precious  to  us  until  we 
find  the  treasure." 

"  I  hope  you  will  not  be  disappointed  in  your  search,"  returned  the 
old  man,  apparently  restored  to  his  usual  clear-headedness  with  the 
prospect  of  something  to  do.  "  A  secret  like  Gulpin's  must  have  been 
known  or  suspected  by  others  beside  his  band.  For  a  few  days  past  I 
have  seen  strange  men  wandering  around  the  edge-of  the  wood,  although 
they  did  not  appear  to  be  regular  bushrangers.  They  may  have  the 
same  object  in  vaew  as  yourselves,  but  without  your  knowledge  of  the 
locality  of  the  gold. 

"  If  they  are  bushrangers  we  will  fight  them,  but  if  honest  people 
in  search  of  the  treasure,  we  will  laugh  at  them  for  their  pains,  and 
ridicule  them  for  their  trouble,"  the  old  man  continued.  "  I  see  that 
Smith  and  my  daughter  have  managed  to  get  something  to  eat.  Sup- 
pose we  have  supper  first,  and  discuss  the  best  means  of  accomplishing 
your  ends  afterwards  ?  " 

"  By  the  way,  we  forget  to  tell  you  that  your  share  of  money,  for  the 
capture  of  bushrangers,  is  awaiting  your  order,"  Fred  said,  during  sup- 
per, speaking  to  the  stockman. 

"  I  feel  content  with  the  paper  which  contains  my  pardon,  and  think 
that  I  am  amply  rewarded.  I  desire  nothing  more  from  government." 

Finding  that  the  subject  was  distasteful  to  the  old  man,  we  said  no 
more,  but  after  the  table  was  cleared  away,  we  lighted  our  pipes  and 
planned  the  business  which  was  to  occupy  us  early  the  next  morning. 
Our  arrangements  were  soon  completed  and  agreed  upon.  We  read- 
ily came  to  the  conclusion  to  unload  all  of  our  baggage  excepting  what 
we  should  want  while  absent ;  and  instead  of  taking  eight  oxen,  we 
concluded  to  take  only  four,  as  that  number  could  be  provided  for  much 
easier  than  all  of  them.  We  also  concluded  to  leave  our  horses,  and 
let  the  old  man's  daughter  keep  her  eyes  on  them  during  the  day,  and 
confine  them  in  the  enclosure  which  was  used  for  herding  sheep  dur- 
ing the  night. 

With  this  idea,  we  began  making  our  preparations  for  an  early  start. 
Our  shovels  and  pickaxes  were  articles  which  we  should  want  in  digging, 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  167 

and  three  days'  provisions  were  also  placed  upon  the  cart,  together 
with  our  bedding  and  mosquito  bars  to  prevent  the  insects  from  eating 
us  alive  during  our  sleeping  hours. 

Our  ritles  were  also  examined,  and  at  length  satisfied  that  we  were 
ready  for  an  early  start,  we  bid  our  host  and  daughter  good  night  and 
retired  to  our  usual  sleeping  place,  under  the  cart,  with  Hover  at  our 
feet,  ready  to  give  notice  of  the  slighest  appearance  of  danger. 

It  was  still  dark  when  the  stockman  aroused  us,  but  a  pale  light  in 
the  eastern  heavens  showed  that  day  would  soon  break.  Although  we 
were  tired  with  our  long  journey,  yet  we  did  not  stand  a  second  call, 
and  in  an  hour's  time  after  being  aroused,  we  had  despatched  our  hasti- 
ly cooked  breakfast,  and  were  on  the  road  and  urging  the  cattle  to- 
wards the  dark  and  sombre  appearing  woods  where  the  gang  of  Black 
Darnley  had  been  signally  defeated. 

It  was  about  eight  o'clock  when  we  reached  the  place  where  we  had 
entered  formerly.  Every  thing  appeared  as  we  had  left  it.  The  forest 
path  seemed  to  have  been  untrodden  since  the  day  when  we  had  made 
a  funeral  pile  of  the  remains  of  the  bushrangers,  yet  there  was  one  pe- 
culiarity that  struck  me  as  rather  odd  —  the  entire  absence  of  parrots, 
whose  croakings  used  to  attract  our  attention,  and  whose  plumage, 
gaudy  and  varied,  commanded  our  admiration. 

While  Smith  unyoked  the  cattle  and  chained  them  to  a  tree,  under 
which  a  good  supply  of  grass  was  to  be  had,  I  took  my  rifle,  and  calling 
to  Hover,  started  towards  the  bushrangers'  camp,  or  rather  where  it  had 
stood  before  we  had  given  it  to  the  flames. 

I  had  not  walked  ten  rods  before  I  thought  I  saw  the  figure  of  a 
man  glide  from  behind  a  tree  and  disappear  in  a  thicket  of  brush.  I 
stopped,  and  with  rifle  on  the  cock,  waited  for  his  re-appearance  ;  but 
as  I  heard  nothing  from  him,  I  concluded  that  I  would  beat  up  his 
quarters  before  the  rest  of  my  party  came  along. 

I  examined  the  thicket,  and  to  my  surprise,  found  that  it  was  com- 
posed of  a  species  of  brier,  with  long,  needle-like  thorns  upon  every 
twig,  and  that  the  idea  of  a  man's  passing  through  it,  unless  dressed  in 
armor,  was  impossible,  as  he  would  have  been  punctured  in  every  pore, 
and  would  have  shed  blood  at  every  step.  I  did  not  like  to  think  that 
I  had  been  subjected  to  an  optical  delusion,  and  so  I  continued  on  for  a 
short  distance,  but  could  find  no  trail,  although  I  observed  that  Rover 
snuffled  around  in  an  unusual  manner,  and  appeared  uneasy. 

"  Hullo,"  cried  Fred,  who  had  now  entered  the  woods  with  the  rest 
of  the  party,  "  what  are  you  doing  away  from  the  path  ?  " 

I  returned  a  trivial  answer,  and  joined  them  in  their  walk  towards 
the  clearing ;  yet  I  felt  as  though  I  had  not  done  my  duty,  and  examined 
the  mysterious  disappearance  of  the  shadow  which  I  saw,  with  sufficient 
attention.  A  fear  of  ridicule  and  a  dread  of  wasting  time  alone  pre- 
vented me  from  speaking. 

"The  woods  are  unusually  quiet,"  the  stockman  said,  as  we  moved 
along  in  Indian  file.  "  I  never  visited  here  without  being  provoked  at 
the  ceaseless  chatter  of  the  parrots,  and  yet  to-day  but  few  are  to  be 
heard  and  none  seen.  They  have  become  shy,  and  an  explanation 
would  be  satisfactory  to  account  for  the  fact." 

As  no  surmise  was  made  by  either  of  the  party,  the  conversation 


168  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

dropped,  and  it  was  not  until  we  were  standing  over  the  half  charred 
bones  of  the  bushrangers,  which  had  been  pawed  around  by  the  fox- 
like  animals  of  the  woods,  that  we  again  spoke. 

The  ashes  of  the  burned  hut  were  still  visible,  so  that  its  location  was 
defined  without  trouble,  but  the  great  question  to  be  solved  was  where 
the  treasure  lay  buried.  To  determine  this  we  had  purchased  an  excel- 
lent pocket  compass  in  Melbourne,  and  upon  taking  the  bearings  we 
found  that  the  bushrangers  were  exactly  in  a  south-west  direction  from 
where  the  hut  stood. 

"  Now,"  said  the  old  stockman,  "  repeat  the  exact  words  of  Gulpin, 
when  telling  you  of  the  buried  money." 

"  Ten  paces  in  a  south ,"  I  replied,  promptly. 

"  Nothing  more  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Not  a  syllable." 

"  Then  let  us  set  the  compass  and  pace  off  the  distance  in  a  south- 
west line,  and  begin  digging." 

The  ten  paces  were  gravely  gone  through  with,  and  I  found  that  the 
grass  where  they  terminated  bore  no  indications  of  having  been  dis- 
turbed. I  shook  my  head  and  expressed  a  decided  opinion  that  no 
ground  had  been  broken  there  for  a  year,  at  the  least  calculation.  Fred 
was  of  my  opinion,  and  began  to  have  serious  doubts  of  the  truth  of 
the  story  of  Gulpin. 

I  was  still  hopeful,  and  glanced  over  the  opening  to  see  if  I  could 
discover  signs  of  the  earth  having  been  recently  disturbed.  While  I 
was  thus  occupied,  Rover  was  scratching  among  the  bones  which  were 
plentifully  strewed  around,  and  a  sudden  thought  occurred  to  me.  I 
consulted  the  compass,  and  was  glad  to  find  that  my  surmises  were  not 
contrary  to  the  dying  confession  of  Gulpin. 

I  paced  off  ten  paces  in  a  south-east  direction,  and  the  last  step 
brought  me  exactly  in  the  midst  of  the  bones  and  ashes  of  the  bush- 
rangers. 

I  seized  a  spade  and  struck  it  into  the  ground,  and  was  about  to  call 
my  companions'  attention  to  the  spot,  when  a  sharp  report  was  heard 
near  at  hand,  in  the  bushes,  and  a  musket  ball  whizzed  within  two 
inches  of  my  head. 

We  were  all  too  much  accustomed  to  life  in  the  bush  to  rem&in  in 
open  ground  when  an  unseen  enemy  was  disposed  to  exercise  his  skill 
on  one  of  us,  so  that  in  less  than  half  a  second's  time  we  were  under 
cover,  and  watching  with  tolerably  sharp  eyes  for  the  first  movement 
of  the  man  who  had  attempted  to  riddle  my  carcass  with  his  confounded 
bullet. 

For  half  an  hour  we  waited,  and  not  a  leaf  stirred.  The  dog  had 
ranged  through  the  forest,  and  once,  by  his  peculiar  howl,  we  thought 
some  mishap  had  befallen  him,  but  beyond  a  few  spots  of  blood  on  his 
nose,  he  appeared  to  be  quite  unharmed,  and  seemed  anxious  to  again 
go  in  search  of  our  enemy. 

Fearful  that  his  life  would  be  endangered,  I  kept  him  near  me,  and 
for  another  half  hour  we  waited,  motionless,  in  anticipation  of  an  at- 
tack, yet  none  came. 

Presently  I  heard  a  slight  noise  behind  me,  and  turning  suddenly,  with 
my  rifle  presented,  I  found  that  the  muzzle  was  lodged  against  the  head 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  169 

of  the  stockman,  who  had  been  reconnoitring  in  the  vicinity,  and  yet  so 
quietly  that  I  was  not  aware  that  he  had  left  the  bush  under  which  he 
sought  shelter. 

"  I  have  examined  the  bushes  carefully,  and  no  signs  of  a  bushran- 
ger are  to  be  seen,"  the  old  man  said,  laying  the  long  gun  which  he 
was  accustomed  to  use  by  his  side,  and  brushing  off  a  few  specks  of  dust 
which  had  collected  on  the  barrel. 

"  It  is  a  mystery  to  me  how  he  disappeared  so  soon  after  discharging 
his  gun,"  I  said. 

The  old  man  shook  his  head,  and,  laying  one  finger  on  my  arm,  whis- 
pered, — 

"_Dr»  you  believe  in  spirits  ?  " 

"  Do  you  mean  this  kind  ?  "  I  asked,  drawing  a  flask  of  excellent 
whiskey  from  my  pocket  and  offering  him  a  drink. 

"  No,  I  didn't  mean  this  kind,"  the  stockman  said,  slowly  raising  it  to 
his  mouth,  and  I  could  hear  the  liquor  coursing  down  his  throat  in  a 
stream. 

"  No,"  he  repeated,  removing  the  bottle  from  his  mouth,  and  drawing 
a  long  breath,  "  I  didn't  mean  these  kinds  of  spirits,  because  there's  no 
harm  in  them,  and  the  more  a  man  gets  the  better  he  is  off.  I  meant 
the  kind  of  spirits  which  wander  about  the  earth,  and  play  tricks  upon 
living  men." 

"  Ah,  a  sort  of  ghost,  I  suppose  you  mean,"  I  answered. 

"  Precisely,"  replied  the  stockman,  mechanically  taking  the  bottle 
from  my  hand  and  again  applying  it  to  his  lips  ;  "  ghosts  are  the  fel- 
lows —  they  do  every  thing  without  being  seen  ;  and  why  should  not  the 
spirit  of  Gulpin  hover  around  this  spot,  and  repel  all  attempts  to  get 
at  his  money  ?  " 

"  I  know  of  but  two  reasons,"  I  replied,  gently  taking  the  bottle  from 
my  friend's  hands,  for  fear  that  my  share  of  its  contents  would  be  very 
meagre;  "in  the  first  place,  ghosts  usually  don't  care  about  money,  as 
they  have  no  use  for  it  in  the  country  in  which  they  spend  a  large  por- 
tion of  their  time." 

"  That's  true,"  replied  the  man,  making  a  dive  to  get  the  bottle  in 
his  possession,  but  I  prevented  this,  by  applying  it  to  my  own  lips. 

"  In  the  next  place,"  I  continued,  pausing  to  take  breath,  "  fire,  but 
not  fire-arms  is  furnished  to  refractory  spirits  ;  and  if  I  am  any  judge 
of  worldly  matters,  it  was  a  piece  of  lead  that  whizzed  past  my  head 
half  an  hour  ago." 

"  Then  you  don't  believe  that  the  sound  which  we  considered  the  re- 
port of  a  gun  was  produced  by  evil  spirits,  who  are  set  here  to  guard 
the  treasure  of  Gulpin  ?  " 

"  It  is  more  likely  a  bushranger  was  secreted  in  the  bushes,  or  behind 
the  trees,  and  that  when  he  aimed,  he  intended  to  make  short  work  of 
one  of  us,  in  hope  of  frightening  the  remainder." 

"  Then  give  me  another  drink,  and  if  the  scamp  wants  a  muss  he  can 
have  one,  for  I'm  not  going  to  remain  here,  broiling  under  the  hot  sun, 
all  day." 

The  old  man  snatched  the  flask  from  my  hand,  and  before  I  could 
stop  him,  had  nearly  drained  it  of  its  contents.  I  discovered,  for  the 
first  time,  that  day,  that  the  stockman  was  no  longer  under  self-control 

15 


170  LIFE   IN   AUSTEALIA,   OB 

•when  he  had  tasted  liquor,  and  from  that  period  until  our  acquaintance 
ceased  I  never  again  offered  it  to  him. 

I  sought  to  restrain  him,  but  in  vain ;  with  a  fanatical  yell  he  plunged 
into  the  clearing,  and  waving  his  long  gun  over  his  head,  he  dared 
spirit,  ghost,  or  bushranger  to  meet  him  on  even  ground. 

There  was  no  response  to  his  challenge,  and  considering  that  it  was 
cowardly  to  let  him  remain  there  alone,  the  rest  of  us  quickly  gathered 
around,  and  requested  him  to  lie  down  for  a  short  time. 

He  repelled  us  with  scorn,  at  the  imputation  that  he  was  drunk  ;  and 
finding  that  it  was  impossible  to  reason  with  him,  we  left  him  digging 
away  as  though  for  life,  and  throwing  the  dirt  in  the  form  of  a  parapet. 

We  separated  and  scoured  the  woods  within  a  radius  of  half  a  mile, 
but  not  a  sign  of  a  bushranger  could  we  detect,  and  somewhat  reas- 
sured by  our  search,  we  returned  to  the  stockman,  who  was  working 
most  industriously,  and  leaving  Smith  to  remain  concealed,  and  give  us 
•warning  of  the  approach  of  danger,  we  joined  labor  with  the  old  man, 
although  not  in  the  same  place  in  which  he  was  at  work. 

I  had  reasoned  on  the  subject,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  if 
Gulpin  had  buried  his  money,  he  would  like  to  destroy  all  evidence  of 
its  concealment.  He  and  his  gang  were  on  friendly  terms  with  Darn- 
ley,  and  the  former  had  piled  up  the  dead  bodies,  with  the  evident  in- 
tention of  consuming  them  with  fire,  as  we  had  afterwards  done,  on  our 
second  visit. 

Now,  it  struck  me  as  being  likely  that  the  spot  where  the  gold  was 
buried  would  be  chosen  by  a  man  who  was  inclined  to  be  superstitious, 
for  the  finale  of  the  grand  tragedy,  and  perhaps  impressed  with  the 
thought  that  the  dead  men  would  guard  his  treasure  securely. 

With  this  conviction,  Fred  and  myself  broke  ground  amidst  a  heap 
of  ashes,  without  a  thought  or  care  of  the  invisible  guard,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  we  had  excavated  a  moderate  sized  hole,  and  would  have  con- 
tinued working,  had  not  Smith  interrupted  us  by  pointing  to  the  sun, 
and  advising  a  respite,  owing  to  the  danger  of  a  sun-stroke. 

As  our  hands  were  somewhat  blistered,  and  we  had  as  yet  not  discov- 
ered the  first  sign  of  gold,  we  readily  took  his  advice,  and  upon  repair- 
ing to  the  spot  where  the  stockman  was  supposed  to  be  at  work,  we 
found  that  the  bottle  had  proved  too  much  for  him.  He  was  lying  on 
his  back  in  the  place  which  he  had  excavated,  with  his  face  exposed  to 
the  sun,  the  shovel  clasped  tightly  in  his  arms,  and  his  snoring  sounded, 
like  distant  thunder. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  we  at  length  aroused  him,  and  got 
him  to  the  cart,  where  he  was  allowed  to  rest  and  sleep  as  long  as  he 
pleased,  and  while  he  was  thus  employed,  we  made  another  discovery, 
•which  set  us  to  wondering. 


A  GOLD  UUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  171 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

ROBBERY  OF  THE  CART.  —  CAPTURE  OF  STEEL  SPRING. 

WHAT  caused  us  so  much  surprise  was  the  fact  that  during  our  ab- 
sence the  cart  was  visited,  our  provisions  overhauled,  a  portion  carried 
off,  and  one  or  two  bottles  of  claret  emptied.  It  was  evident  that  the 
thief  was  in  too  great  a  hurry  to  draw  the  cork,  even  if  he  had  had  a 
corkscrew,  of  which  there  was  some  doubt ;  so  he  had  just  broken  the 
necks  of  the  bottles  on  one  of  the  wheels,  and  then  drank  to  satiety. 

Our  visitor  was  no  ghost-like  character,  who  could  pass  through  a  hole 
and  not  feel  inconvenienced.  According  to  the  quantity  of  provisions 
which  he  had  eaten  and  carried  off,  he  must  have  possessed  a  human 
stomach  of  remarkable  voracity. 

It  was  very  evident  that  we  had  a  thief  of  extraordinary  shrewdness 
to  deal  with,  and  that  unless  we  were  a  little  sharper  we  should  be 
cheated  of  our  gold  and  fleeced  of  our  provisions  —  two  reflections  not 
very  comforting. 

We  held  a  long  conference  and  debated  the  best  way  to  entrap  our 
opponent,  and  yet  we  could  reach  no  conclusion,  and  were  about  to  pro- 
vide our  dinners,  when  Rover  bounded  from  the  bushes  with  a  piece  of 
cloth  in  his  mouth,  which  he  shook  and  played  with  for  some  time  be- 
fore he  would  relinquish. 

It  was  the  remnant  of  a  blue  flannel  shirt,  and  the  idea  struck  me 
that  our  visitor  had  not  only  taken  our  provisions,  but  had  stolen  a  por- 
tion of  our  clothing.  I  examined  the  few  articles  which  I  had  brought 
and  found  that  my  surmise  was  correct.  A  pair  of  pants  and  a  shirt 
were  missing ;  hut  I  felt  glad  to  think  that  the  exchange  had  been  made, 
as  now  I  considered  that  we  had  our  friend  on  the  hip. 

I  explained  to  Fred  and  Smith  the  manner  in  which  we  could  track 
our  visitor,  and  they  agreed  to  assist  me  in  trying  the  experiment.  I 
called  the  hound,  and  laid  the  remnant  of  the  shirt  before  him.  Thinking 
that  I  meant  to  have  a  lark  with  him,  he  began  to  tear  the  flannel  and 
play  as  formerly,  but  I  touched  him  with  a  small  switch  and  he  crouched 
at  my  feet,  and  looked  up  so  reproachful  and  timid  that  I  was  almost 
sorry  to  think  I  was  obliged  to  correct  him.  I  steadily  persevered  un- 
til I  impressed  upon  the  mind  of  the  hound  that  he  was  to  follow  the 
one  who  had  worn  the  shirt,  and  if  there  was  not  scent  enough  the 
thief  was  not  to  blame,  for  the  article  looked  as  though  it  had  seen 
service. 

At  length  the  dog  comprehended  me.  He  trotted  to  the  cart,  walk- 
ed around  it  once  or  twice,  with  his  nose  close  to  the  ground,  and  when 
he  had  got  track  of  the  thief  he  uttered  a  low  bay  of  satisfaction,  and 
looked  up  into  my  face  as  much  as  to  say,  "  shall  I  go  on  ?  " 

We  caught  up  our  rifles,  and  leaving  the  sleeping  stockman  to  con- 
tinue his  nap,  we  motioned  the  dog  to  start,  and  followed  close  at  his 
heels. 

He  led  the  way  along  the  path  until  he  came  to  the  spot  where  I  im- 


172  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

agined  I  had  seen  a  man  disappear,  and  after  snuffing  for  a  moment, 
the  hound  trotted  on,  sometimes  leaping  over  bushes  four  feet  high,  a 
feat  which  we  found  not  easy  of  accomplishment,  tired  as  we  were,  and 
the  heat  up  to  over  a  hundred  in  the  shade  of  a  forest. 

If  the  animal  got  two  rods  in  advance  of  us,  a  word  was  sufficient  to 
check  him  until  we  came  up,  when,  receiving  our  praise  with  an 
acknowledgment  in  the  shape  of  a  wag  of  his  tail,  he  would  trot  on  with 
renewed  watchfulness. 

We  observed  that  our  course  led  us  towards  the  spot  where  we  had 
been  digging  a  few  minutes  before,  and  as  we  neared  the  clearing  our 
watchfulness  increased.  Not  a  tree  was  passed  without  anxious  glances 
being  cast  among  the  branches  to  see  if  an  enemy  lurked  there,  but 
nothing  in  the  shape  of  a  man  was  to  be  seen. 

At  length  we  were  within  a  few  steps  of  the  bushes  from  whence  we 
supposed  the  gun  to  have  been  discharged.  Immediately  in  front  of  us 
was  a  low  tree  of  the  balsam  species,  with  branches  and  leaves  so  close 
together  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  through  the  top.  The  foliage  was 
most  dense,  and  the  thought  suddenly  occurred  to  me  that  if  a  man 
wished  to  secrete  himsejf  that  tree  would  be  the  one  which  he  would 
choose  from  amongst  the  thousands  within  sight.  I  was  not,  therefore, 
greatly  surprised  when  Hover  suddenly  stopped  and  exhibited  signs  of 
having  treed  his  game. 

"  The  thief  is  lodged  in  that  tree,"  shouted  Fred,  eagerly. 

"  It  is  singular  that  we  did  not  think  of  examining  it  before,"  I  re- 
marked, as  we  sheltered  ourselves  behind  trees,  for  we  had  evidence 
that,  whoever  he  was,  he  possessed  a  gun  and  knew  how  to  use  it,  and 
therefore  we  did  not  wish  to  needlessly  expose  our  lives  to  his  aim. 

Rover  acted  in  a  frantic  manner.  He  stood  upon  his  hind  legs  and 
sought  to  get  at  his  enemy,  and  when  finding  that  he  could  not,  he  ap- 
pealed to  us  for  assistance ;  and  for  fear  that  he  should  get  injured  I 
called  him  away,  —  an  order  which  he  obeyed  most  reluctantly. 

"  Come  down  from  the  tree,"  shouted  Fred,  "  and  we  will  give  you 
quarter  and  kind  treatment." 

There  was  no  answer ;  we  listened,  but  not  a  movement  was  to  be 
heard.  An  old  parrot,  that  was  perched  high  upon  a  blasted  tree,  at- 
tempted to  imitate  our  cry,  but  he  got  no  further  than  the  first  word, 
and  that  appeared  to  puzzle  him  so  much  that  he  gave  up  in  despair 
and  remained  mute  with  disgust. 

"  Do  you  surrender  ?  "  he  yelled. 

Not  a  word  was  heard  in  reply. 

"  He  is  like  the  flying  Dutchman,"  cried  Smith,  a  slight  superstitious 
feeling  beginning  to  creep  over  him. 

"  Give  him  a  shot,  then,  and  see  if  he  cannot  be  brought  down,"  Fred 
said. 

I  saw  that  Smith  had  no  particular  relish  for  the  duty,  but  for  fear 
that  we  should  laugh  at  him  he  raised  his  gun  and  discharged  one 
barrel. 

The  leaves  flew  as  though  the  tree  had  been  struck  by  a  whirlwind. 
A  small  branch  was  cut  off  by  the  bullet  and  fell  to  the  ground ;  but  no 
sign  of  an  'enemy  was  manifest. 

"  It's  no  use,"  cried  Smith,  with  a  lengthened  visage.     "  We  might 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  AD  VENTURES.  173 

waste  all  our  ammunition  and  the  result  would  still  be  the  same.     It's 
no  human  being  in  that  tree." 

"  We'll  see,"  replied  Fred,  briefly,  and  he  aimed  his  rifle  near  the  top 
of  the  tree,  and  fired. 

Not  near  as  many  leaves  fell  as  at  Smith's  discharge,  but  the  effect 
was  more  astonishing.  The  tree  swayed  back  and  forth  as  though  some 
one  was  moving  in  its  centre,  and  from  amidst  the  dense  foliage  a  voice 
exclaimed,  — 

"  Blast  yer  hies,  vot  is  yer  doing  ?  " 

"  Here,  Smith,"  cried  Fred,  "  there  is  a  cockney  countryman  of  yours 
up  there." 

"  Come  down,"  we  roared. 

"  See  ye  hanged  first,  and  then  I  von't,"  repeated  the  voice  in  the  tree. 

"  Then  we  shall  have  to  send  another  bullet  into  the  tree  to  start 
you." 

"  If  ye  don't  cut  hout  of  these  diggins,  yer'll  wish  that  ye  had," 
replied  our  defiant  acquaintance. 

"  Once  for  all,  will  you  surrender  ?  "  was  demanded. 

"  See  ye  blasted  fust,"  was  returned,  in  a  dogmatical  manner. 

Fred  let  fly  another  bullet  into  the  tree,  and  this  time  with  remarka- 
ble success  ;  for  suddenly  a  singular-looking  genius,  with  wonderful  long 
legs,  and  those  dressed  in  untanned  skins  of  the  kangaroo,  hair  side 
out,  tumbled  from  the  tree,  feet  foremost,  and  with  bounds  which  I 
thought  no  human  being  capable  of,  sprang  over  the  bushes  and  attempted 
to  escape,  which  he  no  doubt  would  have  done,  as  we  were  too  much 
surprised  to  think  of  checking  his  career  with  a  bullet,  had  not  the 
hound,  with  a  yell  of  satisfaction,  followed  in  pursuit. 

We  started  as  fast  as  possible  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  dog 
from  killing  the  man  outright,  as  we  feared  he  would,  but  our  alarm 
was  groundless ;  for  after  a  smart  run  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  we  found 
the  hound  standing  over  his  victim,  and  exhibiting  a  wicked  set  of  grind- 
ers at  every  motion  which  his  prisoner  made  to  escape. 

"  Vot  is  the  meanin'  of  this  'ere  kind  of  a  go  ?  "  demanded  our  pris- 
oner, as  we  gravely  took  seats  upon  fallen  trees,  and  regarded  him  with 
great  interest. 

The  fellow  was  a  curiosity,  and  I  have  often  laughed  at  the  ridiculous 
appearance  which  he  made  upon  our  first  meeting  in  the  woods  of  Aus- 
tralia. 

His  long  legs  and  feet  were  encased  in  the  skins  of  kangaroos,  which 
accounted  for  the  ease  with  which  he  passed  through  the  bushes  and 
left  no  scent  but  of  the  animal,  for  Rover  to  follow,  and  as  I  had  often 
punished  him  for  chasing  kangaroos  without  permission,  it  sufficiently 
explained  why  the  poor  dog  was  so  puzzled. 

The  skins  of  the  animals  appeared  to  have  been  fitted  to  the  legs  and 
feet  of  our  prisoner  while  green,  and  by  drying  them  on  his  limbs  he 
was  then  unable  to  remove  them  without  an  hour's  washing  in  water ;  a 
process  which,  by  the  looks  of  the  fellow,  he  seemed  to  have  no  relish 
for ;  the  dirt  was  glued  upon  his  face  as  though  it  was  warranted  to  wash, 
although  it's  doubtful  if  he  ever  tried  the  experiment ;  and  I  may  as 
well  observe  here  that  water  was  his  abhorrence,  and  he  never  drank  it 
unless  he  couldn't  get  something  stronger. 

15* 


174  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

Upon  the  back  of  the  scamp  was  a  new  blue  flannel  shirt,  which  he 
had  stolen  from  the  wagon,  leaving  his  old  one  in  exchange,  and  by  the 
means  of  which  we  had  traced  him  to  his  resting-place.  Around  his 
neck  was  a  silk  handkerchief  belonging  to  Smith,  and  on  his  head  was 
a  skin  cap,  with  a  long  tail  which  hung  over  his  shoulders  and  resem- 
bled the  brush  of  a  fox. 

"  Will  ye  call  hoff  the  hanimal,  and  let  me  up  ?  "  cried  our  new  ac- 
quaintance, casting  rueful  looks  towards  us. 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  Vy,  didn't  you  see  ?     I  dropped  down  from  the  tree." 

"  Yes,  we  are  aware  of  that ;  but  how  came  you  in  this  part  of  the 
country  alone  ?  " 

"  How  does  you  know  I'se  'lone  ?  "  asked  the  fellow,  with  such  a  sig- 
nificant leer  that  we  involuntarily  glanced  over  our  shoulders  as  though 
.  expecting  a  gang  of  ferocious  bushrangers  to  be  within  gunshot. 

"  Answer  me,"  cried  Fred,  with  pretended  sternness,  placing  the 
muzzle  of  the  rifle  against  the  fellow's  heart.  "  Tell  me  where  you 
came  from,  and  what  you  wish  in  the  neighborhood  ?  " 

"  Veil,  I  vill,  if  ye  von't  hinger  my  feelings  with  the  cold  iron.  Take 
away  the  gun  and  I'll  do  the  right  thing.  Ton  the  'onor  of  a  gentle- 
man, I  will." 

We  laughed  at  his  last  remark,  and  the  fellow  joined  in  with  us  good 
naturedly,  as  though  he  did  not  expect  to  be  believed. 

"  Very  well,  sit  up  and  tell  your  story,"  we  said ;  and  calling  off  the 
dog,  who  manifested  a  great  reluctance  to  obey,  we  permitted  him  to 
take  an  easier  position. 

"  Veil,  the  fact  of  the  matter  is,  I  am  strolling  round  'ere  just  for  the 
fun  of  shooting  parrots." 

"You  know  that  you  are  lying," 'Fred  said,  sternly. 

The  fellow  seemed  to  think  a  compliment  had  been  paid  him,  for  he 
grinned  so  hard  that  the  dirt  actually  cracked  on  his  face  and  peeled 
off  in  scales.  A  motion  towards  our  rifles  brought  him  to  his  reason. 

"  Stop  that,"  he  cried,  "  and  I'll  tell  hall." 

"  Go  on,"  we  repeated. 

"  Veil,  then,  I  s'pose  I'm  'ere  for  the  same  thing  as  vot  you're  here  for." 

"  Well,  what  is  that  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Vy,  you  know  —  the  hold  boy's  tin  vich  he  buried  afore  he  vas 
taken  up  and  dished." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  I  inquired,  wishing  to  see  how  much  he 
knew. 

"  O,  don't  'tempt  to  gammon  me,  'case  I  knows  by  the  way  that  yer 
does  —  that  yer  knows  all  'bout  the  trick.  But  I  say,  can't  I  come  in 
for  shocks  ?  " 

"  Then  you  know  that  there  is  money  buried  near  here  ?  " 

"  Hof  course  I  does.  Didn't  I  see  Jim  Gulpin  ven  he  planted  it,  and 
didn't  I  run  hoff  the  next  day,  and  ven  I  hears  that  Jim  is  a  goner,  and 
had  got  into  the  hands  of  the  beaks,'  didn't  I  leave  the  mines,  vere  the 
vork  is  jolly  'ard,  and  come  'ere  with  the  intention  of  raising  it,  and 
having  a  jolly  good  blow  out  at  Melbourne  ?  " 

"  Then  you  have  been  connected  with  a  gang  of  bushrangers  ?  "  Fred 
asked. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  175 

"  Veil,  I  did  use  to  do  the  cookin'  for  'em,  vile  they  did  the  robbin'  / 
but  then  you  wouldn't  blow  on  a  fellow,  would  you  ?  " 

"  What  did  you  make  a  target  of  my  body  for  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Veil,  I  vill  be  plain,  and  no  mistake.  I  did  think  that  if  it  killed 
von  of  ye,  vy  the  rest  vould  run,  and  then  I  should  be  left  alone  to  ring 
the  blunt." 

"  And  why  did  you  not  continue  to  fire  at  us  ?  " 

"  'Cos  I  hadn't  got  any  more  bullets,"  was  the  frank  answer ;  and  on 
examination  of  his  powder  pouch,  we  found  such  to  be  the  case. 

"  What  have  you  done  with  your  ammunition  ?  " 

"  Veil,  I  had  to  live  on  something,  so  I  used  to  shoot  into  flocks  of 
parrots ;  but  I've  skeered  'em  all  hoff,  I  believe." 

"  And  why  did  you  not  try  to  get  hold  of  a  sheep  ?  There  are  plenty 
of  those  within  five  miles  of  the  forest." 

"  And  get  pinked  by  the  hold  shepherd  wid  the  long  gun  ?  "  he  de- 
manded, with  a  knowing  grin,  which  showed  that  he  had  heard  of  the 
skill  of  the  old  man  with  his  smooth  bo.re. 

"  You  have  confessed  that  you  once  belonged  to  a  gang  of  bushran- 
gers, and  you  may  have  been  guilty  of  many  crimes.  It  is  a  duty  which 
we  owe  to  the  government  to  either  hang  you,  or  else  deliver  you  to  the 
police.  Which  do  you  prefer  ?  " 

"  Veil,  to  tell  the  plain  truth,  I  don't  like  neither  plan,  and  I  don't 
b'leeve  that  you  will  do  it." 

"  Why  ?  "  we  asked,  astonished  at  his  assurance. 

"  'Cos,  then  I  couldn't  help  you  get  the  dirt  out  if  you  give  me  up  to 
the  police.  I'd  peach  'bout  it,  and  then  you'd  have  to  fork  over  to  the 
government,  and  would  get  nothing  for  your  pains." 

"But  suppose  we  should  despatch  you  on  the  spot?" 

"  But  there's  no  use  s'posing  any  thing  of  the  kind.  'Mericans  don't 
often  kill  people  in  cold  blood." 

"  You  know  that  we  are  Americans  ?  "  we  demanded,  in  astonishment. 

"  Of  course  I  does.  Didn't  I  'ear  all  about  ye  vile  I  vas  at  the  mines  ? 
Didn't  the  papers  bring  bus  the  news  ?  " 

"  But  how  do  you  know  that  we  are  those  which  the  papers 
mention  ?  " 

"  'Cos  I  guess  at  it,  and  I  don't  think  I'm  a  great  deal  hout  of  the 
way." 

"  And  if  we  consent  to  spare  your  life  you  will  consent  to  lend  us 
your  aid  in  searching  for  the  gold  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Won't  I  ?  You  just  try  me  and  see  if  I  don't  serve  you  'bout  right. 
I'm  a  regular  hout  and  houter  ven  I  takes  a  likin'  to  any  one." 

"  On  these  conditions  we  will  consent  to  protect  and  spare  you.  But 
mind,  no  tricks.  The  first  indications  which  we  discover  of  your  play- 
ing us  false,  shall  be  your  last  moment  on  earth." 

"  All  right,"  replied  the  long-legged  individual,  with  a  chuckle  of 
delight. 

"  Now,  tell  us  what  your  name  is,"  Fred  demanded. 

".Steel  Spring,"  he  answered,  with  another  grin. 

"  Then,  Mr.  Steel  Spring,  as  you  say  that  you  are  a  good  cook,  we 
will  test  your  truthfulness.  Return  with  us  to  the  cart,  and  let  us  see  a 
sample  of  your  skill." 


176  LITE   IN   ATJSTBALIA,   OB 

"  I'll  do  that,  and  you'll  say  that,  however  ugly  I  look,  I'm  just  th« 
feller  to  sarve  as  a  cook." 

Uttering  these  words  in  a  chanting  sort  of  way,  Mr.  Steel  Spring 
stretched  out  his  legs  with  a  jerk,  which  resembled  the  sudden  opening 
of  a  jackknife.  He  stood  upon  his  feet,  and  then  we  had  an  opportu- 
nity to  see  how  long  and  lank  he  really  was ;  and  yet  beneath  all  his 
withered  skin  we  saw  that  his  muscles  were  of  prodigious  size,  and  that 
his  strength  must  be  astonishing. 

We  motioned  for  him  to  lead  the  way,  and  in  a  few  moments  we 
reached  the  cart,  beneath  which  the  old  stockman  was  still  snoring. 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

STEEL    SPKING'S   HISTORY, 

STEEL  SPUING  made  no  idle  boast  when  he  said  he  was  famous  as  a 
cook.  In  a  shorter  space  of  time  than  I  conceived  possible,  he  had 
built  a  fire,  boiled  water,  and  made  an  excellent  dish  of  coffee,  and  then 
spreading  our  provisions  under  the  shade  of  a  tree,  he  informed  us  that 
our  dinners  were  ready. 

By  this  time  Hardum,  the  stockman,  was  awake,  and  repentant,  as 
most  men  usually  are  after  a  drinking  bout.  He  seemed  surprised  that 
we  had  made  an  addition  to  our  company  during  his  snoring  hours,  but 
he  was  too  proud,  or  too  much  ashamed,  to  ask  any  questions  concern- 
ing the  mystery. 

As  for  Steel  Spring,  I  observed  that  that  amiable,  long-legged  indi- 
vidual eyed  the  stockman  rather  narrowly,  as  though  he  expected  a  few 
words  of  reproach,  or  something  worse ;  but  in  this  he  was  mistaken ; 
for  Hardum  contented  himself  with  expressing  surprise  at  the  length  of 
his  pedal  extremities,  and  wanted  to  know  if  he  was  not  sired  by  a  kan- 
garoo —  an  expression  which  our  new  acquaintance  laughed  at,  as  he 
wished  to  conciliate  the  old  man. 

As  the  sun  poured  down  with  scorching  severity,  and  two  hours  would 
elapse  before  we  could  venture  to  return  to  our  work  without  fear  of 
being  sun  struck,  we  lighted  our  pipes,  and  stretched  our  forms  beneath 
the  shade  of  a  gum  tree,  leisurely  watched  the  smoke  of  the  fragrant 
tobacco  as  it  curled  over  our  heads. 

"  For  a  long  time  we  smoked  in  silence,  until  at  length  Fred  grew 
weary  of  the  monotonous  stillness,  and  wishing  to  add  a  slight  stock 
of  information  to  our  store,  exclaimed,  — 

"  Steel  Spring,"  and  he  regarded  that  wonderful  being  with  a  know- 
ing glance,  "  you  have  a  history.  All  men  have  histories,  and  I  know 
that  you  are  not  exempt  from  the  common  lot." 

"  Veil,  I  don't  deny  that  I've  seen  a  thing  or  two  in  my  life,  and  that 
it  has  been  an  eventful  one,"  he  answered. 

"  Then,"  said  Fred,  refilling  his  pipe,  and  composing  himself  in  aa 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  177 

easier  attitude,  "  you  will  be  kind  enough  to  tell  it  for  our  entertain- 
ment." 

"  I'll  villingly  do  that,  sir,  if  you'll  promise  not  to  go  to  sleep." 

"  We  can  give  no  pledges,"  replied  Fred,  with  a  grin.  "  Whether 
we  go  to  sleep  or  keep  awake  remains  with  the  historian  to  decide." 

"  Veil,  then,  I'll  do  my  best,"  and  Steel  Spring  crossed  his  right  leg, 
as  though  it  had  helped  him  on  many  occasions. 

I  will  relate^his  account  of  his  life,  although  I  shall  leave  his  cockney 
expressions  out,  as  much  of  it  may  mar  the  beauty  and  humor  of  the 
recital.  I  don't  vouch  for  the  truth  of  what  he  told  us,  and,  in  fact,  I 
don't  believe  that  Steel  Spring  himself  meant  that  we  should.  However, 
he  always  swore  that  he  spoke  the  truth,  and,  in  lack  of  evidence,  we 
were  bound  to  believe  him. 

"I  was  born  twenty-six  years  ago,  in  the  vicinity  of  Belgrave  Square, 
London,  and  as  the  locality  was  an  aristocratic  one,  I  need  not  mention 
that  my  parents  were  wealthy,  and  circulated  in  the  highest  circles  in 
the  kingdom.  There  was  great  rejoicing  when  I  came  into  the  world, 
and  I  have  been  told  that  Parliament  adjourned  in  honor  of  the  event." 

"  I  wish  to  ask  if  the  narrative  is  to  consist  of  lies  ?  "  inquired  Fred. 

The  fellow  grinned  -as  though  he  had  been  complimented,  and  with- 
out replying,  continued,  — 

"  I  was  sent  to  Eton  when  I  grew  old  enough,  and  all  that  money 
could  do  was  expended  towards  completing  my  education.  Latin  and 
Greek,  however,  are  languages  which  I  was  never  able  to  master,  and 
it's  owing  to  my  dislike  to  them  that  I  am  now  here.  I  will  explain  the 
reason,  so  that  you  may  not  interrupt  me  with  expressions  of  astonish- 
ment. I  was  destined,  when  only  ten  years  of  age,  to  succeed  the  am- 
bassador to  Greece,  an  uncle  of  mine,  who  was  full  of  years  and 
honors,  and  wished  to  retire  on  half  pay,  like  an  invalid  soldier  or  gouty 
bishop.  You  will  see  the  reason  why  I  was  supplied  with  Greek  roots, 
until  I  thought  my  brain  would  turn  in  digging  them.  But  tasks  and 
whippings  were  in  vain.  The  more  I  was  beaten  the  less  I  learned,  and 
the  upshot  of  the  matter  was  that  I  was  sent  home,  and  then  kicked 
out  of  doors  by  an  indignant  father,  who  swore  in  good  English  that  if 
my  head  was  only  as  long  in  proportion  as  my  legs,  I  should  have  com- 
prehended the  dead  languages  in  less  than  a  month. 

"  Alas !  how  little  do  parents  understand  the  feelings  which  animate 
the  bosom  of  their  offspring.  I  who  was " 

"Quit  your  moralizing,  and  drive  on  with  your  story,"  growled 
Fred. 

"  All  right,  sir,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  not  the  least  disconcerted. 

"  I  had,  when  kicked  from  the  home  of  which  I  was  destined  to  be 
the  ornament,  only  a  half  crown  in  my  pocket  —  smuggled  there  by  an 
indulgent  mother,  who  dreaded  her  husband's  wrath.  I  knew  that 
the  money  would  purchase  me  a  rasher  of  bacon  and  half  a  dozen  pots 
of  half-and-half,  but  that  would  not  support  me  forever,  you  know,  and 
it  was  necessary  that  I  should  stir  these  stumps  which  my  heartless 
father  had  ridiculed. 

"  With  this  idea  I  exchanged  my  elegant  suit  of  black  clothes  which 
I  was  wearing,  and  dressed  myself  in  others  of  a  less  attractive  nature ; 
•and  I  will  also  state  that  I  received  a  half  crown  from  the  Hebrew  with 


178  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

whom  I  traded  —  a  piece  of  generosity  on  his  part  as  unexpected  as  any 
thing  I  erer  met  in  this  world. 

"  After  I  had  made  the  exchange  I  hardly  knew  myself,  and  I  thought 
with  joy  that  if  my  father's  heart  relented,  he  would  not  be  able  to  dis- 
cover me  in  the  disguise  which  I  wore.  In  fact,  it  was  perfect ;  and  for 
the  purpose  of  testing  it,  I  went  to  Hyde  Park,  and  stood  near  the  ring, 
and  as  the  noble  lords  and  ladies  passed  me  —  those,  I  mean,  with 
whom  I  was  on  visiting  terms  —  it  made  my  heart  swell  to  think  that 
they  did  not  even  deign  to  look  at  me." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  said  Smith,  dryly ;  and  the  fact  of  his  being 
an  Englishman  made  him  appreciate  the  story  of  Steel  Spring  the 
more. 

"  I  quitted  Hyde  Park,  and  to  preserve  my  spirits  I  went  to  a  public 
house,  and  drank  a  full  quart  of  beer  —  a  feat  which  I  had  often  per- 
formed, but  never  with  such  good  will.  The  proprietor  of  the  house 
noticed  the  ready  manner  in  which  I  emptied  his  pewter,  and  then  sur- 
veying my  legs,  judged,  very  rightly,  that  I  would  make  an  excellent 
pot  boy.  He  hinted  at  his  want  of  assistance,  and  made  me  an  offer 
of  a  crown  a  week,  and  the  privilege  of  drinking  the  slops  left  in  the 
pots.  He  did  not  have  to  make  the  proposal  twice ;  I  accepted  without 
delay,  donned  a  white  apron,  and  the  intended  ambassador  to  the 
classic  land  of  song  and  ruins  went  to  work  supplying  workmen  with 
beer  and  pipes.  No  one,  to  have  looked  at  me  in  the  bar  room,  would 
have  mistrusted  my  noble  birth,  and  I  have  often  thought  of  the  singu- 
lar freaks  of  fortune.  Some  are  raised  by  the  magic  wand,  and  others 
are  depressed.  How  little  did  the  nobility,  as  they  gazed  on  my  fair 
face,  when  an  infant,  think  that  the  object  of  their  admiration  would 
one  day  become " 

"  Will  you  go  on  with  the  story,  and  drop  the  nobility  ?  "  demanded 
Fred. 

"  With  the  greatest  pleasure,  because  I  bear  them  no  love,  they  hav- 
ing dropped  me  at  an  early  age.  At  that  public  house  all  of  my 
misfortunes  commenced ;  and,  singularly  enough,  I  had  no  serious 
suspicions,  until  I  was  arrested  and  lodged  in  prison,  that  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  concern  was  a  dealer  in  counterfeit  silver.  I  had  often 
observed  that  all  the  change  that  came  from  the  bar  was  new,  and 
looked  as  though  fresh  from  the  mint,  but  I  didn't  dream  that  it  was 
counterfeit;  and  when  a, police  officer  nabbed  me,  and  searched  my 
pockets,  and  exhibited  a  few  bad  shillings,  I  thought  I  should  die  with 
shame,  for  I  little  suspected  that  I  was  the  medium  through  which  the 
money  was  circulated. 

"  I  protested  my  innocence,  but  the  wretches  said  that  my  appear- 
ance was  not  in  my  favor,  and  that  my  sweet  face  was  certain  to  lead 
me  to  the  gallows ;  and  faith,  I  was  afraid  that  it  had,  yet  my  pride  did 
not  permit  me  to  send  for  my  parents  and  the  nobility,  a  word  from 
whom  would  have  set  me  free." 

"  Steer  clear  of  the  nobility,  if  you  please,"  cried  Fred. 

"  All  right,  sir ;  well,  would  you  believe  it,  the  villains  had  the  audaci- 
ty to  arraign  me  before  the  beak,  when  I  pleaded  not  guilty,  and  dared 
them  to  the  proof. 

"  I  have  a  faint  recollection  that  my  defiance  availed  me  but  little,  for 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S^ADVENTURES.  17^ 

I  was  brought  in  guilty ;  and  when  the  old  beak  sentenced  me  to  trans- 
portation for  twenty  years,  he  took  occasion  to  say  that  I  was  the  worst 
looking  prisoner  he  had  seen  for  many  years.  I  thought,  even  then, 
how  much  respect  he  would  feel,  were  he  but  aware  that  I  was  connected 
with  the  nobility " 

"  Never  mind  the  nobility,"  broke  in  Fred. 

"  I  don't  intend  to,  hereafter,  as  I  think  that  I  am  better  off  without 
their  acquaintance.  Well,  in  a  few  days  I  was  put  on  board  of  a  ship, 
with  a  number  of  other  distinguished  gentlemen,  and  I  started  on  my 
long  voyage  to  Australia. 

"Jim  Gulpin  was  one  of  the  passengers,  and  I  early  made  his 
acquaintance,  and  won  his  friendship  by  a  few  acts  of  kindness,  which 
distinguished  strangers  should  always  extend  to  each  other.  In  fact,  I 
became  so  useful  to  the  officers  of  the  ship  that  I  was  installed  as  an 
assistant  cook  ;  and  when  I  was  obliged  to  part  with  them,  owing  to  the 
pressing  solicitations  of  the  wretch  who  has  the  charge  of  the  hulks  at 
Hobson's  Bay,  I  don't  think  that  there  was  a  dry  eye  on  board,  from 
the  captain  to  my  illustrious  commander,  the  chief  cook. 

"  Owing  to  good  recommendations,  I  was  set  at  work  doing  scullion's 
duty  at  the  hulks — a  situation  which  I  filled  to  the  satisfaction  not  only 
of  myself,  but  to  the  officers  who  had  charge  of  me.  I  got  plenty  to 
eat,  for  I  looked  out  for  that,  and  I  think  that  I  should  have  served  out 
my  time  with  great  contentment  had  I  not  learned  that  my  old  friend 
Gulpin  had  made  his  escape,  but  not  until  he  had  done  for  one  of  his 
keepers.  A  sudden  desire  to  travel  possessed  me ;  I  longed  to  see  the 
world,  to  be  free,  and  accumulate  wealth  so  that  I  could  return  to  Lon- 
don, and  astonish  the  nobility  and  my  hard-hearted  parents. 

"  I  watched  my  chance,  and  one  day  when  I  was  on  a  visit  to  Mel- 
bourne for  the  purpose  of  carrying  a  bundle  for  one  of  the  keepers,  I 
thought  I  would  begin  my  travels ;  so  I  started  on  a  dog  trot,  in  a  di- 
rection opposite  from  the  hulks,  and  when  a  pistol  was  discharged  at 
my  fine  form,  it  had  the  effect  of  quickening  my  pace  materially.  Find- 
ing that  the  shot  had  no  effect,  the  keeper  ran  after  me ;  but  what 
chance  do  you  suppose  he  had  with  me,  the  possessor  of  such  a  pair  of 
legs  ?  In  five  minutes  I  had  run  him  out  of  sight,  but  after  I  got  out- 
side of  the  city  I  did  not  lessen  my  speed,  for  I  recollected  that  there 
was  a  mounted  police  force  in  Melbourne,  and  that  they  had  a  fancy  for 
scouring  the  country  in  search  of  escaped  convicts. 

"  With  nothing  to  eat,  excepting  what  I  was  enabled  to  steal  —  I 
don't  mean  steal  —  but  then  I  didn't  pay  for  such  as  I  got,  because  I 
had  no  money  in  my  pocket  —  I  managed  to  subsist,  and  by  skulking 
in  the  woods  during  daylight,  and  travelling  at  night,  I  struggled  on, 
undetected. 

"  I  used  to  visit  encampments,  and  load  myself  with  every  thing  that 
I  considered  necessary  for  my  happiness,  and  by  such  means  I  soon  was 
enabled  to  dispense  with  my  convict  suit,  which  was  calculated  to  attract 
more  attention  than  was  desirable. 

"A  number  of  miners  must  have  been  greatly  astonished,  upon 
awakening  in  the  morning,  to  find  that  most  of  their  stores  were  gone, 
and  perhaps  they  attributed  their  disappearance  to  magic.  If  they  did 
they  were  wrong,  for  I  hold  myself  personally  responsible,  and  intend 


180  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

some  day  to  settle  for  all  that  I  took,  and  I  will  not  only  pay  interest, 
but  principal  also.  Can  any  thing  be  more  honorable  ?  " 

"  But  how  are  you  to  know  whom  to  settle  with  ?  "  demanded  Fred. 

"  That  is  none  of  my  business,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  with  a  cunning 
leer.  "  It  is  sufficient  for  me  to  know  that  I  am  ready  to  settle  when 
the  bilJs  are  presented,  and  I  don't  consider  that  I  am  bound  to  hunt  all 
over  the  world  for  the  purpose  of  finding  my  creditors." 

"Your  ideas  are  certainly  original,  and  deserving  of  consideration," 
returned  Fred,  amused  at  the  fellow's  impudence.  "But  finish  your 
history." 

"  By  such  honorable  means  I  was  enabled  to  work  my  way  along, 
striving  to  reach  the  mines,  where  I  expected  to  earn  an  independence, 
when  one  day  I  fell  in  with  a  few  notorious  characters  called  bushran- 
gers. The  villains  searched  me,  expecting  to  find  gold,  thinking  that  a 
gentleman  of  my  respectable  appearance  must  be  loaded  with  wealth ; 
but  for  the  honor  of  mankind  I  am  glad  to  say  that  they  didn't  get  so 
much  as  a  shilling  piece. 

"  The  robbers,  intensely  disgusted,  swore  that  I  must  go  with  them, 
as  their  captain  wanted  a  cook ;  and  although  I  insisted  that  I  was  not 
qualified  for  the  station  which  they  intended  to  elevate  me  to,  they  only 
replied  that  I  must  either  be  hanged  or  work.  I  need  not  tell  you 
which  I  preferred. 

"  When  I  was  taken  prisoner  I  had  a  large  supply  of  provisions  on 
my  backhand  they  asked  me  why  I  hadn't  stolen  more  while  my  hand 
was  in.  In  vain  I  protested  that  I  was  innocent  of  crime.  I  was 
laughed  at  and  marched  off  towards  this  forest,  when  their  renowned 
captain  was  introduced  to  me,  and  who  should  he  prove  to  be  but  my 
old  friend,  Jim  Gulpin. 

"  Of  course,  I  was  at  home  at  once,  and  for  many  months  I  shared 
the  meals  and  confidence  of  my  illustrious  commander ;  but  at  length 
getting  dissatisfied  with  my  share  of  the  prize  money,  I  procured  a  dis- 
honorable discharge,  and  went  off  to  the  mines  in  the  night  time,  where 
I  managed  to  subsist  by  my  honesty." 

"  You  mean,"  replied  Smith,  "  that  you  were  afraid  of  being  dishon- 
est, as  the  miners  have  a  summary  method  of  disposing  of  thieves." 

Steel  Spring  grinned,  as  though  he  didn't  wish  to  gainsay  the  truth 
of  the  remark. 

"  But  about  the  buried  money.  You  have  said  nothing  about  that," 
I  observed. 

"  I  knew  that  there  was  money  buried  there,  because  one  day  Gulpin 
sent  his  gang  away  on  an  expedition,  and  then  started  me  after  a  sheep, 
(no  offence  to  the  old  shepherd.)  I  thought  something  was  up,  so  in- 
stead of  hurrying  to  do  his  bidding  I  skulked  around  until  he  thought 
I  was  out  of  the  way,  and  then  I  saw  him  dig  a  hole  and  put  a  bag  into 
the  earth  and  cover  it  up,  and  try  and  make  the  place  appear  as  though 
it  had  not  been  disturbed.  I  smelt  a  rat,  but  never  let  on  that  I  knew 
any  thing  of  the  matter,  and  it  was  not  until  I  heard  that  Jim  and  Darn- 
ley's  gangs  were  destroyed  that  I  thought  I  would  visit  my  old  haunts 
and  endeavor  to  get  rich  at  once.  I  have  been  in  the  neighborhood  a 
week,  skulking  about  to  see  if  any  other  person  was  lurking  near  for 
Vhe  same  object  as  myself,  and  you  may  imagine  my  surprise  when  I 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  18\ 

saw  four  men  marching  up  to  take  possession  of  that  which  I  consid- 
ered my  own." 

"  Do  you  still  entertain  the  same  opinion  ?  "  I  inquired. 
•     "  My  opinion  since  I  have  entered  your  service  is  your  opinion,  for 
you  are  four  and  I'm  one ; "  and  Steel  Spring,  with  a  contented  look, 
knocked  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  and  gathered  up  the  remains  of  our 
dinner  and  placed  them  in  the  cart  with  wonderful  despatch. 

"  We  will  trust  you,"  said  Fred,  after  scanning  the  man's  face ;  "  but 
if  you  serve  us  a  trick  we  shall  remember  it." 

"  You  will  find  it  for  your  interest  to  do  so,"  was  the  composed  reply, 
and  bidding  him  follow,  we  took  our  rifles  and  led  the  way  towards  the 
buried  treasure. 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

FlND'lNG     OF     THE     TREASURE. 

BY  the  time  we  reached  the  scene  of  our  gold  digging  operations  the 
greater  portion  of  the  heat  of  the  day  was  passed,  and  we  felt  refreshed 
and  ready  to  commence  work  with  a  will.  Steel  Spring,  who  had  prom- 
ised his  valuable  aid  in  searching  for  the  treasure,  in  consideration  that 
we  would  befriend  him  and  save  his  neck  from  the  grasp  of  the  police, 
had  led  the  way  with  immense  strides,  and  a  confident  air  that  inspired 
us  with  renewed  hope  and  bright  anticipations  of  success. 

Upon  reaching  the  ground  we  found  that  our  shovels  and  picks  were 
undisturbed,  and  it  was  evident  that  no  visitor  had  intruded  during  our 
lengthy  absence. 

"  Come,  Steel  Spring,"  I  said,  addressing  that  worthy  personage, 
"  point  out  the  right  spot  for  us  to  dig,  and  then  we  will  go  to  work 
without  delay." 

"  But  I  can't  do  that  vithout  some  calculation  and  study.  All  great 
hengineers  has  to  investigate  before  vorking,  and  I'm  no  exception  to 
the  rule." 

"  Why,  you  miserable  scamp,"  cried  Fred,  angrily,  "  didn't  you 
say  that  you  could  lead  us  to  the  very  spot  where  the  treasure  was 
buried  ?  " 

"  Veil,  vot  if  I  did  ?  Can't  a  man  make  'stakes  —  and  vouldn't  you 
'ave  said  that  you  knew  something,  if  a  rifle  vos  placed  agin  your 
brains,  and  a  feller  threatened  to  blow  'em  hout  ?  " 

"  Then  you  mean  to  say  that  you  have  imposed  upon  us  ?  "  I  asked, 
coolly,  seeing  that  Fred  was  likely  to  get  into  a  passion. 

"  No,  I  don't  say  that,  'cos  tain't  so  ;  and  I  should  but  tell  a  lie  if  I 
spoke  in  that  way.  A  falsehood  is  an  abomination  vich  I  can't  stand, 
and  I  was  never  guilty  of  one,"  answered  the  fellow,  with  a  grin  which 
proved  how  well  he  liked  to  stretch  the  truth. 

"  Explain  your  meaning,"  said  Fred,  "  or  I  will  hang  you  on  a  gum 
tree,  and  use  you  as  a  scarecrow." 

16 


182  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"Veil,  didn't  I  tell  you  I  saw  the  money  buried  from  a  distance? 
You  don't  s'pose  that  I  would  be  very  near  when  Jim  Gulpin  was  doing 
secret  things,  does  you  ?  " 

I  made  no  answer,  and  he  continued,  — 

"  I  took  good  care  to  be  hoff  so  far  that  he  couldn't  even  smell  me, 
'cos  I  knew  that  if  I  had  but  vinked  once  vithin  ten  rods  he  would  have 
seen  me,  and  then  vot  would  'ave  been  the  consequence  ?  " 

Fred  replied  that  he  supposed  he  would  have  been  kicked  in  a  sum- 
mary manner,  and  he  was  not  sure  but  he  deserved  it. 

"  Had  it  only  been  kicking  I  could  'ave  taken  it  very  comfortably  and 
thought  nothing  of  it  —  but  no,  sir,  it  would  have  been  nothing  of  the 
kind.  It  would  'ave  been  after  this  fashion." 

He  made  an  expressive  motion  with  his  hand  across  his  throat,  and 
judging  from  the  habits  and  antecedents  of  the  illustrious  bushranger, 
there  is  but  little  doubt  that '  he  did  wisely  in  placing  a  great  distance 
between  them. 

"  Well,  point  out  the  spot  which  you  think  contains  the  money,"  I 
said. 

"  Veil,  I  can  do  that,  although  I'm  not  to  be  'bused  and  deprived  of 
my  supper  if  I  don't  happen  to  hit  right." 

"  You  shall  be  treated  according  to  your  merits,"  cried  Smith,  who 
had  listened  patiently  to  his  woes,  and  was  amused  at  his  impudence. 

"  Veil,  if  I  is  treated  according  to  my  merits  it's  all  I  vants,  'cos  I'se 
certain  to  get  'nufT  to  heat  and  drink  without  vorking  very  hard  —  and 
vot  can  a  gemman  'spect  more  in  this  vorld  ?  " 

We  returned  no  answer  to  his  suggestion,  and  finding  that  we  were 
disposed  to  be  serious,  and  not  likely  to  stand  any  more  of  his  non- 
sense, he  requested  permission  to  occupy  the  same  place  where  he  had 
secreted  himself  when  the  bushranger  buried  his  gold ;  and  while  one 
of  us  walked  over  the  clearing  he  thought  he  could  tell  when  we  reached 
the  exact  spot.  He  gave  as  a  reason  that  he  had  taken  the  bearings 
of  the  place  by  a  tree  which  stood  on  a  line  with  the  bushranger  while 
digging. 

We  gratified  his  humor,  but  to  prevent  trickery  Fred  was  despatched 
to  watch  his  movements  and  prevent  escape.  Steel  Spring  vowed  and 
protested  that  he  meant  honestly  by  us ;  but  he  was  too  notorious  a 
liar  to  be  believed,  and  when  he  found  that  we  would  not  trust  him,  he 
appeared  to  be  highly  pleased,  and  considered  it  a  proof  of  his  sagacity 
and  cunning. 

We  watched  them  as  they  walked  to  the  spot  which  Steel  Spring  in- 
dicated —  a  distance  of  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  Clearing ; 
and  when  the  fellow  announced  that  he  was  ready  for  the  test,  I  slowly 
passed  over  such  portions  of  the  ground  as  I  thought  contained  the 
money. 

Three  or  four  times  did  I  pass  over  the  ashes  where  the  bodies  of  the 
dead  bushrangers  were  burned,  and  yet  I  heard  no  indications  from 
Steel  Spring.  At  last  I  set  my  compass,  and  walked  in  an  exact  south- 
eastern direction,  about  ten  paces  from  the  location  of  the  hut,  and 
within  a  dozen  feet  of  the  hole  which  we  had  already  dug. 

"  Stop,"  said  the  long-legged  biped,  "  don't  move  for  your  life !  Vait 
till  I  comes  —  you've  hit  it  for  a  farding." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  185 

With  springs  which  caused  Rover  to  howl  with  jealousy,  the  fellow 
bounded  over  the  bushes  towards  us,  and  in  a  minute's  time  was  beside 
me. 

"  Give  me  the  shovel ! "  he  cried,  in  an  excited  manner.  "  I  is  cer- 
tain that  you  is  standing  on  the  place." 

"  Here  is  a  shovel,"  said  Smith,  with  a  wink  of  mischief  at  us ;  "  let 
us  see  how  soon  you  can  bring  the  dust  in  sight." 

"  It  won't  take  me  long,  I  can  tell  you,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  throw- 
ing out  a  few  shovels  full  and  then  pausing  to  rest,  as  though  a  new 
thought  had  entered  his  long  head. 

"  Dig  away,"  yelled  Smith,  who  was  wielding  a  pickaxe  with  great 
effort. 

"  I  was  thinkin'  how  much  better  I  could  direct  than  work,"  said  the 
cunning  fellow,  too  lazy  to  dig. 

"  Then  stand  aside  and  give  me  the  shovel,"  cried  Fred,  impatiently. 

Steel  Spring  willingly  relinquished  it,  and  pretending  that  he  felt 
exceedingly  nervous  and  faint,  he  squatted  down  upon  the  ground  and 
watched  with  eager  eyes  every  particle  of  dirt  that  was  thrown  from  the 
hole. 

Before  we  got  fairly  to  work  the  sun  had  set,  and  the  shades  of  night 
began  to  be  thrown  upon  the  dark  forest  of  gum  trees  by  which  we 
were  surrounded.  We  had  wasted  so  much  time  talking  and  listening 
to  Steel  Spring,  that  the  afternoon  had  passed  away  almost  impercepti- 
bly. To  be  caught  in  the  woods  over  night  was  a  joke  which  we  did 
not  care  about  indulging  in,  and  we  made  strenuous  exertions  to  com- 
plete our  task  before  darkness  had  entirely  set  in. 

Already  had  we  piled  up  a  large  mound  of  earth,  and  excavated  a 
hole  big  enough  to  bury  an  ox,  and  yet  nothing  was  to  be  seen  of  the 
treasure ;  and  as  each  additional  shovel  full  of  dirt  was  thrown  up  I  be- 
gan to  grow  discouraged,  and  felt  that  I  had  been  deceived,  and  almost 
cursed  the  folly  which  led  me  to  believe  in  the  dying  declaration  of  the 
bushranger. 

"  I  don't  see  any  use  in  digging  here,"  said  Smith,  pausing,  and  wip- 
ing the  perspiration  from  his  heated  brow ;  "  the  dirt  we  are  removing 
now  has  not  been  disturbed  since  the  formation  of  the  island.  If  there 
is  any  gold  dust  buried  in  this  clearing,  we  must  search  in  another 
direction." 

"  But  haven't  I  told  you  that  you  was  in  the  right  spot  ?  "  ejaculated 
Steel  Spring. 

"  Keep  your  advice  for  those  who  ask  it,"  returned  Smith,  bluntly, 
want  of  success  having  made  him  cross. 

"  Veil,  haven't  you  all  been  haxing  me,  and  don't  I  tell  vere  the  mon- 
ey is  ?  If  you  'spect  to  get  it,  you  must  vork." 

"  Then  take  hold  of  this  pickaxe,  and  see  how  you  like  it.  Jump 
into  the  hole  without  a  word,  or  I'll  help  you  with  my  heavy  hand ! " 
cried  Smith,  somewhat  irritated. 

Steel  Spring  would  have  hesitated,  but  a  glance  at  the  face  of  his  op- 
ponent decided  him,  and,  with  many  a  groan,  he  entered  the  hole  and 
commenced  working. 

The  rest  of  us  discussed  the  propriety  of  suspending  labor  until  morn- 
ing, as  the  evening  was'so  far  advanced  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  half 


184  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

a  dozen  yards  from  our  faces.  Fred  and  myself  were  opposed  to  cessa- 
tion, as  we  knew  that  we  were  in  a  dangerous  part  of  the  country,  and 
how  soon  we  should  be  interrupted  by  gangs  of  bushrangers  it  was 
hard  to  tell.  The  forest  was  full  of  outlaws  —  desperate  men,  who 
would  shed  blood  freely  for  the  sake  of  gold  or  revenge,  and  should 
we  be  surprised,  there  was  no  possibility  of  escape. 

Under  these  circumstances,  we  urged  that  we  had  better  work  that 
night,  dark  as  it  was,  than  remain  there  two  or  three  days,  and  ex- 
pose our  lives  needlessly. 

During  the  time  that  we  were  debating  the  question,  Steel  Spring 
was  apparently  busy  at  work,  although  I  noticed  that  he  paid  considera- 
ble attention  to  what  was  going  on,  and  listened  to  every  word  uttered 
with  an  interest  that  appeared  unaccountable.  I  thought  it  was  from 
curiosity,  and  did  not  call  any  one's  attention  to  it ;  but  when  I  suggested 
that  a  small  fire  should  be  made,  so  that  its  light  would  enable  us  to 
work  to  more  purpose,  to  my  surprise  he  urged  the  advantage  of  the 
scheme,  and  was  clamorous  for  the  privilege  of  tending  it. 

The  project  was  dismissed  as  soon  as  formed,  for  I  recollected  that 
the  light  of  a  fire  would  attract  visitors  that  we  were  not  anxious  to  see. 

As  a  last  resort,  however,  we  resolved  to  go  over  the  whole  ground, 
and  endeavor  to  detect  the  spot,  by  discovering  if  the  earth  had  been 
recently  removed. 

We  no  longer  placed  confidence  in  the  story  of  Steel  Spring,  yet  we 
thought  it  better  to  keep  him  at  work  in  the  hole,  which  was  now  even 
with  his  neck,  than  permit  him  to  mingle  with  us  in  the  dark,  for  some- 
how, we  began  to  have  strange  suspicions  that  he  was  not  dealing  fairly 
by  us. 

Luckily,  the  sky  was  cloudless,  and  the  stars  shone  with  uncommon 
brilliancy,  as  though  the  constellations  wished  to  afford  us  every  facility 
for  carrying  our  designs  into  effect. 

The  clearing  was  sufficiently  large  to  enable  the  light  to  penetrate  the 
open  space,  and  with  no  other  guide,  we  commenced  striking  our  shov- 
els and  picks  into  the  earth,  in  hopes  of  reaching  the  right  spot. 

I  still  clung  to  the  idea  that  the  money  was  buried  under  the  ashes 
of  the  burned  bushrangers,  and  with  this  impression,  carefully  scraped 
them  aside,  and  felt  with  the  point  of  my  shovel,  until  I  touched  earth 
which  I  considered  had  been  disturbed. 

I  said  nothing  to  my  companions,  but  worked  diligently  for  a  few 
minutes,  until  I  became  convinced  that  the  ground  had  been  moved  at 
no  distant  day. 

Wishing  to  be  convinced  that  I  was  on  a  track  which  corresponded 
with  the  last  words  of  Gulpin,  I  set  the  compass,  and  by  the  light  of  a 
match,  noted  its  bearing. 

The  place  where  I  had  been  at  work  bore  in  a  south-west  direction, 
and  on  pacing  off  the  distance  where  the  hut  stood,  I  found  it  to  be  ex- 
actly ten  paces. 

"  Hurrah,  boys !"  I  shouted,  commencing  work  with  renewed  energy, 
"  I  think  that  I  have  discovered  the  spot ! " 

My  comrades  hurried  to  my  side,  and  all  of  us  concentrated  our  en- 
ergies upon  that  particular  spot,  and  none  worked  harder  than  the  aged 
convict,  who  appeared,  since  his  recovery  fronl  the  effects  of  too  in- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  185 

tense  an  application  to  my  flask,  to  be  desirous  of  making  amends  for 
his  weakness. 

"  You  are  not  vorking  in  the  right  place ! "  shouted  Steel  Spring, 
from  his  excavation,  stopping  his  labors  to  watch  our  movements  ;  "  you 
will  find  nothing  there,  I  gives  you  yarning.  Come  and  hassist  me, 
and  we  shall  find  all  the  gold  !  " 

"  Cease  your  cries,"  said  Smith,  sternly ;  "  do  you  wish  to  bring  a 
band  of  bushrangers  upon  us  in  this  lonely  spot,  where  they  can  mur- 
der us  without  opposition  ?  " 

"  There's  no  fear  of  'um,"  retorted  the  fellow,  raising  his  voice  to  an 
unnecessary  pitch  ;  "  but  listen  to  my  varning  —  you'll  find  not  a  bit  of 
gold  there." 

We  paid  no  attention  to  his  words,  but  worked  with  energy,  and  while 
Smith  examined  with  his  hands  every  shovelful  of  dirt  that  was 
thrown  out,  so  that  we  should  not  miss  any  thing,  Fred  and  myself  dug 
along  the  edges  of  the  ground,  carefully,  yet  rapidly. 

Still  Steel  Spring  persisted  in  calling  to  us  that  we  were  wasting 
time*  and  that  we  should  find  nothing ;  and  just  as  he  echoed  his  words 
for  the  third  or  fourth  time,  my  shovel  struck  upon  some  tough  sub- 
stance. Breathless  with  hope,  I  stooped  and  felt  of  it  with  my  hands, 
and  to  my  joy  I  discovered  a  small  canvas  bag,  which  appeared  to  be 
stuffed  with  a  heavy  substance,  for  I  found  some  trouble  in  lifting  it. 

"I  have  found  it!"  I  cried,  so  excited  that  I  could  hardly  stand; 
"  here  —  feel  of  it,  lift  it,  and  see  if  its  contents  are  not  gold ! " 

I  was  about  handing  the  bag  to  Fred,  when  a  wild,  shrill  scream,  ap- 
parently proceeding  from  our  very  midst,  was  heard,  startling  us  by  its 
unnatural  character. 

Fred  dropped  the  bag,  and  sprang  for  his  rifle,  which  was  lying  near 
him,  ready  for  use,  while  Smith  and  the  stockman  appeared  paralyzed 
with  teiTor. 

"  For  God's  sake  what  noise  was  that  ?  "  asked  the  stockman. 

Before  we  could  reply,  we  heard  an  answering  yell,  which  appeared 
to  be  distant  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  while  near  at  hand,  the  rustling 
of  the  bushes  showed  that  either  an  enemy  or  a  wild  beast  was  regard- 
ing our  movements. 

"  Who  goes  there?  "  cried  Fred,  bringing  his  rifle  to  his  shoulder. 

There  was  no  reply,  but  I  thought  I  detected  a  chuckling  laugh  which 
sounded  familiar.  Before  I  could  interpose,  Fred  had  fired  at  the  mov- 
ing bushes,  and  for  a  brief  second  the  clearing  was  lighted  up  with  the 
flash  of  his  rifle.  I  glanced  towards  the  hole  in  which  Steel  Spring 
bad  been  at  work ;  it  was  empty ;  that  notorious  liar  and  singular 
genius  had  made  himself  scarce. 

Hardly  had  the  echo  of  the  rifle  died  away,  before  another  yell, 
more  searching  and  protracted  than  the  first,  again  started  our  party, 
for  it  seemed  to  proceed  from  a  tree  not  more  than  a  rod  distant ;  even 
the  hound  appeared  disconcerted  at  the  noise,  and  seemed  undecided 
whether  to  attack  or  wait  for  more  decided  manifestations. 

"  God  be  with  us,"  cried  the  stockman,  suddenly  grasping  his  long- 
barrelled  gun ;  "  let  us  make  the  best  of  our  way  from  the  forest,  or  by 
morning  we  shall  not  be  alive." 

"  Of  what  are  you  afraid  ?  "  demanded  Fred.  "  A  wolf  cannot  harm 

16* 


186  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

you,  and  at  the  worst,  a  wildcat  or  two  are  no  match  for  us  well-armed 
men." 

"  There  are  no  wolves  on  the  island,  and  wildcats  are  unknown,"  re- 
plied the  stockman,  calmly. 

"  Then  name  the  animals  which  produced  those  screams,"  cried  Fred. 

"  I  wish  that  they  were  animals,"  rejoined  the  stockman,  "  for  then 
there  would  be  hope  for  us  miserable  sinners.  The  screams  which  we 
have  heard  are  produced  by  men  bent  upon  destruction." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  I  mean  that  we  have  been  duped  by  Steel  Spring  to  reveal  the 
burial  place  of  the  treasure,  and  that  now,  in  answer  to  his  signal,  a 
band  of  murderers  are  already  enclosing  us  in  their  meshes,  and  in  a  few 
minutes,  unless  we  act  with  promptness  and  prudence,  we  shall  be  in 
their  power." 

"  We  will  sell  our  lives  dearly,  at  all  events,"  muttered  Fred,  "  and 
sooner  than  their  blood-stained  hands  shall  grasp  this  gold,  we  will 
lose  it  forever." 

Again  we  heard  a  chuckling  laugh  amid  the  bushes,  and  angry  at  the 
imposition  of  the  long-legged  scamp,  I  raised  my  rifle,  and  guided  by 
the  noise,  let  drive  its  contents.  A  yell  of  agony,  such  as  is  often  ut- 
tered by  a  wounded  man,  met  our  ears,  and  I  rejoiced  to  think  that  I 
had  punished  his  treachery. 

"  God  be  merciful  to  him  a  sinner,"  exclaimed  the  pious  old  stock- 
man. 

"  You  have  punished  him  for  his  tricks,"  said  Fred ;  but  almost  before 
he  had  finished  the  sentence,  a  scream  of  sardonic  laughter,  in  a  differ- 
ent direction,  proved  that  he  was  uninjured. 

Again  did  we  hear  shrill,  prolonged  yells  from  several  parts  of  the 
forest,  and  from  their  distinctness  we  knew  that  the  bands  of  bushran- 
gers, or  whoever  were  the  utterers,  were  gradually  closing  in  upon  us, 
and  to  stay  where  we  were  for  half  an  hour  was  certain  destruction. 

The  light  was  not  sufficient  to  see  each  other's  faces,  but  I  had  but 
little  doubt,  from  the  manner  in  which  my  friends  grasped  their  weapons 
and  examined  their  contents,  that  they  were  determined  to  sell  their 
lives  as  dearly  as  possible. 

"  I  am  an  old  man,"  sighed  the  stockman,  "  and  of  little  use  on 
earth,  and  were  I  but  certain  that  my  child  would  be  cared  for,  feel 
that  I  should  be  content  to  die." 

"  Die  ?  "  repeated  Fred,  cheerfully ;  "  your  sight  is  still  good,  and  your 
hand  does  not  tremble.  A  bushranger  at  forty  rods  is  as  good  as  slain 
when  you  draw  a  bead  on  him,  and  yet  you  talk  of  yielding  up  your 
£fe  because  we  have  been  caught  in  a  trap  by  a  crafty  spy." 

"  Man's  destiny  is  like " 

"  Spare  your  proverbs,"  exclaimed  Fred,  impatiently,  "  until  we  are 
in  a  place  of  safety.  I  feel  like  making  my  way  out  of  these  woods  as 
fast  as  possible,  and  if  I  have  got  to  cut  through  a  line  of  robbers  I 
shall  leave  my  mark  before  completing  the  job." 

"  Then  let  us  lose  no  time,"  Smith  said,  speaking  after  a  profound 
silence.  "  I  can  hear  the  devils  calling  to  each  other  as  they  make  their 
way  through  the  forest,  and  if  we  wait  for  their  arrival  we  shall  bt> 
hemmed  in  on  every  point." 


A   GOLD    HUNTER'S    ADVENTURES.  187 

Even  while  Smith  was  speaking,  we  could  hear  the  calls  of  Steel 
Spring,  repeated  in  rapid  succession,  as  though  urging  his  comrades  to 
renewed  exertion.  I  raised  the  heavy  bag  of  gold  to  my  shoulder,  and 
away  we  went,  tramping  through  the  bushes,  stumbling  over  decayed 
trees,  and  bumping  heavily  against  growing  ones.  Every  few  minutes 
we  halted  and  listened  attentively ;  yet  strange  to  say,  not  a  sound  was 
to  be  heard  except  quick  breathing  and  beating  of  hearts.  The  still- 
ness seemed  worse  than  the  noise,  for  during  the  latter  we  were  en- 
abled to  define  the  position  of  our  opponents,  and  knew  that  they  were 
at  arm's  length ;  but  now,  when  every  thing  was  quiet  around  us,  we 
knew  not  but  our  next  step  might  bring  us  under  their  fire,  and  then 
farewell  to  life  and  fortune. 

"  Forward,"  whispered  Fred ;  and  on  we  struggled,  the  forest  appar- 
ently growing  more  dense  at  every  step,  and  at  length  we  seemed  so 
surrounded  with  impenetrable  thickets  that  we  were  obliged  to  halt  and 
consult  as  to  the  best  route  to  the  team,  which  we  were  anxious  to  reach. 

Suddenly  the  cracking  of  a  twig  beneath  the  foot  of  a  man  who  ap- 
peared to  be  making  his  way  in  the  direction  from  which  we  came, 
started  us.  Rover  uttered  a  short  growl,  and  would  have  sprung  upon 
him,  but  Fred  held  the  brute  with  hands  of  iron  and  whispered  a  word 
of  caution,  and  then  the  dog  became  mute  as  stone. 

The  invisible  robber  continued  on  his  way  towards  the  clearing,  pass- 
ing so  near  us  that  it  seemed  as  though  we  might  have  touched  him,  had 
we  been  so  disposed.  He  evidently  was  on  the  lookout  for  our  party, 
for  he  would  stop  and  listen  attentively,  and  then  proceed  with  careful 
and  certain  steps. 

We  waited  until  he  was  beyond  hearing,  and  then  extricated  our- 
selves from  the  thicket  and  continued  our  course.  For  more  than  two 
hours  we  toiled  and  worked,  until  at  length  we  saw  an  opening  through 
the  trees.  With  eager  but  careful  steps  we  moved  towards  it,  thinking 
that  the  worst  part  of  our  expedition  was  over,  and  I  was  just  about  to 
throw  the  gold  to  the  earth  and  thank  God  for  our  escape,  when  I  looked 
up  and  saw  that  we  were  at  the  very  point  from  whence  we  started  — 
that  we  were  standing  on  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  and  that  directly  in 
front  of  us  were  twenty  or  thirty  bushrangers,  with  levelled  muskets, 
evidently  taking  our  bearing  with  great  familiarity. 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

CAPTURE  OF  ALL  HANDS,  BY  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 

THERE  was  no  time  to  retreat,  had  we  been  so  disposed ;  and  though 
Fred's  rifle  flew  to  his  shoulder  with  the  quickness  of  thought,  he  ap- 
parently considered  it  better  policy  not  to  commence  hostilities  until 
the  bushrangers  showed  their  disposition. 

Fighting  was  not  to  be  thought  of;  for  who  would  think  of  taking 


188  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

part  in  a  struggle  when  eighteen  or  twenty  guns  were  aimed,  and  ready 
to  be  discharged  upon  the  least  sign  of  resistance. 

There  was  one  thing  which  I  had  the  presence  of  mind  to  do.  I 
stepped  quietly  behind  the  stockman  and  Smith,  and  dropped  the  bag 
of  gold  ajnidst  a  thicket  of  bushes,  and  I  inwardly  prayed  that  whatever 
might  be  our  fate,  the  robbers  would  not  get  sight  of  the  treasure. 

"  Do  you  surrender  P  "  asked  a  voice  ;  and  following  the  bushranger's 
words,  we  could  hear  the  ominous  clink  of  the  muskets  as  they  were 
brought  to  their  shoulders. 

"  What  promises  do  you  make  us  ?  "  replied  Fred,  undaunted. 

"  What  do  you  wish  us  to  promise  ?  "  continued  the  bushranger. 

"  Our  lives  and  arms." 

"Our  promises  are  easily  broken.  Why  do  you  request  mercy  at. 
the  hands  of  bushrangers  ?  " 

"  Because,  in  this  case,  if  we  do  not  obtain  your  most  solemn  pledge 
that  our  lives  shall  be  spared,  we  will  die  with  our  rifles  in  our  hands. 
I  need  not  tell  you  that  when  we  aim,  we  do  so  with  the  intention  to 
kill." 

The  bushrangers  whispered  together  for  a  few  minutes,  and  from 
their  eagerness  we  could  see  that  a  large  majority  of  the  men  were  in 
favor  of  complying  with  Fred's  request.  Once  or  twice  we  heard  the 
word  "  gold  "  mentioned,  as  though  that  was  the  chief  theme  of  their  dis- 
cussion. Presently  the  whispering  ceased,  and  the  man  who  appeared 
to  be  the  leader  of  the  band  again  spoke  :  — 

"  I  have  talked  with  my  men,  and  they  are  willing  to  comply  with 
your  desire,  provided  you  will  deliver  to  us  the  gold  which  you  found 
buried  in  this  clearing." 

"  As  for  the  gold,"  returned  Fred,  "  we  dropped  it  some  time  ago, 
and  you  are  welcome  to  it  if  it  can  be  found." 

"  Then  lay  down  your  arms  and  step  towards  us.  We  are  not  to  be 
taken  by  surprise,  having  heard  of  your  Yankee  tricks." 

"  We  had  better  trust  to  darkness  and  our  guns,"  muttered  the  old 
stockman  ;  but  his  warning  was  too  late,  for  Fred  advanced  towards  the 
bushrangers  and  placed  his  rifle  in  their  hands,  and  with  a  sigh  I  fol- 
lowed his  example. 

"  Come  ! "  shouted  the  leader,  his  voice  growing  harsher  as  the  dis- 
arming proceeded  —  "  there  are  two  more  of  'em  ;  hurry  up,  and  don't 
keep  us  waiting  too  long." 

"  I  make  the  third,"  said  Smith,  handing  in  his  double  barrelled  gun. 

"  Ha,  driver,  are  you  here  ?  "  laughed  the  ruffian,  as  his  eyes  fell  upon 
Smith's  burly  form.  "  You  had  better  have  stuck  to  the  teaming  busi- 
ness than  digging  up  dead  men's  gold  —  I  think  you  would  have  found 
it  more  profitable  and  less  dangerous." 

"  There  is  where  we  differ  in  opinion,  Sam  Nosey,"  replied  Smith, 
quite  coolly.  "  I  work  at  any  kind  of  business  where  I  think  I  can 
make  an  honest  shilling,  and  don't  see  but  this  expedition  comes  under 
the  head  of  regular  trade.  At  the  edge  of  the  wood  you  will  find  my 
team  and  two  pair  of  good  oxen,  with  a  bottle  of  brandy  such  as  you 
have  not  tasted  for  many  a  day." 

"  You  mean  that  I  would  have  found  things  as  you  describe,  an  hour 
or  two  ago  ;  but  the  fact  is,  my  men  were  hungry ;  so  two  of  your  cattle 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  189 

were  knocked  in  the  head,  and  a  right  jolly  feed  we  had,  I  assure 
you." 

"  I  wish  they  had  been  so  tough  that  their  flesh  would  have  choked 
you,"  was  the  unsatisfactory  exclamation  of  the  stout-hearted  Smith. 

"  Your  wish  is  unkind,  considering  the  favor  which  we  intend  to  show 
you,"  sneered  the  bushranger  captain. 

Smith  uttered  an  oath,  and  I  thought  that  in  spite  of  the  number 
around  us,  he  would  make  a  push  for  freedom ;  but  after  glancing 
around  and  seeing  that  his  intention  was  anticipated,  and  that  the  crowd 
had  enclosed  us  in  a  circle,  he  gave  up  the  idea.  . 

"  There  is  one  prisoner  missing  —  where  is  he  ?  "  demanded  the  chief, 
abruptly: 

"  There's  no  other  to  be  seen,"  cried  half  a  dozen  voices. 

"  Fools !  why  do  you  talk  in  that  way  ?  The  old  stockman  is  one  of 
the  party,  for  I  saw  him  not  more  than  five  minutes  ago.  Bring  him 
out  of  the  bushes  and  let  us  see  if  his  hair  has  grown  any  whiter  since 
the  time  he  shot  at  me  for  killing  a  lamb.  I  have  an  account  to  settle 
with  him." 

"  He  has  made  his  escape,  for  no  one  is  to  be  seen,"  cried  the  men, 
after  searching  for  a  few  minutes. 

"  It  can't  be,  for  only  a  moment  ago  I  saw  him  mumbling  prayers 
and  hoping  that  his  life  would  be  spared.  Fire  the  pile  of  brush,  call 
in  the  scouts,  and  let  me  hear  their  report." 

As  the  chief  spoke,  a  huge  pile  of  brush  was  fired,  which  illuminated 
the  open  space  and  cast  a  bright  glare  upon  the  faces  of  those  present. 
Involuntarily,  I  looked  at  the  person  of  the  man  who  appeared  to  hold 
such  despotic  sway  over  his  followers,  and  I  shuddered  while  I  gazed, 
for  a  more  horrible  face  I  never  saw,  except  in  my  dreams. 

His  cheeks  were  seared  until  the  flesh  appeared  livid  and  raw,  and  I 
expected  to  see  blood  trickle  from  the  half-healed  wounds.  His  eyes 
were  large  and  glaring,  being  entirely  unprotected  by  eyelashes,  and  as 
for  eyebrows,  they  seemed  to  be  eaten  away  and  destroyed.  The  fel- 
low's nose,  however,  was  the  most  disgusting  part  of  his  face ;  for  the 
nasal  organ  was  entirely  gone,  and  nothing  was  to  be  seen  excepting 
two  small  holes  which  led  to  the  chambers  of  the  head. 

I  understood  the  reason  that  he  was  nicknamed  Nosey,  without  ask- 
ing a  question,  but  it  was  not  until  some  days  after  that  I  learned  how 
he  came  to  be  so  badly  disfigured. 

Charles  Bowen,  alias  Nosey,  was  sentenced  to  transportation  for 
twenty-five  years  for  appropriating  about  ten  thousand  pounds  to  his 
own  use  by  means  of  a  forged  will.  He  was  a  man  of  a  good  educa- 
tion, and  withal  shrewd  and  unscrupulous  ;  but  sharp  as  he  was,  it  did 
not  prevent  his  getting  convicted  and  sentenced — and  from  the  time 
that  he  stepped  foot  on  board  of  the  transport  he  began  his  career 
of  defying  officers  and  all  wholesome  discipline. 

One  day  he  attacked  an  assistant  surgeon,  who  was  attached  to  the 
vessel,  and  the  doctor  repelled  him  by  hurling  a  bottle  of  oil  of  vitriol 
at  his  head.  Bowen  closed  his  eyes  when  he  saw  that  the  liquid  was 
about  to  strike  his  face,  and  by  resolutely  keeping  them  closed  until  the 
powerful  acid  was  cleaned  from  his  flesh,  managed  to  save  them,  and 
then  the  surgeons  of  the  ship  commenced  and  arrested  the  progress  of 


190  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OE 

the  vitriol,  and  preserved  his  life ;  but  not  until  the  fellow's  nose  was 
entirely  gone,  and  his  eyebrows  and  cheeks  nearly  eaten  away. 

A  more  hideous-looking  wretch,  as  he  stood  by  the  blazing  pile  of 
brush,  I  never  saw ;  and  it  appeared  to  me  that  he  gloried  in  his 
deformity,  for  he  rolled  his  glaring  eyes  at  me,  and  chuckled  immensely 
when  he  saw  that  I  regarded  him  rather  closely. 

"  The  stockman  has  given  us  the  go-by,"  said  one  of  the  gang, 
returning  from  his  pursuit  of  the  old  convict. 

"  Have  you  examined  every  bush  and  tree  between  this  and  the 
prairie  ?  "  asked  the  chief. 

"  As  well  as  we  can  in  the  darkness,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Return  to  the  woods,  and  don't  allow  a  space  as  large  as  a  man's 
body  to  escape  inspection.  Away  with  you  —  our  triumph  is  not  com- 
plete without  the  head  of  the  old  shepherd." 

"  I  can  find  nothing  of  the  gold,"  said  a  voice  that  I  had  heard  before, 
and  looking  up  I  saw  our  treacherous  companion,  Steel  Spring. 

The  fellow  regarded  me  with  a  sly  grin,  and  winked  his  eye  as  he 
pointed  to  the  deep  hole  where  he  had  labored  when  we  discovered  the 
treasure. 

A  frightful  expression  came  over  the  robber's  face  as  he  heard  the 
report.  His  staring  eyes  seemed  to  become  injected  with  blood,  and 
the  scars  on  his  countenance  turned  to  a  more  livid  hue. 

"  Where  have  you  secreted  the  gold  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a  voice  trem- 
bling with  passion. 

"  What  gold  ?  "  I  demanded,  indifferently. 

"  The  gold  which  Jim  Gulpin  buried  here.  You  know  what  I  mean ; 
and  let  me  tell  you  that  a  civil  and  correct  answer  will  stand  your  friend, 
just  at  this  time.  You  have  no  police  to  fall  back  upon,  and  if  I  but 
give  the  word,  your  lives  are  not  worth  a  farthing." 

"  It  is  true,  we  were  after  the  gold,  but  what  evidence  have  you  that 
we  found  it  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  The  evidence  of  the  man  who  has  been  on  your  track  ever  since  you 
entered  the  forest  —  saw  you  remove  the  sack,  and  then  saw  you  attempt 
to  escape  with  your  plunder.  Come  here,  Steel  Spring." 

The  long,  lank,  lying  wretch  came  at  the  call  of  his  commander,  and 
with  a  gracious  nod  towards  us,  stood  ready  to  answer  any  questions. 

"  At  what  time  did  you  give  the  signal,  Steel  Spring  ?  " 

"  The  hinstant  that  I  sees  they  had  got  the  money.  I  didn't  know 
vether  you  had  returned  from  the  trip  vich  you  vas  to  make,  but  I  vas 
determined  to  try  the  signal  agreed  upon,  and  to  my  great  joy,  I  heard 
you  hanswer  the  first  time  I  calls." 

"  And  you  saw  them  remove  the  sack  ?  "  demanded  the  chief. 

"  Yes,  hindeed  I  did ;  and  'cos  I  calls  to  you,  these  fellows  fires  at 
me,  but  they  vas  not  quick  enough  for  Steel  Spring." 

"  You  hear  what  my  man  says ;  you  were  seen  to  take  the  gold. 
Yield  it  to  us,  and  go,  and  the  devil  go  with  you,  for  all  I  care ;  but 
deprive  us  of  it,  and  to-morrow's  sun  shall  not  see  you  alive." 

Fred,  Smith,  and  myself  held  a  whispered  conversation  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  concluded  that  it  was  better  to  give  up  the  money  and 
save  our  lives,  and  trust  to  chance  to  recover  the  treasure. 

"  Have  you  decided  ?  "  asked  the  chief,  his  voice  growing  more  rough 
at  each  moment's  delay. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  191 

«  We  have." 

"  Enough  ;  lead  us  to  the  spot  where  it  is  secreted." 

"  You  have  but  a  few  steps  to  go,"  I  said,  as  I  motioned  for  the  bush' 
rangers  to  stand  one  side  and  allow  me  to  approach  the  spot  where  1 
had  dropped  the  bag. 

"  Let  him  pass ! "  exclaimed  the  robber ;  and,  obedient  to  his  word, 
the  gang  stepped  aside,  but  closed  in  upon  me,  so  that  I  had  no  chance 
to  escape,  even  had  1  been  so  disposed. 

"  You  will  find  the  gold  there,"  I  said,  pointing  to  the  spot  where  I 
had  dropped  the  sack. 

Half  a  dozen  arms  were  thrust  eagerly  forth,  and  searched  amidst 
the  rank  grass  and  stunted  bushes.  Suddenly,  one  of  the  men  uttered 
an  exclamation  and  sprang  back,  holding  aloft  his  hand,  upon  a  finger 
of  which  was  fastened  a  deadly  snake,  of  a  pale  orange  hue,  with  a  fine 
ring  of  black  around  its  neck. 

With  oaths,  and  cries  of  terror,  the  robbers  sought  to  escape  from 
the  vicinity  of  their  companion,  who,  with  yells  such  as  I  thought  no 
mortal  man  capable  of  uttering,  endeavored  to  unfasten  the  firm  grip 
of  the  adder's  teeth. 

We  could  have  escaped  at  that  time,  and  no  one  would  have  thought 
of  pursuit,  so  busy  were  the  gang  in  regarding  the  contortions  of  the 
wretch,  who  rushed  wildly  back  and  forth,  begging,  cursing,  and  pray- 
ing in  one  breath. 

Once  I  thought  of  starting  alone,  after  vainly  endeavoring  to  attract 
the  attention  of  Fred  and  Smith ;  but  I  considered  how  cowardly  it 
would  be  to  desert  my  friends,  and  banished  the  idea,  unless  we  could 
all  go  together. 

"  Will  no  one  save  me?"  shrieked  the  wretch,  running  first  to  one 
and  then  another  of  his  comrades ;  but  as  fast  as  he  approached  them, 
they  would  retreat,  and  hurl  imprecations  at  his  head  for  seeking  to 
bring  destruction  upon  themselves. 

"  Curse  you  all  for  a  pack  of  cowards  !  "  he  yelled ;  "  may  you  all  die 
by  the  hands  of  a  hangman  !  Will  no  one  save  me  ?  Will  no  one  re- 
lieve me  of  this  cursed  snake  ?  " 

"  Hold  your  hand  still,  for  a  moment,"  cried  Fred,  suddenly  starting 
forward,  and  picking  up  a  bowie  knife,  which  one  of  the  men  had 
dropped  in  his  terror. 

The  poor  fellow  sought  to  obey,  but  his  fright  was  too  great ;  and  as 
the  adder  curled  its  tail  over  his  arm,  without  relinquishing  its  hold,  he 
endeavored  to  shake  it  off,  and  succeeded  so  far  as  the  tail  was  con- 
cerned, but  the  jaws  were  too  firmly  clinched  to  be  made  to  let  go  so 
easily. 

Fred's  eye  was  quick,  and  his  hand  steady,  and  as  the  snake  hung 
full  length,  pendent  from  the  finger,  he  struck  at  it  with  the  knife  and 
severed  it  in  two  parts.  The  tail  fell  to  the  ground  and  wound  itself 
into  knots,  but  the  jaws  did  not  relinquish  their  hold  until  the  last  drop 
of  blood  had  drained  from  the  trunk,  when,  with  an  expiring  gasp,  the 
teeth  were  unlocked,  and  the  robber's  finger  was  free. 

Stout-hearted  as  the  fellow  undoubtedly  was,  he  no  sooner  saw  that 
the  reptile  was  dead  than  he  fell  to  the  ground  in  a  fit.  Foam  issued 
from  his  mouth,  and  by  the  light  of  the  fire  I  saw  that  the  poison  was 


192  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

already  performing  its  work,  and  that  it  was  mixing  with  his  blood  and 
coursing  through  his  veins  with  the  speed  of  thought.  His  face  grew 
black  and  commenced  swelling  rapidly,  and  all  the  medical  science  in 
the  world  would  have  been  unable  to  give  him  an  hour's  life. 

"  Can  you  do  any  thing  for  him  ?  "  asked  the  chief,  turning  to  us. 

We  replied  in  the  negative. 

"  Then  let  him  die  where  he  is,  and  one  of  you  take  a  torch  and  find 
the  money.  Be  careful ;  there  may  be  more  snakes  in  the  grass." 

The  men  obeyed  the  heartless  speech,  and  forsook  the  writhing  wretch 
to  look  for  the  gold. 

"  There  is  nothing  here !  "  they  cried,  in  chorus. 

"  I  put  the  bag  there  but  a  moment  ago,"  I  replied. 

"You  lie!"  roared  the  chief;  "you  are  deceiving  us,  and  think  to 
escape  with  life,  and  pocket  your  stealing.  I  tell  you,  if  the  money  is 
not  forthcoming,  I'll  hang  you  like  dogs.  Tie  them  up  and  lash  them 
to  a  tree ;  I  will  give  them  a  short  time  to  think  the  matter  over." 

The  robbers  threw  themselves  upon  us  and  bound  our  arms,  in  spite 
of  resistance,  and  with  an  expedition  that  proved  they  were  experts  in 
the  matter ;  we  were  then  fastened  to  trees,  and  taunted  with  our 
instrumentality  in  destroying  the  gangs  of  Darnley  and  Gulpin. 

Luckily,  Fred  and  myself  were  fastened  to  the  same  tree,  so  that  we 
could  condole  with  each  other  in  our  misfortunes.  This  was  the  hardest 
situation  in  which  we  had  ever  been  placed,  and  yet  we  felt  no  fear  of 
immediate  death,  although  we  knew  that  an  injudicious  word  would 
seal  our  doom  without  a  moment's  delay. 

"  Where  can  the  money  have  gone  to  ?  "  whispered  Fred. 

"  I  know  not,"  I  replied ;  "  you  saw  me  throw  it  amidst  the  bushes, 
and  yet,  now,  it  cannot  be  found." 

"  One  of  the  gang  must  have  watched  our  movements,  and,  during 
the  confusion,  moved  the  bag  to  another  place." 

As  Fred  ceased  speaking,  the  dying  man,  who  was  lying  at  our  feet, 
raised  his  head,  and  sought  to  get  up ;  the  effort  was  unsuccessful,  and, 
with  a  groan  of  agony,  he  fell  back  and  called  in  feeble  tones  for  water. 

"  Water,"  he  cried ;  "for  the  love  of  mercy,  give  me  a  drink  of  wa- 
ter ;  I  feel  as  though  I  was  burning  to  death.  My  mouth  is  parched, 
and  my  tongue  swollen  to  an  unnatural  size." 

"  Give  him  a  drink,  one  of  you,"  grunted  the  chief.  "  It's  probably 
the  last  one  he  will  ever  ask  for." 

"  Don't  say  that,"  exclaimed  the  snake-bitten  man,  struggling  to  rise. 
"  I  am  not  going  to  die  just  yet,  I  can  tell  you.  1  have  not  half  re- 
venged myself  upon  those  who  injured  me." 

"  Live,  and  be  hanged,  if  you  can,"  retorted  the  chief,  coolly,  seating 
himself  upon  A  log,  and  lighting  his  pipe ;  "  I  don't  hinder  you  from 
getting  well,  do  I  ?  " 

"  No,  no,  Nosey,  I  know  that  you  would  rather  assist  me,"  said  the 
man,  with  a  faint  attempt  at  a  smile,  but  it  was  soon  banished  from  his 
face,  and  then  he  again  sought  to  rise,  but  without  success. 

The  poison  was  spreading  swiftly  through  his  veins,  and  we  could 
almost  see  his  body  swell,  so  rapidly  was  it  bloating  him.  He  had  un- 
buttoned the  wristbands  and  collar  of  his  shirt,  for  the  pain  was  toe? 
great  to  keep  them  fastened ;  and  as  he  lay  at  our  feet  a  spectacle  too 


A  GOLD  HUNTEB'S  ADVENTURES.  193 

dreadful  to  be  looked  upon  without  pity,  we  wished  that  we  had  the 
means  to  save  a  life  that  had  been  passed  regardless  of  laws  or  man. 

"  If  one  of  you  fellers  are  acquainted  with  a  prayer  or  two,  p'raps  it 
would  be  well  to  mutter  it  over  the  poor  devil,  so  that  his  soul  may  not 
be  snatched  by  the  evil  one  as  soon  as  it  leaves  his  body,"  said  a  bush- 
ranger of  grim  aspect,  speaking  to  Fred  and  myself. 

"  I  will  willingly  do  all  that  I  can  to  comfort  the  dying  man,"  I  re- 
plied ;  "  but  first  I  want  my  arms  untied,  so  that  I  can  hear  his  last 
words." 

"  Well,  that's  only  asking  for  a  reasonable  thing,  and  hang  me  if  I 
Won't  risk  it,"  replied  the  grizzly  robber,  proceeding  to  untie  my  hands. 

"  Hullo,"  shouted  the  chief,  "  what  are  you  about  ?  " 

"  I'm  going  to  let  this  feller  confess  Ben,  'cos  I  believe  he's  half  priest 
or  parsen,  and  I  think  it's  hard  if  a  man  can't  have  a  little  religion  oc- 
casionally." 

"  Tie  the  prisoner  up  again,"  said  Nosey,  sternly,  laying  his  hand 
carelessly  upon  a  pistol  which  was  stuck  in  his  belt. 

"  Shan't  do  any  thing  of  the  kind,"  replied  the  robber,  firmly.  "  Old 
Ben  is  going  to  die,  and  he  wants  religion  before  he  starts.  I'm  not 
the  one  to  refuse  him." 

"  Once  more  I  tell  you  to  make  the  prisoner  fast  to  the  tree,"  cried 
Nosey,  drawing  the  pistol  and  cocking  it. 

"Look  a-here  —  is  that  your  game?"  demanded  the  humane  robber; 
"  let  me  tell  you  that  you  had  better  put  up  the  barker,  'cos  I've  got  one 
that  can  speak  when  it's  told  to." 

The  old  bushranger  drew  a  pistol  and  held  it  in  his  hand  for  a  mo- 
ment, and  then,  turning  to  his  companions,  said,  — 

"  You  ain't  going  to  see  me  shot  'cos  I  want  to  'friend  as  good  a  man 
as  was  ever  transported  ?  How  do  we  know  how  soon  we  may  want  a 
prayer  or  two  to  help  fix  things  up  in  the  other  world." 

"  Let  him  have  the  prayers,"  muttered  the  gang,  with  one  accord. 
"  What  harm  can  they  do  ?  " 

Thus  backed  up,  the  old  robber,  who  had  formerly  been  a  sailor,  con- 
tinued to  unbind  my  hands,  while  Nosey  replaced  his  pistol  without 
further  remonstrance. 

I  knelt  by  the  side  of  the  dying  man,  but  he  was  past  consciousness, 
and  no  longer  appeared  to  heed  what  was  going  on  around.  His  tongue 
had  swollen  to  such  an  extent  that  his  jaws  were  open  to  their  fullest 
width,  and  it  was  impossible  to  close  them.  His  eyes  were  set  and 
nearly  concealed  in  their  sockets,  so  rapidly  had  his  face  bloated  from 
the  effects  of  the  poisonous  virus  that  was  coursing  through  his  veins. 

I  spoke  to  him,  but  he  did  not  heed  me,  and  in  answer  to  the  rob- 
bers' questions,  I  predicted  his  speedy  death.  They  received  the  news 
with  great  coolness,  and  fell  back  to  their  old  occupation  of  smoking 
pipes,  leaving  me  alone  with  the  body. 

For  a  few  minutes  I  sat  there  endeavoring  to  relieve  the  poor  fellow's 
sufferings  by  wetting  his  lips  with  water,  and  while  I  was  thus  engaged 
I  was  startled  by  hearing  a  slight  rustling  in  the  bushes  ;  I  looked  up, 
thinking  that  the  companion  of  the  dead  snake  was  about  to  visit  us  in 
search  of  its  mate,  and  as  I  did  so,  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  wrinkled 
face  of  the  stockman. 

17 


194  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

I  did  not  start  or  manifest  symptoms  of  surprise,  for  I  had  lived  too 
long  in  a  country  where  Indians  were  my  nearest  neighbors  to  allow 
such  an  emotion  to  be  observed.  I  continued  my  occupation,  therefore, 
and  while  I  kept  my  eyes  on  the  hiding-place  of  the  convict,  I  did  not 
neglect  to  note  the  movements  of  the  bushrangers,  who  were  grouped 
around  the  fire,  and  wholly  unsuspicious  of  the  presence  of  their  most 
deadly  enemy. 

"  Hist !  "  said  the  stockman,  after  successfully  imitating  the  singing 
of  a  cricket  to  attract  my  attention. 

I  turned  my  head  towards  him,  but  I  still  pretended  to  be  busy 
attending  to  the  wants  of  the  dying  man. 

"  Cut  Smith  and  your  friend  loose,  and  then  stand  ready  to  aid  us  in 
striking  a  blow.  Be  cautious,  and  not  a  word." 

I  was  left  in  wonder,  for  the  head  disappeared  so  quietly,  it  was 
only  by  a  slight  rustling  of  dried  leaves  that  I  knew  the  stockman  was 
working  his  form  through  the  bushes  to  rejoin  whomever  he  had  enlisted 
to  assist  him. 

.  I  puzzled  my  head  for  a  few  minutes,  trying  to  think  who  was  near 
at  hand,  but  it  was  in  vain ;  and  I  at  length  concluded  that  a  passing 
train  of  miners  had  volunteered,  under  a  promise  of  a  large  reward, 
which  now  I  had  not  the  means  of  paying.  I  tried  to  invent  excuses 
for  the  purpose  of  approaching  Fred,  and  at  length  I  hit  upon  a  plan. 

"  I  think,"  I  said,  speaking  to  the  old  sailor,  "  that  I  might  relieve  the 
man's  sufferings  were  I  to  bleed  him."  • 

"  Go  ahead,  then,  matey,"  he  answered,  with  a  nod  of  his  head. 

"  Let  me  see,"  I  said,  feeling  in  my  pockets ;  "  I  believe  that  my 
friend  has  my  lancet.  Will  you  get  it,  or  shall  I  ?  " 

"  Get  it,"  he  replied,  mechanically,  not  even  taking  his  pipe  from  hi» 
mouth  to  answer. 

I  had  carefully  secreted  a  knife  which  I  had  found  upon  the  person 
of  the  bushranger,  and  with  it  I  cut  Fred's  bonds,  whispering  words  of 
caution  as  I  did  so. 

"  I  haven't  got  the  lancet,"  cried  Fred,  with  a  sudden  shake,  as  though 
to  prevent  me  from  searching  his  pockets.  "  You  know  that  I  gave  it 
to  Smith." 

"  I'm  sure  that  you  didn't,"  Smith  said,  surprised  at  Fred's  assertion. 

Before  he  could  utter  further  remonstrance  I  had  severed  his  bond* 
and  repeated  my  words  of  caution. 

"  Are  you  ready  ?  "  I  heard  a  voice  whisper  close  behind  me. 

I  glanced  to  the  spot  where  the  rifles  were  lying,  and  then  surveyed 
the  bushrangers,  as  they  lay  stretched  out  before  the  fire,  perfectly  un- 
conscious that  we  were  plotting  their  destruction. 

"  All  ready,"  I  responded,  making  a  signal  to  Fred  to  be  on  the 
alert. 

"  Stoop  down  a  little,"  was  the  whispered  injunction. 

I  obeyed  the  order,  and  no  sooner  did  I  bow  my  head  than  the  bushes 
appeared  to  be  illuminated  with  a  sheet  of  flame.  A  roar  of  musketry 
that  seemed  to  shake  the  forest  followed  the  flash,  and  over  my  head  I 
«ould  hear  the  bullets  whiz  as  they  sped  on  their  errand  of  death. 


GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  195 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

OPPORTUNE  ARRIVAL  OF  LIEUTENANT  MURDEN  AND  HIS  FORCE. 
ROUT  OF  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 

I  HEARD  a  wild  yell,  such  as  men  utter  when  taken  by  surprise  —  I 
heard  groans  and  curses,  and  then,  loud  above  all,  arose  a  cheer  which 
could  only  have  proceeded  from  men  who  had  some  great  matter  at 
stake,  and  were  determined  to  fight  to  the  last  for  victory. 

Through  the  smoke,  which  slowly  drifted  over  the  clearing,  I  saw 
half  a  dozen  robbers  spring  to  their  feet  and  fall  headlong,  like  logs,  to 
the  ground,  and  by  the  light  of  the  still  blazing  fire  I  observed  the  as- 
tonishment depicted  upon  the  faces  of  the  bushrangers  as  they  looked 
in  the  direction  from  whence  the  discharge  proceeded,  and  stumbled 
over  each  other  on  their  way  towards  the  spot  where  their  arms  were 
stacked. 

All  this  I  observed  in  a  few  seconds'  time,  but  before  I  could  start  to 
my  feet,  wondering  who  were  the  attacking  party,  I  heard  the  voice  of 
the  old  convict,  shrill  and  wild,  shout  out  a  quotation  from  the  Bible, 
and  conclude  with  one  of  his  semi-religious,  fanatical  expressions. 

"  May  the  God  of  my  fathers,"  he  exclaimed,  "  forgive  me  for  killing 
the  devils,  but  I  couldn't  help  it." 

"  Charge,  men  !  "  cried  a  manly  voice  that  I  thought  I  knew. 

A  wild  cheer  arose  that  shook  the  very  forest,  and  through  the  bushes 
came  the  regular  tramp  of  disciplined  men.  I  caught  sight  of  the  old 
familiar  blue  uniform,  and  one  glance  at  the  leader  of  the  force  was 
sufficient.  I  saw  my  old  friend,  Lieutenant  Murden,  and  a  strong  squad 
of  Melbourne  police  at  his  back. 

I  sprang  to  my  feet  and  cheered  lustily,  and  then  grasped  the  first 
weapon  that  I  could  find,  and  joined  their  ranks.  I  saw  that  Fred  and 
Smith  were  with  me,  and  like  eagles  we  swept  down  upon  our  prey. 

A  hasty  discharge  greeted  us,  and  one  man  fell  badly  wounded,  but 
we  had  no  time  to  pause  to  administer  to  his  relief.  On  we  rushed 
where  the  bushrangers  were  endeavoring  to  make  a  stand,  and  were 
calling  upon  each  other  to  fight  to  the  last.  Even  Nosey  was  evidently 
determined  to  sustain  his  great  reputation  and  die  facing  his  enemies ; 
but  as  we  advanced  upon  a  run  we  delivered  our  fire  and  tumbled  over 
two  or  three  others,  and  that,  with  the  complete  surprise  which  had 
been  gained  over  them,  completed  their  confusion.  They  broke,  and 
dashed  into  the  woods,  but  not  before  half  of  their  number  was  placed 
hors  du  combat,  and  amidst  them,  stretched  upon  the  ground  bleeding 
from  two  bad  wounds,  was  the  old  sailor  who  had  released  me. 

"  No  mercy — kill  the  accursed  dogs,"  roared  the  stockman,  swinging 
his  long  gun  over  his  head,  and  dashing  after  a  young  fellow  who  had 
fought  desperately,  but  now  sought  to  escape. 

"  Come  back,"  shouted  Murden,  in  a  voice  of  thunder.  "  Venture 
beyond  the  edge  of  this  clearing,  and  your  life  is  not  worth  a  sixpence. 
The  bushrangers  know  every  turn  of  the  woods,  and  are  already  in 


196  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

ambush,  waiting  for  victims.  Extinguish  that  fire,  men,  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  don't  too  many  of  you  venture  near  it  until  it  is  smoth- 
ered." 

"  You  are  the  last  man  that  I  expected  to  see  to-night,  Murden,"  I 
said,  grasping  his  hand  with  a  pressure  that  expressed  my  gratitude  at 
his  arrival. 

"  Well,  to  tell  you  the  truth,"  he  replied,  "  I  must  say  that  three 
hours  ago  I  had  no  idea  of  shaking  hands  with  old  friends.  But  let 
me  station  the  men  to  prevent  a  surprise,  for  I  shall  have  to  stop  here 
all  night,  as  the  risk  is  too  great  trying  to  reach  the  prairie  until  morn- 
ing, and  then  we  will  compare  notes.  I  see  that  you  are  well,  and  that 
is  all  that  I  care  about  now.  Even  Smith  has  not  lost  an  ounce  of  flesh 
since  our  last  meeting." 

"  I  may  not  have  lost  flesh,  but  my  worriment  of  mind  for  the  last 
few  hours  has  been  awful,"  replied  the  teamster,  with  a  grin  of  satisfac- 
tion at  his  escape. 

"  A  few  hours'  sleep  will  restore  you,"  cried  the  lieutenant,  pleas- 
antly. 

By  this  time  the  police  had  extinguished  the  fire,  which  was  burning 
too  brightly  for  safety.  The  half-consumed  logs  were  thrown  aside  to 
smoulder  and  die  out,  and  dirt  thrown  upon  the  coals  to  extinguish 
their  brightness. 

"  Maurice,"  called  the  lieutenant,  speaking  to  his  old  orderly,  "  station 
four  men  at  different  quarters,  and  tell  them  to  give  an  alarm  if  they 
but  hear  a  stick  move.  The  bushrangers  have  not  gone  far,  I  warrant 
you,  and  perhaps  they  will  beat  up  our  quarters  before  morning." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  promptly  replied  the  policeman. 

"  How  many  of  our  force  are  wounded  ?  "  the  officer  asked. 

"  Sam,  sir,  has  got  a  shot  in  his  thigh,  and  the  blood  flows  pretty  fast 
from  the  wound.  I  have  tied  it  up  as  well  as  possible." 

"  I  will  go  and  attend  on  him,  and  see  what  can  be  done  for  his  relief; " 
and  the  lieutenant  started  at  a  brisk  pace  towards  where  the  injured 
man  was  lying. 

"  Well,  Sam,  how  do  you  feel  ?  "  inquired  Murden. 

"Weak  from  the  loss  of  blood,  sir,  but  I  think  that  I  shall  get 
over  it." 

';  Get  over  it  ?  "  repeated  Murden,  in  pretended  surprise,  "  of  course 
you  will.  I  don't  want  to  lose  the  best  fighting  man  that  I  have  got  in 
my  troop.  When  we  get  back  to  Melbourne  you  can  go  into  hospital 
quarters  if  you  wish  to,  but  not  for  any  length  of  time.  I  cannot  spare 
you  many  weeks,  Sam." 

"  I'm  glad  to  hear  it,  sir,"  replied  the  policeman,  in  a  tone  of  voico 
that  showed  how  pleased  he  was.  "  Did  you  see  how  I  brought  the 
fellow  down  who  was  aiming  at  us  ?  " 

"  Of  course  I  did.  I  knew  the  instant  you  sighted  him  that  he  was 
a  dead  robber.  But  don't  talk  any  more.  I  will  have  a  torch  lighted, 
even  if  it  brings  the  devils  upon  us,  and  by  its  light  I  will  bind  up  your 
wound  so  that  you  will  feel  quite  nicely  by  morning." 

One  of  the  men  brought  a  lighted  limb  of  a  gum  tree,  and  by  it 
Murden  examined  the  wound,  which  seemed  quite  severe,  although  he 
did  not  say  so.  After  he  had  applied  some  balsam  which  he  carried  in 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  197 

a  case  in  his  pocket,  he  re-bound  the  leg,  and  then  ordered  the  torch 
to  be  extinguished. 

"  The  poor  fellow  cannot  live  until  morning,"  whispered  Murden, 
as  \ve  walked  one  side.  "  The  main  artery  of  his  leg  is  cut,  and 
he  is  slowly  bleeding  to  death." 

"  What  are  we  to  do  with  these  wounded  men,  sir  ?  "  asked  Maurice, 
after  he  had  stationed  the  guard. 

"  What  can  we  do  with  them  ?  We  have  neither  wine,  nor  water, 
nor  medicine  to  bestow.  But  not  to  let  them  think  we  are  cruel, 
call  the  wounded  and  find  out  how  many  there  are,  and  tell  them 
that  in  the  morning  we  will  attend  to  their  wants,  as  far  as  we  are 
able." 

"  Where  is  the  old  stockman  ?  "  I  asked,  not  recollecting  seeing  him 
since  the  fight  was  over. 

Word  was  passed  for  him,  but  every  one  declared  that  he  had  not 
been  seen  since  the  moment  when  Murden  recalled  him  from  the  pur- 
suit of  the  rangers. 

"Let  him  go,"  said  the  officer ;  "  he  is  perfectly  able  to  take  care  of 
himself,  and  1  have  no  doubt  that  he  has  a  project  in  his  head." 

"  But  how  in  the  name  of  humanity  did  he  manage  to  find  you  at 
such  a  favorable  moment  ?  " 

"  That  is  easily  explained,"  Murden  replied.  "  I  left  Melbourne  two 
days  since  in  pursuit  of  a  man  who  has  been  committing  murder  in  the 
c:ty.  He  started  for  the  Ballarat  diggings,  and  I  have  been  on  his 
trail  until  this  noon,  when  I  lost  it,  and  had  good  reason  to  believe  that 
he  had  cut  across  the  country,  intending  to  join  a  gang  of  bushrangers, 
secreted  in  the  forest.  I  thought  that  I  should  get  information  from 
the  old  stockman ;  so  I  concluded  to  ride  to  his  hut. 

"  To  my  surprise  I  saw  that  your  horses  were  confined  in  the  cattle 
pen,  and  after  frightening  the  old  fellow's  daughter  almost  to  death,  I 
learned  from  her  that  you  had  been  gone  for  two  days  on  some  kind  of 
treasure  seeking,  in  which  her  father  was  to  take  the  lead  and  point  out 
the  money.  I  feared  that  you  had  got  caught  in  some  kind  of  a  trap, 
set  by  the  frequenters  of  these  woods ;  so  I  determined,  as  I  was  no 
longer  on  the  trail  of  the  murderer,  to  take  a  look  at  your  operations, 
and,  if  possible,  lend  a  hand  in  getting  the  gold." 

Murden  laughed  when  he  spoke  of  the  treasure,  and  we  almost 
feared  that  he  suspected  us  of  keeping  the  secret  from  him. 

"  But  where  did  you  meet  the  stockman  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  I  am  coming  to  the  point  of  my  narrative.  We  halted  barely  long 
enough  to  water  the  animals,  and  get  something  to  eat  —  in  the  latter, 
let  me  assure  you,  the  woman  was  pleased  to  lend  her  aid,  and  supplied 
us  with  meat  enough  to  feed  a  regiment ;  and  when  I  told  her  that  we 
did  not  need  so  much,  she  begged  that  we  would  take  what  we  did  not 
want  to  her  father  and  Mr.  Smith." 

"  To  whom  ?  "  we  asked,  astonished. 

"  To  Mr.  Smith,"  replied  Murden,  gravely. 

"  Ho,  ho,  Smith ! "  we  cried,  "  you  have,  it  seems,  been  making  a 
Honquest,  and  now,  for  the  first  time,  we  are  to  hear  of  it." 

"  I  assure  you,"  stammered  Smith,  "  I  had  no  idea  that " 

"  How  long  has  it  been  going  on,  Smith  ?  "  we  cried. 

17* 


198  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  There  is  nothing  in  it,  I  assure  you  ;  I  never  said  much  to  her,  anj 
way,  and  what  few  compliments  I  have  paid  her,  are  in  fact " 

"Intended  to  mean  nothing.  Very  well,  Mr.  Smith,  I  shall  take 
care  to  put  the  lady  on  her  guard,  the  next  time  I  see  her,"  said  Mur- 
den,  pretending  to  be  serious. 

"  Nor  don't  do  that,"  cried  Smith  in  alarm,  "  because  I  don't  know 
but  I  shall  marry  her,  yet." 

"  Ah,  if  that  is  the  case,  I'll  not  interfere  on  any  account.  But  re- 
member, I'm  to  be  asked  to  the  wedding." 

"  I'll  not  forget,"  Smith  said  ;  and  after  that  affair  was  satisfactorily 
concluded,  Murden  went  on  with  his  story. 

"  I  accepted  of  her  offering,  and  agreed  to  convey  a  portion  of  a  baked 
lamb  to  her  friend  Mr.  Smith,  and  I  am  bound  to  say  that  neither  of  you 
gentlemen  was  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  affair.  It  was  near 
dark,  when  we  replaced  our  saddles  upon  our  animals,  and.  started 
across  the  prairie,  but  before  we  were  half  way  to  the  woods,  the  last 
glimmer  of  twilight  had  faded  out,  and  we  were  obliged  to  continue 
our  journey  by  guess  work,  for  no  beaten  trail  leads  across  the  plain. 

"  When  we  were  within  a  mile  or  two  of  the  secret  path,  I  saw  an 
object  that  looked  to  me  like  a  kangaroo,  on  the  prairie,  so  swiftly  did 
it  run.  Not  feeling  perfectly  convinced  that  such  was  the  case,  I  called 
my  men's  attention  to  it,  and  one,  who  has  sharper  eyes  than  the  rest 
of  us,  declared  that  what  I  took  to  be  an  animal,  was  a  good-sized  man, 
who  appeared  to  be  making  the  best  of  his  way  across  the  plain. 

"  I  started  in  pursuit,  and  called  once  or  twice  to  him  to  stop,  but  not 
until  I  had  nearly  rode  him  down,  did  he  come  to  a  stand  still,  and  to 
my  surprise,  I  found  that  I  had  come  very  near  ending  the  days  of  the 
old  stockman. 

"  A  few  questions  and  a  few  answers  were  all  that  I  required  to  un- 
derstand  the  case.  I  instantly  mounted  the  old  fellow  behind  one  of 
my  men,  and  at  a  gallop  I  dashed  towards  the  woods,  which  I  had  no 
sooner  gained,  than  I  sent  three  of  my  men  back  to  the  hut  with  the 
horses,  and  ordered  them  not  to  come  near  us  until  after  sunrise  in  the 
morning. 

"  Here  commenced  the  most  difficult  part  of  our  undertaking,  as  we 
deemed  it  best  to  take  the  robbers  by  surprise,  and  exterminate  the 
gang,  if  possible.  The  old  stockman  undertook  to  pilot  us  through 
the  woods,  and  the  manner  in  which  we  crept  to  within  a -few  feet  of 
you  without  making  any  noise,  shows  that  he  performed  his  part  with 
great  success. 

"The  large  number  of  bushrangers  assembled,  astonished  me.  I 
found  that  my  force  contained  only  one  half  as  many  as  they  did,  yet  I 
had  no  idea  of  not  attacking.  Desperate  as  I  knew  the  robbers  were, 
I  thought  they  would  yield  upon  being  .taken  by  surprise.  My  expec- 
tations were  not  disappointed ;  they  did  fly,  and  left  one  half  of  their 
force  upon  the  ground." 

"  We  thank  you,  heartily,  for  the  trouble  and  danger  which  you  ex- 
perienced in  saving  our  lives,  for  I  have  serious  doubts  whether  to-mor- 
row would  have  seen  us  alive,"  Fred  said,  shaking  hands  with  Murden, 
at  the  conclusion  of  the  latter's  account. 

"  Say  no  more,  my  dear  boy,  for  I  know  that  you  would  have  come 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  19& 

to  my  assistance  as  soon  as  I  did  to  yours.  But  about  this  treas- 
ure; I  see  that  you  have  been  digging;  have  you  found  any  thing 
yet  ?  " 

Before  we  had  time  to  answer  that  question,  Maurice  called  the  offi- 
cer's attention,  and  relieved  us  of  a  reply. 

"  If  you  please,  sir,  there's  a  dog  out  here  at  the  edge  of  the  clear- 
ing, and  he's  got  a  bushranger  doAvn,  and  has  had  him  there  ever  since 
they  run  for  their  lives.  The  animal  won't  let  one  of  us  come  near 
him,  and  threatens  the  throat  of  the  robber,  every  time  he  offers  to 
move.  I  can't-tell,  in  the  dark,  what  kind  of  a  dog  he  is,  but  I  think 
it's  the  one  the  gentlemen  own." 

"  Poor  Rover,  I  have  missed  him  for  an  hour  or  two.  Let  us  go 
nnd  see  whom  he  has  taken  as  prisoner,"  I  said. 

We  followed  Maurice  to  the  spot,  and  found  Rover  standing  sentry 
over  a  prisoner,  whose  slightest  motion  caused  a  growl  of  warning.  I 
called  off  the  dog,  and  ordered  the  fellow  to  get  up,  so  that  we  could 
see  who  he  was. 

"  Veil,  of  all  the  games  that  I  ever  seed,  this  is  a  beater ! "  cried  a 
man  whose  voice  was  familiar  to  me. 

"  Ah,  Mr.  Steel  Spring,"  said  Fred,  seizing  the  individual  by  the 
collar  ;  "  we  have  you  in  our  power  again." 

"  Veil,  if  I  haint  thankful  to  think  that  I've  hescaped  from  them  ere 
villains,  and  got  into  decent  company  again.  I  'ave  trembled  at  the  pro- 
fanity of  the  brutes,  and  feared  for  my  life  ever  since  I've  been  with 
'em." 

"  Do  you  think,  you  long-legged  wretch,  that  you  can  impose  upon 
us  for  the  second  time  ?  Do  you  suppose  that  after  betraying  us  into 
the  hands  of  your  companions  you  are  to  be  spared  ?  "  we  demanded, 
indignantly. 

"  Veil,  'ere's  a  go.  All  through  my  life  I  'ave  been  suspected  vith- 
out  cause.  Fust,  I'm  cast  hoff  by  my  hungrateful  parents,  and  left  to 
seek  my  living,  and  artervords  I'm  made  a  fool  of,  and  gets  transported, 
and  now  the  very  coves  vot  I  thought  friends,  turns  agin  me.  Vot  a 
vorld  this  is !  " 

"  Why,  you  hypocritical  rascal,  did  you  not  first  deceive  us  by  saying 
that  there  were  no  bands  of  bushrangers  in  the  woods,  and  while  we 
were  digging  did  you  not  raise  an  alarm  which  brought  upon  us  Nosey 
and  all  of  his  gang  ?  " 

"  Ha,  ha ! "  roared  Steel  Spring ;  "  vot  a  funny  man  that  Nosey  is !  so 
handsome,  too ! " 

"  You  rascal,  you  will  laugh  differently  in  a  few  minutes.  Lieuten- 
ant, let  him  be  tied  to  a  tree,  and  give  him  a  few  dozen  across  his  bare 
back." 

"  No,  don't  do  that,"  cried  the  fellow,  in  some  alarm.  "  I  never 
could  stand  a  flogging,  and  my  proud  spirit  vill  break  if  I  get'a 
one." 

"  Tie  him  up,  Maurice,"  said  Murden,  coolly.  "  I  recollect  the  fel- 
low, and  a  bigger  decoy  rogue  does  not  exist  in  the  country.  He  will 
lie  by  the  rule  of  three,  and  then  retract  all  that  he  has  said,  without 
the  least  regard  for  himself  or  others.  I  have  heard  of  him  a  number 
of  times,  and  now  think  that  I  shall  live  to  see  him  punished." 


200  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  I  'opes  you  vill  live  a  thousand  years,  lieutenant,  but  I  also  'opes 
you'll  not  joke  over  my  misfortunes.  I've  'elped  the  gentlemen,  and 
now  I'm  to  be  punished  for  it." 

"  Tie  him  up,  Maurice,  and  use  your  sword  belt  over  his  back  until  I 
tell  you  to  stop,"  repeated  Murden.  "  I  owe  him  a  flogging  for  the 
manner  in  which  he  sent  me  on  a  wrong  scent  once." 

"  On  my  vord  ov  'onor,  sir,  I  didn't  do  so  on  purpose.  I  afterwards 
found  that  I  vas  wrong,  and  run  after  you  to  put  you  right,  but  you'd 
gone,  and  I  couldn't  find  you." 

"Lies  will  not  answer  your  purpose,  you  long-legged  scamp.  I'll 
flog  you  now,  and  then  carry  you  to  Melbourne  in  triumph." 

The  fellow  uttered  a  dozen  excuses,  but  they  did  not  avail  him,  and 
in  spite  of  his  resistance  two  or  three  of  the  men  dragged  him  to  a  tree, 
and  fastened  his  hands  with  their  sword  belts.  Steel  Spring  called  on 
all  the  saints  to  prove  that  he  was  innocent  of  trickery,  and  when  the 
strong  arm  of  Maurice,  wielding  a  stout  belt,  descended  upon  his 
shoulders,  his  entreaties  were  pitiful. 

"  That's  blow  number  one,"  cried  Murden.     "  Go  on,  Maurice." 

"Stop  — for  God's  sake,  stop,"  he  yelled.  "I  vill  tell  all  that  I 
know,  and  more  too,  if  you  will  let  me  go." 

"  Who  killed  and  robbed  those  two  miners  on  their  way  to  Mel- 
bourne this  spring  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  .motioning  the  policeman  to  sus- 
pend his  punishment 

"  Do  you  mean  the  two  men  near  the  muddy  brook,  or  on  the  Balla- 
rat  Roa*d  ?  '•'  inquired  Steel  Spring. 

"  The  two  last,"  replied  Murden. 

"Veil,  don't  strike,  'cos  it  hurts  like  thunder,  and  I  don't  mind  telling 
you  all  about  it.  You  see  Nosey  heard  that  they'd  got  the  dust  vid 
'em ;  so  I  was  sent  to  talk  vid  'em  and  find  out  how  much  they  had,  and 
get  'em  to  stop  in  a  convenient  place ;  and  then  Nosey  and  two  others 
comes  up  and  pretends  to  be  going  our  vay,  and  ven  a  good  chance 
occurred  the  miners  vere  knocked  in  their  heads,  and  Nosey  took  the 
dust  and  divided  it  around,  but  I  didn't  get  any." 

"  Give  him  another  cut,  Maurice,  for  telling  the  last  lie,"  cried  Mur- 
den, coolly. 

"  Don't  do  that,"  shouted  the  long-legged  wretch,  as  the  blow  fell 
•with  awful  distinctness  upon  his  back.  "  Darn  it  all,  you  hurt." 

"  I  intended  that  the  blow  should,"  replied  Maurice,  making  prepara- 
tions to  repeat  it. 

"  Don't  strike,  for  God's  sake  don't.  I'll  tell  the  truth  this  time,"  he 
yelled. 

"  How  much  money  did  the  men  have,  and  what  was  your  share  ?  * 
repeated  Murden. 

"  I  don't  know  how  much  they  had,  but  I  does  know  that  I  got  a 
hundred  pounds  for  my  share  in  the  affair.  But  I  didn't  kill  the  men. 
Ton  honor  I  didn't." 

"  I  believe  you  on  that  point.  Wait  a  moment,  Maurice ;  I  have 
another  question  or  two." 

"  I  vish  that  you'd  let  me  hanser  'em  vithout  bein'  tied  up,"  groaned 
the  wretch. 

"  What  became  of  that  young  girl  who  was  on  her  way  with  a  party 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  201 

of  friends  to  join  her  father  at  Ballarat,  and  who  was  carried  off  by  a 
gang  of  bushrangers  ?  "  questioned  the  lieutenant. 

"  She's  dead,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  dropping  his  voice  and  looking 
around  anxiously,  as  though  fearful  he  should  see  her  ghost  in  the  dark- 
ness. 

"  Who  claimed  her  as  a  prize  ?  " 

"  Nosey  took  charge  of  her,  and  threatened  to  kill  any  one  vot  spoke 
to  her ;  but  I  believe  that  she  got  a  knife  and  stabbed  herself,  sooner 
than  submit  to  his  vishes." 

"  This  is  horrid,"  I  said,  hardly  knowing  whether  to  believe  all  that  I 
heard,  or  consider  it  the  effect  of  imagination. 

"  Nevertheless,  it  is  true.  You  have  never  heard  all  the  cruelties 
that  the  gangs  commit ;  if  you  had  you  would  be  ready  to  exclaim, 
Give  them  no  quarter,  for  they  deserve  none  !  " 

"  Now  that  I've  hanswered  all  you  vant  to  know,  you  von't  vip  me 
any  more,  vill  you  ?  " 

Murden  was  about  to  speak,  but  just  then  a  new  subject  engrossed 
his  attention,  and  he  had  no  longer  an  opportunity  to  inflict  chastise- 
ment upon  the  begging  wretch. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

REVENGE  OF  THE  BUSHRANGERS.  —  FIRING  OF  THE  FOREST. 

THE  punishment  of  Steel  Spring  was  suspended,  and  the  stout  sword 
belt  remained  in  the  hands  of  Maurice,  inactive,  while  all  eyes  were  di- 
rected towards  the  heavens,  from  whence  a  bright  light  proceeded, 
which  illuminated  the  open  space  where  we  stood,  so  that  even  the  ghastly 
faces  of  the  dead  and  dying  could  be  observed  with  awful  distinctness. 

For  a  few  minutes'  time,  even  the  busy  tongue  of  Steel  Spring  ceased 
to  wag,  and  each  turned  to  the  other,  and  asked  the  reason  of  such  a 
bright  light  at  that  time  and  place. 

"  I  think  it's  the  moon  just  rising,"  one  of  the  men  ventured  to  say. 

"  There's  no  moon  to-night,"  was  the  brief  rejoinder. 

"  Then  what  is  the  meaning  of  the  light  ?  "  was  the  inquiry ;  but  no 
one  seemed  to  fathom  it. 

Presently  a  few  clouds  passed  over  the  heavens,  and  then  we  smelled 
smoke,  of  which  they  seemed  composed. 

"  The  bushrangers  can't  have  set  fire  to  the  stockman's  hut,  can 
they  ?  "  asked  Murden. 

"  They  could  not  have  crossed  the  prairie  so  soon,  and  the  distance  is 
too  great  to  allow  of  such  a  reflection,"  was  my  answer. 

"  Hark,  I  hear  the  cracking  of  bushes,"  said  Fred ;  "  some  one  is 
approaching  us." 

"  Look  to  your  guns,  men,"  called  out  Murden ;  "  we  do  not  know 
but  this  may  be  a  device  of  the  robbers  to  get  a  glimpse  of  us." 


202  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

The  policemen  cocked  their  carbines,  and  sheltered  their  forms  from 
the  bright  light  behind  trees  and  bushes. 

We  heard  the  quick  panting  of  a  person  who  appeared  to  make  his 
way  through  the  bushes  with  difficulty,  and  the  next  moment  the  old 
convict  sprang  into  the  clearing,  trembling  with  fatigue  and  agitation. 

"  You  are  all  lost,"  he  shouted,  sinking  upon  the  ground,  wringing 
his  aged  hands,  and  rocking  his  body  to  and  fro. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  man  ?  "  demanded  the  lieutenant,  sternly. 

"  I  mean  that  there  is  no  chance  to  escape — the  bushrangers  have 
fired  the  forest ! " 

I  felt  the  blood  at  my  heart  grow  cold,  for  too  well  did  I  know  the 
import  of  those  dreadful  words. 

"  How  do  you  know  this  ?  "  asked  Murden,  calmly. 

"  I  followed  the  bushrangers  when  they  fled,  and  mixed  with  them 
and  talked  with  them,  without  being  discovered.  They  discussed  a  plan 
for  being  revenged  upon  you  and  your  men.  They  did  not  dare  attack 
you,  openly,  after  you  caused  the  fire  to  be  extinguished ;  so  that  Satan 
upon  earth,  Nosey,  suggested  that  the  forest  should  be  fired  at  three 
different  places,  and  that  you  would  seek  to  escape  from  the  flames  by 
going  in  an  opposite  direction." 

"  And  what  will  prevent  us  ?  "  asked  Murden,  glancing  his  eyes  over 
his  men,  who  were  listening  in  silence  to  the  revelation. 

"  All  of  the  best  marksmen  are  going  in  ambush  to  the  left  of  us, 
waiting  for  your  force  to  attempt  to  escape  that  way.  They  now  guard 
the  passes,  and  not  one  of  us  could  get  out  alive,"  groaned  the  stock- 
man. 

"  But  we  can  make  our  way  through  that  portion  of  the  forest  which 
is  not  burning,"  Fred  said. 

"Impossible,"  muttered  the  stockman;  "the  flames  are  spreading 
with  the  speed  of  a  horse,  and  even  now  a  huge  wall  of  fire  bars  us  from 
the  prairie." 

"  Why  did  you  not  give  us  notice  before  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  came  to  you  the  instant  a  torch  was  applied  to  the  dry  leaves  and 
branches,  but  before  I  was  twenty  rods  from  the  flames  I  could  hardly 
have  returned  without  danger  of  being  burned." 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  what  is  to  be  done  ?  "  asked  Murden ;  "  shall  we 
stay  here  and  be  singed  like  dead  rabbits,  or  shall  we  push  through  the 
forest  and  endeavor  to  escape  the  ambush  ?  " 

"  In  either  case  I  don't  see  but  that  our  prospects  of  escape  are  hope- 
less," said  Fred,  quite  calmly. 

"  Hark !  "  cried  the  stockman,  starting  to  his  feet ;  "  do  you  not  hear 
the  flames  ?  " 

We  all  listened,  and  a  noise  like  the  roaring  of  the  surf  on  a  beach 
could  be  heard,  but  apparently  at  a  distance. 

"  That  does  not  sound  encouraging,  I  confess,"  remarked  Fred ;  "  but 
I  think  that  we  can  yet  circumvent  the  devils." 

"  How  ?  "  cried  Murden,  eagerly. 

"  Will  you  be  governed  by  me,  for  a  few  hours  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Yes,  and  my  men  also,"  answered  Murden,  heartily. 

"  Then  let  us  commence  work,  for  we  have  no  time  to  lose.  In  the 
first  place,  collect  all  the  powder  that  your  men  have,  and  cover  it  with 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  20?> 

dirt,  a  foot  high ;  we  want  no  explosion  to  dishearten  the  men,  and  en- 
courage  the  enemy." 

"  Do  you  hear,  men  ?  "  cried  Murden ;  "  bring  to  me  your  flasks  with- 
out a  moment's  delay." 

The  policemen  hastened  to  obey  the  order,  and  a  few  shovels  full  of 
earth  secured  our  safety  in  that  respect. 

"  Now,  then,  as  many  of  you  as  can  use  shovels  and  pickaxes,  dig 
away  at  that  hole,  which  Steel  Spring  commenced.  Do  not  spare 
your  labor,  for  a  gang  will  relieve  you,  when  tired.  Dig  deep  and 
Wide." 

"  But  I  don't  see  of  what  use  that  is  to  be,"  remonstrated  Murden. 

"  Remember  that  you  have  promised  to  be  guided  by  me.  Don't 
stop  to  question,  but  see  that  the  men  work  with  a  will,  while  I  attend 
to  other  important  duties." 

Murden  no  longer  sought  to  fathom  Fred's  motives,  but  grasped  a 
shovel,  and  set  an  example  of  energy  which  his  men  were  not  slow  to 
follow. 

"  Now,  Smith,  you  and  the  stockman  and  Jack  help  me.  Rekindle 
the  fire,  which  has  almost  died  out,  and  burn  every  stick  of  timber 
within  reach  on  the  left  side  of  us.  We  will  catch  the  bushrangers  in 
their  own  trap,  if  they  are  not  quick." 

"  But  vot  is  to  'come  of  me?  Vho's  to  take  care  of  me?  Vhere's 
my  friends  ?  "  yelled  Steel  Spring,  making  desperate  efforts  to  break  the 
bonds  which  confined  him. 

We  were  all  too  busy  to  attend  to  the  wretch,  and  merely  glanced 
towards  him  occasionally,  to  see  if  his  bonds  held  ;  but  Steel  Spring  was 
a  man  not  easily  discouraged,  and  every  few  minutes  we  were  addressed 
with  prayers  and  oaths,  to  make  provision  for  his  safety. 

The  fire,  which  Murden  had  given  orders  to  extinguish,  was  easily 
rekindled,  arid  then  burning  brands  were  thrown  upon  the  dry  bushes 
and  leaves,  raising  flames  that  roared  aloft  and  caught  at  the  branches 
of  the  gum  trees,  and  then  spread  to  the  trunks,  and  leaped  from  bough 
to  bough,  driving  parrots  and  gaudy-plumed  birds  from  their  nests,  that 
vented  their  displeasure  at  being  disturbed  by  uttering  hoarse  croaks 
of  rage. 

"  You  will  burn  down  the  whole  of  the  forest,"  cried  Murden,  alarmed 
at  the  rapidity  with  which  the  flames  were  spreading. 

"I  had  rather  see  it  down,  than  a  man  in  this  company  should  be  in- 
jured," was  the  brief  reply. 

"  Amen  to  that.  But,  Fred,  it's  growing  warm  here.  Is  not  the  hole 
which  we  have  dug  large  enough  ? "  asked  the  lieutenant,  wiping  his 
brow. 

"  Not  half,"  replied  Fred.  "  Do  you  see  that  long  line  of  fire,  which, 
urged  by  a  strong  wind,  is  rushing  towards  us  like  a  furious  wave  of 
the  ocean  ?  " 

"  Well,  a  man  can't  very  well  keep  his  eyes  off  of  it  when  he  knows 
that  it  is  to  crisp  him  up  like  a  baked  pig,"  Murden  answered,  with  a 
rueful  look. 

"  We  have  hardly  begun  to  experience  the  heat  from  that  line  of 
flames  yet,  and  our  only  chance  of  escape  is  by  entering  the  excavation 
which  your  men  are  making." 


204  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  I  see,  I  see ! "  cried  Murden,  a  new  light  breaking  in  upon  him.  "  It 
is  our  only  chance,  sure  enough." 

The  officer  spoke  to  the  policemen,  who,  with  coats  off,  were  working 
like  heroes,  and  they  redoubled  their  exertions. 

"  The  next  question  is,  what  shall  we  do  with  these  wounded  men  ?  " 
Fred  inquired.  "  We  can  hardly  hope  to  save  them  all." 

"  There  is  but  one  of  my  force  wounded,  and  if  it  is  possible  to  save 
him,  I  will ;  but  as  for  these  cutthroats,  I  see  no  chance  for  them." 

We  looked  into  Murden's  face  to  see  if  there  was  any  show  of  pity 
for  the  bushrangers,  but  there  was  none.  He  had  already  calculated  in 
his  mind  that  the  robbers  deserved  death,  and  the  sooner  they  died,  the 
better  for  the  county. 

"  Let  us  speak  to  your  wounded  policeman,  and  see  if  he  can  bear 
removal,"  Fred  said. 

We  passed  over  to  the  side  of  the  clearing,  where  he  was  lying  at  the 
loot  of  a  tree  which  had  as  yet  escaped  the  flames. 

"  Well,  Sam,  do  you  still  feel  like  having  another  battle  with  bush- 
rangers ?  "  asked  the  officer. 

There  was  no  response.  I  stooped  down  and  carefully  removed  the 
corner  of  a  blanket  from  his  face,  and  the  open,  staring  eyes  met  my 
view.  In  the  midst  of  the  bustle  and  confusion,  the  spirit  of  Sam  had 
taken  its  flight  without  uttering  a  groan,  or  one  repining  word.  We 
gazed  upon  his  face  again,  and  left  the  corpse  where  we  found  it,  to 
be  licked  by  the  greedy  flames  which  were  now  roaring  around  on  every 
side. 

"  We  must  burrow  like  rabbits,"  cried  Murden,  "  or  we  shall  be 
burned  to  death.  It  seems  already  as  though  I  could  hardly  breathe. 
A  breath  of  fresh  air  would  now  b.e  worth  all  the  gold  of  Australia." 

"  Don't  talk  of  feeling  suffocated  yet,"  Fred  replied,  stripping  off  all 
of  his  surplus  clothing  —  an  example  which  the  rest  of  us  were  glad  to 
follow ;  and  to  prevent  it  from  being  burned,  we  rolled  it  into  one  pile, 
and  covered  it  deep  with  dirt. 

"  When  the  fire  reaches  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  and  trie  wind  blows 
the  flames  within  a  few  inches  of  our  heads,  and  the  earth  blisters  the 
skin  at  a  touch,  then  I  shall  not  blame  you  for  asking  for  fresh  air," 
Fred  continued. 

"I  certainly  am  obliged  to  you,"  Murden  said,  with  a  rueful 
look ;  "  but  if  you  will  explain  how  we  are  to  keep  those  same  flames 
from  melting  our  brains  while  we  are  huddled  in  that  hole,  like  sheep 
in  a  pen,  I  shall  feel  gratified." 

"  Then  I  will  explain  immediately,  for  I  see  that  only  a  few  minutes 
will  be  allotted  us  by  that  moving  circle  of  fire  to  make  our  prepara- 
tions. Let  the  place  which  your  men  have  excavated  be  covered  over, 
with  the  exception  of  a  hole  to  crawl  into,  with  the  pieces  of  half- 
burned  timber  which  you  see  lying  around." 

"  For  what  purpose  ?  "  asked  Murden. 

"  To  save  our  heads  from  being  burned,  as  they  otherwise  would,  un- 
less protected,"  Fred  replied. 

"  But  the  logs  will  get  on  fire." 

"  Not  if  they  are  protected  by  a  heavy  covering  of  dirt,"  answered 
Fred,  composedly. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  205 

"  An  idea  that  I  should  not  have  entertained,"  muttered  Murden,  in 
astonishment. 

"  But  now  that  you  understand  me,  hasten  the  men  in  their  work, 
for  already  our  clothes  give  tokens  of  singeing." 

Our  situation  was  one  which  might  well  make  a  timid  man  fear  for 
his  life  ;  for  on  each  side  of  us  the  flames  were  roaring  and  surging  like 
the  grass  of  a  prairie  on  fire,  and  over  our  heads  the  heavens  were  con- 
cealed by  the  black  clouds  of  smoke  which,  urged  by  the  wind,  were 
v  traversing  the  sky  at  a  rapid  rate ;  and  on  that  same  night  an  alarm 
'  was  entertained  at  Ballarat,  ninety  miles  distant,  that  Melbourne  had 
burned  to  the  ground.  So  dense  was  the  smoke  occasioned  by  the  con- 
suming of  hundreds  of  acres  of  trees  in  the  black  forest  of  Australia. 

The  fire  on  the  left  of  the  clearing,  which  we  had  kindled  to  prevent 
the  bushrangers  from  approaching  us  and  thinning  our  numbers  at  lei- 
sure, had  already  assumed  a  fearful  aspect,  and  was  running  along  the 
ground  rapidly.  I  hardly  dared  to  stop  my  work  and  watch  the  scene, 
so  fearful  was  it.  I  had  serious  doubts  as  to  the  practicability  of  the  plan 
which  Fred  proposed,  yet  I  gave  no  evidence  of  my  want  of  faith,  and 
encouraged  the  men  with  example  and  words,  and  when  a  number  of  the 
trees  began  swaying  to  and  fro,  as  the  fire  consumed  their  trunks,  I  re- 
monstrated against  their  seeking  shelter  until  the  work  was  entirely 
finished. 

During  our  struggle  to  secure  a  place  of  safety,  we  had  forgotten  en- 
tirely the  wounded  bushrangers,  who  were  stretched  out,  side  by  side, 
at  the  farther  end  of  the  clearing.  Their  cries  for  assistance,  however, 
soon  called  our  attention  to  the  fact  that  we  had  made  no  provis- 
ion for  their  safety,  and  while  the  policemen  were  hurriedly  placing  a 
roof  upon  our  den,  Murden  and  the  rest  of  us  held  a  brief  consulta- 
tion as  to  what  we  should  do  with  the  poor  wretches. 

"  Speak  quick,"  exclaimed  Fred,  as  a  burning  tree  fell  with  a  tre- 
mendous crash  into  the  clearing,  sending  the  sparks  high  into  the  air, 
and  causing  the  atmosphere  to  seem  like  the  breath  of  a  furnace. 

"  Speak  quick,"  he  continued.  "  We  can  endure  the  heat  but  a  few 
minutes  longer,  and  our  lives  are  endangered  by  the  falling  of  trees. 
Shall  we  save  the  bushrangers  and  perish  ourselves,  or  shall  we  aban- 
don them  to  their  fate  ?  " 

"  I  am  as  humane  as  any  man  alive,"  said  Murden,  "  but  I  can't  think 
that  I  am  called  upon  to  expose  my  command  to  death  for  the  sake  of 
saving  our  most  deadly  enemy.  Were  there  innocent  and  unoffending 
women  here,  I  should  know  my  duty  and  behave  as  become  a  man,  but 
now  I  must  remember  that  I  am  a  commander." 

"  I  expected  that  you  would  prefer  your  men's  safety  to  that  of  rob- 
bers," Fred  said ;  "  but  as  you  are  an  interested  party,  we  will  hear 
what  Smith  has  to  say." 

"  My  life  is  as  dear  to  me  as  the  rest ;  but  while  I  cannot  see  how  we 
are  to  save  the  bushrangers,  I  would  gladly  give  all  my  wealth  for  the 
privilege  of  so  doing,"  was  the  honest  answer. 

"  Spoken  like  a  man,"  replied  Fred,  rubbing  his  side,  which,  owing 
to  his  neglect  to  turn  at  the  right  moment,  was  somewhat  scorched. 

Faint  moans,  uttered  by  men  who  stood  upon  the  brink  of  the  grave, 
hastened  us  in  our  deliberations.  We  glanced  towards  the  poor  wretches 

18 


206  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OK 

and  found  that  they  were  endeavoring  to  work  their  maimed  bodies  to- 
wards us  for  the  purpose  of  pleading  for  mercy. 

There  was  one  man,  however,  who  did  not  move  from  the  spot  where 
the  policemen  had  first  deposited  him,  and  although  the  flames  were 
roaring  within  forty  feet  of  his  position,  he  merely  turned  a  dimmed 
eye  towards  them,  and  appeared  to  be  resigned  to  his  fate.  I  thought  I  re- 
cognized his  weather-beaten  countenance  and  grizzly  hair,  and  nearer 
inspection  convinced  me  that  my  surmises  were  correct.  It  was  the  old 
sailor  who  had  so  manfully  resisted  the  orders  of  Nosey,  and  insisted 
upon  allowing  me  to  administer  consolation  to  the  snake-bitten  bush- 
ranger. 

"  Here  is  a  man  who  must  be  taken  care  of,  if  I  go  without  shelter," 
I  said,  pointing  to  the  sailor. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  Murden  replied.  "He  is  badly  wounded,  and 
would  occupy  the  room  of  three  or  four  men.  Let  us  retreat,  for  al- 
ready do  I  feel  as  though  my  lungs  were  being  boiled." 

"  You  may  go,"  I  answered,  firmly,  "  but  not  a  step  do  I  stir  until  I 
see  that  old  sailor  provided  for.  He  saved  my  life,  and  I  will  try  and 
save  his." 

"Don't  mind  me,  matey,"  cried  the  wounded  man,  in  a  feeble  tone; 
"  my  cruise  is  nearly  up,  and  the  log  book  will  soon  record  my  fate." 

"  If  you  die  you  shall  expire  without  the  torture  of  fire.  We  cannot 
save  your  companions,  and  indeed  hardly  know  whether  we  can  save 
ourselves,  but  the  experiment  shall  be  tried." 

"  Well,  well,"  Murden  said,  seeing  that  I  was  firm  in  my  demand, 
"  we  will  share  our  den  with  him.  Lift  him  up,  men,  and  place  him  in 
our  vault  as  carefully  as  possible." 

The  policemen  performed  the  duty  with  an  alacrity  that  I  did  not  an- 
ticipate, and  after  I  had  seen  the  old  sailor  placed  in  a  corner  of  the 
vault,  and  Rover  by  the  side  of  him,  I  turned  to  join  Fred  and  Mur- 
den, who  were  still  arguing  whether  they  could  desert  the  other  bush- 
rangers and  yet  appear  honorable  in  the  eyes  of  the  world. 

"  The  old  fellow  seems  a  little  cast  down,"  said  one  of  the  police,  as  I 
prepared  to  leave  the  vault. 

I  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  was  continuing  on,  when  the  man 
touched  me  on  the  arm. 

"  Hist,"  he  whispered ;  "  don't  say  a  word,  but  it's  a  little  wine  I  have 
in  my  canteen  which  the  old  robber  is  welcome  to,  if  you  think  it  will 
do  him  any  good." 

I  grasped  the  treasure  with  more  pleasure  than  I  should  have  experi- 
enced had  I  found  a  bag  of  gold  flung  at  my  feet.  I  thanked  the  kind- 
hearted  man  for  his  offering,  and  in  another  instant  I  had  poured  a  por- 
tion of  the  contents  of  the  canteen  down  the  grizzly  old  fellow's 
neck. 

The  drink  revived  him.  He  expressed  his  pleasure  at  my  kindness 
by  a  glance  from  his  sunken  eyes  that  told  of  a  warm  heart,  even  if  it 
beat  within  the  breast  of  a  robber. 

"  Thank  you,  matey,"  the  old  man  said  ;  "  but  it's  of  little  use  to  try 
and  right  the  hull  when  there's  a  shot  between  wind  and  water,  and  the 
top-hamper  is  gone.  Nevertheless,  I  take  it  in  kindness." 

I  could  not  reply,  for  I  understood  enough  of  his  nautical  language 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  207 

to  know  that  he  had  given  up  all  hope  of  living,  and  that  the  two 
wounds  which  he  had  received  were  fatal. 

I  returned  the  canteen  to  its  owner,  and  hastened  to  join  Fred 
and  Murden.  The  fire  was  still  working  its  way  towards  us  on  one 
side,  and  receding  on  the  other.  The  heat,  however,  had  lost  none  of 
its  intensity,  and  every  breath  which  we  drew  appeared  to  parch  our 
lungs  and  consume  us  internally. 

"  Have  you  decided  what  to  do  with  the  wounded  men  ?  "  I  asked,  as 
I  joined  my  friends. 

"  Our  first  decision  still  holds  good,"  replied  Murden.  "  We  cannot 
save  them  and  save  ourselves." 

"  Hark !  Do  you  hear  that  shout  ?  "  Fred  said. 

We  listened  intently  for  a  moment,  and  above  the  roaring  of  flames 
and  crashing  of  trees  we  could  hear  the  shouts  of  exultation  which  the 
bushrangers  in  a  distant  part  of  the  forest  uttered,  as  they  thought 
how  we  were  struggling  for  life. 

That  cry,  so  joyful  in  the  thought  of  our  misery,  steeled  our  hearts 
against  the  wounded  wretches,  who,  with  uplifted  hands,  were  praying 
for  drink,  for  life,  for  protection. 

"  In,  men,"  shouted  Murden.  "  We  can  endure  the  heat  no  longer. 
Already  do  yonder  trees  threaten  to  fall  and  crush  us  with  their  weight, 
and  a  minute's  delay  may  prove  our  ruin." 

There  was  no  struggling  to  see  who  should  first  obey  the  order. 
With  military  precision  the  men  filed  in  as  calmly  as  though  parading 
for  a  drill,  and  in  a  short  time  no  one  but  Murden  and  myself  were  un- 
covered. 

"  Enter,"  motioning  to  me.    "  I  will  be  the  last  man  who  seeks  shelter." 

"  But  what  shall  we  do  with  this  poor  devil  ?  "  I  said,  pointing  to 
Steel  Spring,  whose  agonizing  yells  for  help  had  often  interrupted  our 
deliberations. 

Murden  made  no  reply,  but  walked  towards  the  scamp,  who  redoubled 
his  calls  for  help  when  he  thought  it  was  to  be  rendered.  The  officer 
untied  the  bands  which  confined  him,  and  without  a  word  he  retreated 
with  us  towards  our  vault. 

Steel  Spring  eyed  us  for  a  moment,  as  though  uncertain  whether  he 
was  included  in  the  invitation  or  not,  but  when  he  found  that  the  latter 
was  the  case,  he  broke  forth  into  lamentations  that  fairly  rivalled  the 
shrill  yells  of  triumph  which  we  had  heard  his  companions  utter. 

He  pleaded  and  threatened,  promised  and  protested;  and  when  he 
found  that  we  were  invulnerable  and  unmoved,  he  uttered  curses  upon 
our  heads  so  bitter  that  it  seemed  as  though  he  had  spent  all  his  life  in 
framing  them.  . 

I  crawled  through  the  narrow  opening  and  found  that  the  men 
were  seated  BO  close  together  that  not  an  inch  of  spare  room  was  be- 
tween them.  A  small  space  was  reserved  for  Murden,  Fred,  and  my- 
self, but  it  did  not  look  large  enough  to  seat  one  of  us  comfortably. 
In  the  corner  opposite  to  me  was  the  wounded  man,  and  partly  resting 
upon  one  of  the  police  was  Rover,  as  quiet  and  orderly  a  dog  as  ever 
suffered  confinement  for  the  purpose  of  saving  life. 

"  And  von't  you  take  me  in  ?  "  asked  Steel  Spring,  as  Murden  entered 
our  over-crowded  den. 


208  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  Your  miserable  system  of  treachery  does  not  entitle  you  to  that 
kindness.  Burn,  and  get  a  foretaste  of  what  you  may  expect  in  the 
next  world,"  replied  Murden. 

"  I'll  see  you  all  hanged  first,"  was  the  indignant  answer  of  the  long- 
legged  brute ;  and  we  did  not  hear  another  murmur  escape  him,  although 
we  felt  that  his  sufferings  must  be  intense,  and  his  ultimate  death 
certain. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

PERILOUS  SITUATION  DURING  THE  FIRE.  —  STEEL  SPRING  TURNS  UP. 

As  Murden  crouched  down  by  my  side,  he  loosened  his  pistols  in  his 
belt,  and  whispering  to  me,  requested  that  I  would  follow  his  example. 
While  I  wondered  at  his  command,  he  spoke  to  his  men,  and  then  I 
understood  his  motive. 

"  During  our  long  connection  with  the  police  force,"  the  lieutenant 
said,  "  we  have  never  been  placed  in  a  situation  like  the  present.  We 
have  undergone  almost  starvation  —  we  have  had  bushrangers  howling 
at  our  heels  and  ready  to  kill  all  who  fell  behind  while  on  the  march  — 
we  have  been  nearly  dead  for  the  want  of  water  —  we  have  been  sur- 
rounded by  natives  wielding  poisoned  spears,  and  you  know  that  a 
prick  from  them  is  death  —  we  have  enjoyed  good  and  bad  fortune 
together,  have  we  not  ?  " 

"  We  have,"  replied  the  men,  with  one  accord. 

"  And  during  all  the  scenes  through  which  we  have  passed,  have  I 
not  shared  your  dangers  and  toils  ?  "  Murden  asked. 

"  That  you  have,"  the  police  said,  uttered  in  a  tone  of  voice  that 
showed  they  should  like  to  see  the  man  who  would  gainsay  it. 

"  I  ask  you  these  questions,  men,  because  all  dangers  through  which 
we  have  passed  were  nothing  compared  to  the  present.  Our  safety  de- 
pends upon  our  actions." 

"  Our  actions  ?  "  repeated  the  men,  in  great  surprise. 

"  Yes,  I  repeat  it.  Our  safety  depends  upon  ourselves.  You  feel 
that  the  air  is  close  and  heated  within  our  retreat.  In  half  an  hour's 
time  the  present  temperature  would  seem  like  winter  if  offered  in  con- 
trast to  what  we  shall  endure.  We  shall  suffer  for  water,  and  perhaps 
none  of  us  will  survive  the  ordeal ;  but  let  me  tell  you  that  our  hope 
of  safety  is  in  keeping  still,  and  enduring  all  without  a  murmur.  If  a 
disturbance  does  come  in  our  midst,  and  one  of  you  loses  his  reason, 
remember  I  shall  not  hesitate  to  sacrifice  him  to  preserve  the  rest.  I 
have  my  pistols  with  me  —  they  are  loaded,  and  I  seldom  miss  my  aim." 

The  men  listened  in  silence,  and  by  their  looks  appeared  to  agree  in 
the  conclusion  to  which  Murden  had  arrived. 

For  a  few  minutes  not  a  word  was  spoken,  and  not  a  man  moved  from 
his  position  or  even  offered  to  fan  his  heated  face,  for  fear  the  act  would 
be  construed  into  one  of  suffering. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  20$ 

Almost  over  our  heads  we  could  hear  the  roaring  of  flames  as  they 
gathered  force  and  fury  in  their  course ;  but  worse  than  all,  the  groans 
of  the  wounded  bushrangers  fell  upon  our  ears  with  awful  distinctness, 
in  spite  of  the  falling  trees,  which  at  times  crashed  upon  our  heavy 
roof,  and  sifted  down  dirt  through  the  cracks  like  falling  rain. 

The  flames  were  almost  forgotten  —  the  heat,  oppressive  as  it  was, 
seemed  endurable  when  compared  to  the  sufferings  which  we  knew  the 
bushrangers  were  experiencing. 

We  listened  attentively,  and  could  tell  when  they  expired,  one  by 
one,  by  the  cessation  of  groans,  oaths,  and  curses  which  they  heaped 
upon  us. 

Those  who  survived  the  longest  appeared  to  have  become  insane ; 
and  after  dragging  their  mutilated  bodies  to  the  entrance  of  the  vault,, 
laughed  as  they  told  us  of  the  delicious  warmth  which  they  were  expe- 
riencing, and  died  cursing  their  Maker,  and  their  mothers  who  bore 
them. 

I  stopped  my  ears,  but,  long  after  the  most  hardy  had  died,  I  fancied 
that  I  could  hear  their  dreadful  ravings ;  and  even  at  this  late  day,  I 
frequently  start  from  my  sleep  as  I  dream  of  the  frightful  scenes  which 
I  encountered  in  that  black  forest.  Better  death  a  thousand  times  than 
again  purchase  life  at  such  an  expense  of  suffering  at  the  hands  of 
others. 

Hour  after  hour  passed,  and  it  seemed  as  though  we  could  not  possi- 
bly survive  many  minutes  longer.  Our  tongues  were  swollen  and  hang- 
ing from  our  mouths,  dry,  parched,  and  apparently  ready  to  crack  for 
the  want  of  moisture. 

Our  eyes  were  expanded,  fierce,  and  fixed  —  our  brains  seemed  melt- 
ing, and  a  heavy  pressure  rested  upon  our  temples.  I  counted  my 
pulse,  and  found  that,  as  near  as  I  could  judge,  it  was  beating  at  the 
rate  of  two  hundred  per  minute.  My  heart  appeared  to  keep  pace  with 
my  pulse,  and  throbbed  so  violently  that  it  seemed  as  though  it  would 
force  itself  through  my  side.  A  feeling  of  death-like  sickness  stole 
over  me  —  I  closed  my  eyes,  and  tried  to  fancy  that  I  was  by  the  side 
of  a  cool  stream,  and  at  length,  I  think  that  my  senses  did  wander;  for 
I  was  brought  to  myself  by  feeling  a  hand  laid  upon  my  shoulder,  and 
no  gentle  shake  aroused  me. 

"  Courage,  friend  Jack,"  cried  the  consoling  voice  of  Fred.  "  Cheer 
up,  man !  the  worst  is  over,  and  in  a  short  time  we  shall  be  free  again. 
Come,  cheer  up." 

I  remember  looking  at  my  friend  long  and  anxiously,  and  trying  to 
settle  in  my  mind  where  I  had  seen  his  face  before.  I  think  that  I  even 
laughed,  and  told  him  that  he  was  taking  great  liberties  with  a  stranger, 
and  demanded  what  he  meant  by  striking  me  on  my  shoulder. 

I  also  think  that  I  saw  him  carefully  remove  my  revolver,  and  place 
it  beyond  my  reach.  But  all  was  uncertain  ;  a  blur  appeared  to  be  be-/ 
fore  my  eyes  which  prevented  my  seeing  distinctly. 

"  Here,  drink  of  this,"  whispered  Fred,  and  as  he  spoke  he  raised  a 
small  bottle  to  my  lips. 

The  draught  restored  me  to  full  consciousness.  The  liquor  was 
claret  —  warm,  almost  hot;  yet  I  thought  that  I  never  tasted  any  thing 
half  so  sweet  and  reviving. 

18* 


210  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

I  saw  a  score  of  eager  eyes  fixed  upon  the  bottle  which  I  held,  and 
even  Murden  glared  like  a  famished  wolf  as  he  heard  the  gurgling  of 
the  liquor  in  my  mouth. 

"  Softly,"  whispered  Fred,  as  I  was  about  to  apply  the  bottle  to  my 
lips  the  second  time.  "Remember  there  are  others  suffering  as  well  as 
yourself." 

Noble-hearted  Fred !  when  did  you  ever  fail  to  sympathize  in  the 
sufferings  of  others,  and  use  your  utmost  endeavors  to  contribute  to 
their  relief? 

"  If  hell,"  groaned  Murden,  "  is  hotter  than  this  hole,  I  have  no  de- 
sire to  go  there." 

"  You  would  not  get  liquor  like  this  to  cool  your  tongue  there,"  Fred 
.said,  handing  the  lieutenant  the  bottle  to  wet  his  parched  lips. 

"  The  bushranger  is  dying,  sir,"  cried  one  of  the  men,  who  was  seated 
nearest  to  the  wounded  man. 

Murden  hesitated  while  raising  the  bottle  to  his  lips  for  a  moment, 
and  it  was  .only  for  a  moment. 

"  If  I  thought  that  the  contents  of  the  flask  would  save  him,  I  would 

G'eld  it,"  he  said ;  "  but  all  the  wine  in  the  universe  would  not  bring 
m  to  active  life,  while  a  few  drops  will  help  sustain  me.  My  duty  is 
clear.  I  will  try  and  preserve  my  own  existence."  . 

He  barely  wet  his  lips,  however,  but  even  while  he  was  doing  so,  I 
saw  by  the  appearance  of  the  men  that  they  were  perishing  from  thirst; 
yet  such  was  their  pluck  and  discipline  that  not  one  of  them  uttered  a 
groan,  or  spoke  in  an  angry  tone. 

"  Divide  it  fairly,  men,"  Murden  said,  passing  the  bottle  to  Maurice. 
"  Remember,  each  one  can  only  wet  his  lips." 

The  injunction  was  obeyed,  and  the  half  pint  of  claret  went  the 
rounds,  and  came  back  to  Fred  with  a  few  drops  remaining. 

As  though  to  reward  the  men  for  their  forbearance,  a  slight  breeze, 
deliciously  cool,  swept  over  our  heads,  and  revived  us  with  new  life.  At 
the  same  time  we  heard  a  hissing  on  the  outside,  which  sounded  like  a 
piece  of  hot  iron  suddenly  thrown  into  a  pail  of  water.  We  all  listened 
attentively  at  the  sound,  hardly  daring  to  believe  that  what  we  hoard 
was  real.  The  noise  grew  louder  and  louder,  and  through  the  small 
opening  we  caught  sight  of  huge  drops  of  rain  falling. 

"  Hurrah  !  "  yelled  Murden,  starting  to  his  feet  and  poking  his  head 
out  of  the  den  ;  "  we  are  all  right  now  —  it's  raining  in  torrents." 

The  news  was  so  good  that  we  shook  hands  with  each  other,  and 
congratulated  ourselves  as  being  under  the  especial  care  of  Providence. 
Even  Rover  added  his  joyful  barks  to  our  cheers,  and  so  eager  was  he 
that  I  suffered  him  to  go  out  and  roll  in  the  wet  to  his  heart's  content. 

The  fire  was  being  rapidly  extinguished  by  the  torrents  of  water 
which  were  falling,  and  so  eager  did  our  party  feel  to  gain  the  open  air 
once  more,  that  they  preferred  to  brave  the  rain  and  smoke  to  remain- 
ing in  a  place  that  liked  to  have  been  their  grave. 

It  was  rare  to  have  rain  at  that  time  of  year  in  Australia,  and  a  num- 
ber of  the  men  construed  it  into  an  omen  of  the  good  will  of  Provi- 
dence ;  but  I  reflected,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  cause  was 
natural,  and  could  be  produced  at  any  time  if  there  were  forests  enough 
to  burn  so  as  to  obtain  the  requisite  amount  of  heat. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  21\ 

The  danger,  however,  was  not  all  passed.  The  ravages  of  the  flames 
were  stayed,  but  the  ground  which  the  fire  had  burned  over  was  cov- 
ered with  smoking  brands  and  livid  coals,  which,  unless  speedily  extin- 
guished by  the  rain,  would  keep  us  prisoners  for  a  number  of  days  — . 
and  with  nothing  to  eat,  the  prospect  was  any  thing  but  cheering.  ]> 
is  no  wonder,  then,  we  all  mentally  prayed  that  the  rain  would  continue, 
and  that  our  eyes  were  cast  towards  the  heavens  often  to  see  if  there 
was  a  prospect  of  the  clouds  breaking  away. 

Still  the  rain  poured  down  in  torrents,  and  huge  clouds  of  mist  and 
vapor  filled  the  air  and  walled  us  in  until  we  seemed  as  though  confined 
in  a  steam  box.  We  cared  not  for  that,  however ;  rain,  rain  in  torrents 
was  all  that  we  prayed  for ;  and  so  engrossed  were  we,  that  even  the 
dead  bodies  of  the  bushrangers,  lying  almost  at  our  feet,  were  neg- 
lected. 

At  length,  however,  our  reason  returned,  and  we  found  time  to  pay 
some  respect  to  the  dead.  We  resolved  to  bury  them  in  a  grave  nesir 
the  excavation  in  which  we  had  sought  shelter,  and  for  this  purpose 
three  or  four  of  the  men  commenced  throwing  dirt  upon  a  large  pile 
which  we  had  previously  thrown  up.  Hardly  had  the  second  shovelful 
been  added  before  an  extraordinary  movement  amongst  the  dirt  took 
place,  and  the  police  started  back  in  wonder  and  alarm. 

"  What  are  you  afraid  of?  "  demanded  Murden. 

"  We  are  afraid  of  nothing,"  replied  Maurice  ;  "  but  the  dirt  appears 
to  be  bewitched." 

"  Nonsense !  Strike  the  earth  with  the  point  of  your  shovels  and  let's 
see  what  witchery  there  is  concealed  there,"  cried  the  lieutenant,  authori- 
tatively. 

Maurice  no  longer  held  back.  He  raised  his  shovel  and  drove  it  into 
the  soft  earth,  and  the  effect  was  electrical. 

"  Blast  yer  hies,  vot  is  ye  'bout,"  roared  a  voice  that  we  instantly  rec- 
ollected ;  and  before  we  could  utter  a  word  in  astonishment,  up  rose 
the  lank  form  of  the  genius  Steel  Spring. 

"  Is  this  the  vay  to  treat  a  man  vot  does  hevery  thing  he  can  to  save 
ye  ?  "  the  impudent  wretch  demanded,  in  an  indignant  tone. 

"  For  God's  sake,  how  came  you  alive  ?  "  asked  Murden,  looking  at 
the  man  as  though  he  expected  to  see  him  disappear  from  before  his 
eyes  at  a  moment's  warning. 

"  O,  it's  wery  veil  to  ax  me  how  I  does  a  thing  after  I  get's  out  of  a 
fix,"  Steel  Spring  replied,  with  one  of  his  grins  ;  "  but  I  know'd  that  I 
varn't  goin'  to  kick  the  bucket  vithout  vun  trial  for  my  life." 

"Tell  me  how  you  managed  to  preserve  your  worthless  life?"  asked 
the  officer,  too  much  astonished  to  feel  indignant,  and  almost  inclined 
to  believe  that  the  fellow  was  under  the  protection  of  some  good 
genii. 

"  Veil,  I  doesn't  think  my  life  very  vorthless  if  you  do,  Mr.  Hofficer ; 
but  in  case  you  should  ever  get  cotched  in  the  same  kind  of  a  trap,  I'll 
tell  ye.  Do  ye  see,  ven  I  found  that  your  company  vas  exclusive,  I 
Jooks  herround  for  means  of  safety,  but  I  didn't  find  heny  wery  'andy ; 
if  I  'ad  I  don't  think  that  I  should  be  here  now ;  veil,  the  longer  I  stopped 
to  consider,  the  wUs  I  felt ;  and  at  length,  ven  the  fire  begins  to  burn 
the  nice  clothes  vich  I  vore,  I  thought  it  bout  'time  to  do  somethin'} 


212  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OE 

so  I  'appens  to  cast  my  hies  on  this  loose  dirt,  and  then  quicker  than 
lightning  I  digs  a  place,  and  lays  down  and  covers  me  all  hup,  leaving 
only  a  leetle  'ole  to  breathe  through.  It  vas  varm,  though  —  hawful 
varm ;  and  at  one  time  I  feared  I  should  die ;  but  the  Lord  supported 
me  in  my  trouble,  and  here  I  is,  safe  and  ready  to  be  of  service  agin." 

For  a  short  time  every  one  was  silent,  so  astonished  did  we  feel  to 
hear  the  treacherous  wretch  use  the  name  of  his  Maker  in  connection 
with  himself. 

"  God  has  preserved  your  life  for  some  object  which  we  mortals  cannot 
understand,"  Murden  said.  "  I  shall  not  punish  you,  neither  shall  my 
men.  The  courts  of  Melbourne  must  decide  upon  your  guilt." 

"  Vot,  is  you  going  to  take  me  afore  the  big  vigs  ?  "  asked  Steel 
Spring,  with  dismay. 

"  There  is  only  one  chance  to  escape  such  a  fate,"  replied  the  lieu- 
tenant. 

"  Name  it,  name  it,"  cried  Steel  Spring,  with  avidity. 

"  By  leading  me  to  the  hiding  place  of  that  arch  fiend,  Nosey." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  cried  the  fellow,  with  a  look  of  intense  delight. 

"  And  do  you  consent  ?  "  asked  Murden,  disgusted  at  the  fellow's 
treacherous  instincts. 

"  Consent  ?  "  he  repeated ;  "  vy,  of  course  I  does ;  vouldn't  Nosey 
'ang  me  and  all  of  his  gang  for  the  purpose  of  saving  his  life  ?  and  vy 
should  I  refuse  to  'elp  stretch  his  neck  ven  I  can  keep  mine  free  of  the 
rope  ?  Consent  ?  of  course  I  does." 

"  Remember,"  said  Murden,  with  a  stern  look,  "  that  we  are  to  have 
no  tricks  here.  If  you  even  offer  to  lead  me  out  of  the  right  course  I'll 
make  a  hole  in  your  body  big  enough  to  throw  a  Bible  through." 

"  I  should  then  be  sanctified,  vouldn't  I,  lieutenant  ?  "  asked  the 
wretch,  with  one  of  his  cunning  grins. 

'  How  far  from  this  place  is  the  gang  ?  "  demanded  Murden. 

'  Not  more  than  four  or  five  miles,  I  guess,"  was  the  answer. 

'In  the  woods  ?" 

'  In  the  woods,"  repeated  Steel  Spring. 

'  Easy  of  access  ?  " 

'Vot' is  that?" 

'  I  mean,  can  I  and  my  men  get  at  the  gang  without  being  surprised 
on  our  part  ?  " 

"  Veil,  if  I  hoffers  to  guide  you  there'll  be  no  difficulty,  'cos  I  knows 
the  vay,  and  no  mistake.  But  my  life  is  to  be  preserved,  you  know. 
Recollect  that,  lieutenant." 

"  I  shall  remember  my  word,  and  I  will  keep  it  in  every  respect.  If 
you  prove  true,  your  life  is  safe,  but  if  false,  not  a  man  under  my  com- 
mand but  will  single  you  out  for  instant  death.  I  know  your  tricks,  and 
shall  be  watchful." 

"  I  'opes  you  vill,  'cos  I  can  bear  a  great  deal  of  that  kind  of  vigi- 
lance. But  I'm  all  right  now.  I  know  my  friends." 

"You'll  know  them  better  if  you  lead  me  into  an  ambush,"  remarked 
Murden ;  and  here  the  conversation  with  Steel  Spring  dropped,  but 
Fred  and  myself  took  occasion  to  speak  to  the  lieutenant  on  the  folly 
of  trusting  to  him,  but  Murden  was  firm. 

"  If  I  can  use  this  man,"  he  argued,  "  to  break  up  the  gang  of  Nosey, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  213 

and  destroy  that  wretch,  I  shall  think  that  I  have  been  of  real  use  to 
the  country,  and  feel  content  to  retire  on  my  honors.  There  is  some 
risk,  you  say.  I  grant  that  there  is ;  but  consider  how  many  people 
have  been  murdered  by  the  villains,  and  then  reflect  whether  it  is  not 
better  to  entertain  the  danger  and  strike  a  blow  that  shall  free  this  part 
of  the  country  of  bushrangers  for  months  to  come.  Come,  come,  look 
at  matters  in  their  true  light  and  promise  me  your  cooperation." 

How  could  we  refuse  him,  after  the  trouble  he  had  endured  for  our 
sake  ?  We  extended  our  hands,  and  with  a  warm  pressure  the  compact 
was  sealed. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

CAPTURE  OF  THE  BUSHRANGERS,  AND  DEATH  OF  NOSEY. 

"  VOT,  is  the  Yankees  going  vid  us  ?  "  asked  Steel  Spring,  when  he 
saw  Murden  shaking  hands  with  us,  to  bind  the  contract. 

The  question  was  such  an  impudent  one  that  I  did  not  feel  indignant, 
and  perhaps  our  calmness  restrained  the  lieutenant  from  giving  vent  to 
his  wrath,  which  we  saw  blazing  in  his  eyes.  At  any  rate  he  managed 
to  answer  in  a  quiet  tone  that  we  were  to  accompany  him,  and  that  the 
rifles  which  we  carried,  and  which  he  had  previously  expressed  a  great 
dread  of,  would  cover  his  body  during  our  march. 

"  Then  Nosey  is  as  good  as  dead,"  cried  the  lank  wretch,  hardly 
deeming  it  worth  while  to  notice  the  allusion  to  himself;  and  so  elated 
did  he  appear,  that  he  actually  borrowed  a  plug  of  tobacco  from  Mau- 
rice, and  forgot  to  return  it  until  asked  to  do  so. 

"  A  portion  of  the  men  may  continue  digging  a  grave,  while  the  rest 
can  retreat  to  our  late  den  and  get  our  carbines  and  arms  all  ready. 
There  is  no  knowing  how  soon  we  may  want  them." 

The  orders  of  Murden  were  obeyed  promptly ;  and  in  spite  of  the 
rain  which  still  poured  down  in  torrents,  the  guns  were  put  in  complete 
order,  and  loaded  ready  for  use.  By  the  time  the  latter  job  was  com- 
pleted the  grave  was  announced  to  be  finished,  and  with  not  a  prayer 
or  a  word  of  regret  did  we  consign  to  the  earth  the  remains  of  the  dead 
bushrangers.  They  were  all  thrown  in  together,  without  much  regard 
to  order  or  decency,  for  the  policemen  were  too  accustomed  to  such  a 
state  of  things  to  become  sentimental ;  and  with  a  last  look  at  the 
weather-beaten  face  of  the  old  sailor,  I  turned  away  and  walked  towards 
the  opposite  end  of  the  clearing. 

After  concluding  the  burial  of  the  men  there  was  nothing  for  us  to 
do  but  to  sit  down,  light  our  pipes,  and  see  the  rain  continue  with  un- 
natural fury.  The  progress  of  the  flames  was  completely  checked,  and 
we  hoped  that  if  the  storm  continued  an  hour  longer  we  should  be  en- 
abled to  pick  our  way  over  the  burned  district,  find  something  to  eat, 
and  then  fall  upon  Nosey  before  he  thought  it  time  to  look  after  us. 

That  he  supposed  we  were  dead  there  was  but  little  cause  to  doubt, 


214  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

for  he  would  not  anticipate  the  earthing  process,  and  wou.d  fee 
some  astonishment  to  find  that  we  had  passed  through  the  ordeal  in 
safety.  At  any  rate,  after  we  had  concluded  to  proceed  against  him, 
we  felt  anxious  to  begin  the  good  work,  and  have  it  oft'  our  minds. 

The  morning's  sun,  however,  soon  dispersed  the  clouds  and  dried  up 
the  rain,  and  when  we  examined  the  burned  district  we  were  rejoiced 
to  find  that  we  could  pass  over  the  ground  if  our  feet  were  protected 
with  shoes,  a  precaution  which  none  will  omit  if  an  Australian  forest  is 
to  be  visited.  In  these  important  .articles  of  clothing  we  were  well 
supplied,  and  without  delay  we  started.  Murden  gave  the  word  to 
move  forward,  but  first  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  the  men  the  ne- 
cessity of  caution  in  regard  to  the  manner  in  which  their  guns  were 
carried,  for,  as  he  quietly  observed,  "  we  have  enemies  to  kill,  and  can't 
afford  to  despatch  each  other.  A  spark  of  fire  is  sufficient  to  ignite  our 
powder,  and  then  where  should  we  be  ?  " 

We  found  his  advice  good,  for  sparks  from  half-burned  trees  were  show- 
ered upon  our  heads  as  we  carefully  picked  our  way  through  stumps  that 
were  black  and  charred  and  still  aglow.  On  we  went,  as  swift  as  possible, 
the  soles  of  our  shoes  getting  warmer  and  warmer  each  moment,  until  we 
feared  that  our  feet  would  blister  and  burn  with  the  exposure.  At 
length,  however,  we  saw  the  spot  where  we  had  left  the  team,  and  with 
a  wild  shout  of  exultation  we  rushed  for  it,  each  man  striving  to  be  first 
in  the  race. 

Smith,  nimble  of  foot,  and  urged  by  anxiety  for  the  loss  of  his  cattle, 
outstripped  us  all;  but  the  poor  fellow's  face  changed  when  he  saw 
the  wanton  destruction  of  his  property ;  for  the  bushrangers,  not  con- 
tent with  robbing  our  cart  of  every  thing  which  it  contained,  had  de- 
liberately backed  it  into  the  fire,  and  the  body  was  completely  burned 
off.  The  wheels,  however,  were  good,  and  so  were  its  axletrees,  and  I 
knew  that  it  would  enable  us  to  reach  the  mines  with  a  little  patching. 
The  most  cruel  part  of  the  proceedings  was  the  chaining  of  a  yoke 
of  oxen  to  huge  trees  and  allowing  them  to  die  a  lingering,  terrible 
death.  The  villains  were  not  prompted  to  the  deed  by  hunger,  for 
their  bodies  remained  untouched,  burned  to  a  crisp,  apparently. 

"  If  I  had  a  bushranger  within  reach,"  cried  Smith,  surveying  the 
bodies  of  his  favorites  with  almost  tearful  eyes,  "  I  think  that  I  should 
be  tempted  to  roast  him  alive,  as  my  poor  oxen  have  been.  Why,  of 
all  the  mean  acts  that  the  devils  were  ever  guilty  of,  this  is  the 
meanest." 

"  Don't  repine,  Smith,"  said  Murden ;  "  when  you  get  back  to  Mel- 
bourne I'll  see  that  you  have  a  yoke  of  cattle  to  replace  them." 

"I  don't  wish  to  hurt  your  "feelings,  Smith,"  Fred  exclaimed,  "but 
as  the  cattle  are  dead  and  cannot  be  brought  to  life,  I  think  that  the 
best  thing  we  can  do  is  to  satisfy  our  appetites  from  their  carcasses.  I, 
for  one,  am  hungry,  and  think  that  a  pound  of  steak  is  almost  worth  its 
weight  in  gold.  Let's  strip  the  skin  from  one  of  the  brutes,  and  see 
whether  the  flesh  is  burned  up." 

"  A  good  idea,  and  one  that  we  will  adopt,"  cried  Murden,  with  alac- 
rity. "  Maurice,  where  is  your  knife  ?  " 

The  officer  did  not  wait  for  a  second  bidding,  for  he  scraped  off  thc- 
worst  of  the  burned  portions  of  the  hide,  and  then  ripped  it  off,  leaving 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  215 

about  the  hind  quarters  as  juicy  and  wholesome  looking  meat  as  a  man 
could  wish  for  when  in  a  state  of  hunger.  Smith  turned  away,  too 
much  grieved  to  touch  the  food  thus  opportunely  prepared,  but  the  rest 
of  us  showed  no  such  signs  of  delicacy,  for  in  a  twinkling  our  knives 
were  out  and  cutting  huge  slices  of  the  beef.  The  smell  was  very  pro- 
voking of  hunger,  and  so  Smith  thought,  for  he  apparently  could  stand  ab- 
stinence no  longer.  He  joined  us  in  our  attack,  and  muttered  as  he  did  so : 

"  I  don't  see  why  the  rest  of  you  should  fill  up,  while  I  starve  ;  although 
I  still  contend,  that  to  tie  the  poor  things  up  and  let  them  die  such  a  death 
was  cowardly  and  mean." 

And  always  after  that,  if  Smith  wished  to  express  the  very  quintes- 
sence of  brutality  and  meanness,  he  would  refer  to  the  death  of  his  fa- 
vorites. 

Our  dinner  was  soon  despatched,  and  once  more  we  shouldered  our 
arms,  and  under  the  direction  of  Steel  Spring,  skirted  along  the 
edge  of  the  forest  in  quest  of  the  lair  of  the  bushrangers.  We 
had  proceeded  but  a  mile  or  two  when  we  saw  the  three  men  left  in 
charge  of  the  horses,  galloping  along  apparently  in  search  of  us ;  and 
when  they  discovered  that  we  were  alive,  and  but  little  the  worse  for 
our  fiery  siege,  their  astonishment  knew  no  bounds. 

They  stated  that  the  flames  had  lighted  up  the  country  for  miles  in 
extent,  and  that  they  had  tried  to  raise  a  party  of  miners,  on  their  way 
to  Melbourne,  to  come  to  our  assistance ;  but  that  fear  of  being  robbed 
or  losing  their  lives  prevented  them.  In  fact,  every  one  they  had  spoken 
to  had  construed  the  fire  into  a  ruse  of  the  bushrangers  to  entrap  peo- 
ple, and  would  not  believe  that  a  large  police  force  was  in  the  woods, 
and  surrounded  by  fire  on  all  sides. 

^  We  gladly  mounted  our  animals,  for  the  men  had  taken  the  precau- 
tion, by  the  advice  of  the  old  convict's  daughter,  to  bring  our  own 
horses  with  the  rest ;  and  then  mounted  Steel  Spring  behind  Maurice, 
first  taking  the  precaution  of  tying  them  together  for  fear  of  mistakes, 
as  we  told  the  former,  and  not  from  any  doubts  of  his  honesty  —  an  ad- 
mission which  made  the  fellow  grin  until  his  huge  mouth  expanded  from 
ear  to  ear. 

The  balance  of  our  company  was  served  in  the  same  way,  and  after 
a  sharp  gallop  of  fifteen  minutes,  Steel  Spring  intimated  that  we  had 
better  dismount  and  approach  the  remainder  of  the  distance  with  less 
noise  if  we  wished  to  be  successful  in  our  designs.  His  advice  was 
taken ;  when  leaving  two  men  to  attend  to  the  horses,  we  went  forward 
at  a  brisk  walk,  and  soon  found  an  entrance  to  the  forest  that  apparent- 
ly had  been  long  in  use. 

"  This  is  the  spot,"  whispered  Steel  Spring,  "  where  Nosey's  gang 
enters  hafter  a  thieving  job.  Ah,  many's  the  time  I've  been  so  loaded 
with  plunder  that  I  could  'ardly  stand.  But  that's  all  passed  now,  you 
know,  and  in  future  I'm  to  be  'onest  and  good." 

"  How  far  from  this  entrance  is  the  camp  ?  "  asked  Murden. 

"  Not  mor'n  a  mile,  sir." 

"  Then  lead  the  way.  Maurice,  walk  by  the  side  of  him,  and  if — but 
you  know  what  I  mean." 

"  I  think  I  do,  sir,"  answered  the  policeman,  drawing  one  of  his  for- 
midable holster  pistols,  and  examining  the  cap  with  a  careful  glance. 


210  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OH 

"  Veil,  please  don't  pint  it  this  way,  'cos  I'm  always  nervous  about 
firearms  in  the  'ands  of  inexperienced  persons." 

"  Don't  be  alarmed,"  replied  Maurice,  composedly ;  "  I'm  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  pistol,  and  once  killed  a  bushranger  with  it  at  the 
distance  of  fifteen  rods." 

"  Did  it  hurt  him  ?  "  asked  Steel  Spring,  with  a  shudder. 

"  I  don't  think  that  it  did,  for  he  never  complained  to  me  about  the 
transaction,"  replied  Maurice,  with  a  grin.  Steel  Spring  regarded  the 
face  of  his  companion  for  a  moment  in  silence,  and  then  seemed  to  de- 
cide that  it  would  be  better  not  to  meddle  with  such  a  cool  philosopher. 

"  Are  we  ready  ?  "  asked  Murden,  after  every  man  had  once  more 
examined  his  gun  and  pistols. 

"  All  ready,  sir,"  answered  the  squad,  eager  to  push  forward. 

"  Then  step  light  and  keep  your  eyes  about  you.  Smith,  will  you 
and  the  stockman  defile  to  the  left  of  us,  while  Fred  and  Jack  perform 
the  same  duty  on  the  right  ?  It  is  the  post  of  danger  I  offer  you,  gen- 
tlemen." 

We  readily  accepted  our  location  ;  for  we  had  hinted  to  Murden  that 
our  safety  required  some  such  disposition  of  our  forces,  and  he  had 
acted  on  the  suggestion. 

On  we  stole,  slowly,  but  noiselessly,  each  man  looking  to  see  whtre 
he  placed  his  foot,  so  that  no  cracking  of  dry  bushes  should  give  warn- 
ing of  wr  approach.  In  fact,  so  well  had  the  men  improved  under 
Fred's  hints  and  observations,  that  they  would  have  passed  for  old  In- 
dian hunters  to  a  casual  observer. 

Rover,  as  though  aware  of  the  nature  of  the  expedition,  trotted 
along  a  few  yards  in  advance  of  us,  stopping  every  few  minutes 
to  snuff  the  air,  and  then  glance  at  my  face,  saying  as  plain  as  lan- 
guage could  express  the  words,  "There's  no  danger  yet — come  along 
and  I'll  give  you  warning." 

For  over  an  hour  we  picked  our  way,  at  each  step  whispering  our 
repeated  vows  to  shoot  our  guide  if  he  did  not  conduct  us  right ;  and 
when  I  had  begun  to  think  that  the  fellow  was  playing  us  false,  he  sud- 
denly stopped,  and  repeated  his  caution  for  silence. 

"  Ve  is  close  to  um,"  he  said.  "  A  few  steps  more  and  ve'll  be  in 
sight  of  their  camp.  Now,  don't  you  think  I'd  better  go  behind,  'cos 
I'm  not  good  at  fightin',  and  Nosey  is  the  devil  when  he  gets  in  a  rage." 

"  Don't  stop  to  remonstrate,"  Murden  replied.  "  Lead  us  to  the  very 
camp  of  the  bushrangers,  and  don't  think  that  you  can  go  to  the  rear, 
and  escape  the  action  of  my  pistol  in  case  you  play  us  false.  Onward 
you  go." 

"  Here's  a  precious  fix,"  muttered  Steel  Spring.  "  I've  got  to  lead 
the  way  to  the  presence  of  that  old  devil,  Nosey,  and  I  know's  he'll  pin 
me  the  fust." 

"  Stop  your  grumbling,"  said  Maurice,  "  or  I'll  treat  your  lank  body 
to  a  dose  of  this." 

He  pointed  to  his  huge  pistol,  and  the  threat  effectually  silenced  all 
objections  on  the  part  of  the  guide,  who  meekly  continued  to  move 
on,  as  though  under  the  influence  of  some  charm  which  he  could  not 
resist. 

Ten  minutes  brought  us  to  the  edge  of  a  clearing  similar  to  the  one 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  217 

•which  Black  Darnley  and  his  gang  had  occupied.  It  was  in  the  most 
dense  part  of  the  forest,  and  well  chosen  for  secrecy.  Near  the  edge 
was  a  spring  of  water,  and  directly  in  the  centre  of  the  vacant  space 
was  a  log  hut  of  large  dimensions,  with  loopholes  through  which  mus- 
kets could  be  poked  in  case  of  an  assault. 

There  was  no  sign  of  life  about  the  premises,  and  we  were  led  to  won- 
der whether  the  gang  was  within  the  hut  sleeping  off  last  night's  fatigue, 
or  whether  they  were  off  on  an  expedition.  If  the  latter  surmise 
was  correct,  we  might  have  to  wait  three  or  four  days  before  they  re- 
turned, and  that  was  something  which  we  could  not  afford  to  do. 

If  the  gang  was  asleep,  an  excellent  opportunity  was  offered  to  cap- 
ture them  without  the  loss  of  a  man  ;  but  who  would  venture  to  creep 
to  the  hut  and  find  out,  when  there  was  a  probability  of  a  dozen  men 
being  encompassed  behind  those  walls,  waiting  to  take  us  by  surprise, 
instead  of  our  treating  them  to  such  a  course  of  strategy ! 

Murden  looked  first  at  his  men,  but  they  rather  avoided  his  eyes,  and 
then  his  glance  wandered  to  the  old  convict,  but  he  did  not  appear  to 
take  the  hint,  and  returned  the  stare  with  one  of  mildness.  Fred's  turn 
came  next,  and  in  him  the  right  man  was  found. 

"  I  see  what  you  want,  lieutenant,"  Fred  said,  with  a  smile,  "  and  I 
am  ready  to  comply.  Keep  me  well  covered  with  your  guns,  and  I 
think  there  is  not  much  danger." 

He  left  his  rifle  with  me,  and  then,  getting  upon  his  hands  and  knees, 
crept  forward,  carefully  sheltering  his  body,  as  far  as  possible,  with 
stumps  and  tufts  of  grass,  until  he  reached  the  door,  which  stood  open. 
He  glanced  hastily  in,  and  then,  without  wasting  time,  turned  his  steps 
towards  us  as  fast  as  possible. 

"  Well,"  we  whispered,  "  what  have  you  to  report  ?  " 

"  The  bushrangers  are  in  the  hut,  and  sleeping,  I  think." 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  "  asked  Murden. 

"No,  I  am  not  sure  that  they  are  sleeping,  but  I  am  sure  that  they 
are  lying  on  the  floor,  and  apparently  are  not  aware  of  our  approach," 
returned  Fred. 

"  Then  let  us  move  onward  without  delay,  for  the  cracking  of  a  branch 
might  cost  us  our  lives,  and  that  is  something  none  of  us  wish  to  spare, 
just  now." 

With  cautious  steps  the  men  moved  towards  the  hut,  led  by  Fred 
and  Murden.  We  met  with  no  opposition,  although  it  would  not  have 
surprised  me  to  have  heard  a  discharge  of  musketry  as  we  advanced. 

We  gained  the  door  without  awakening  our  adversaries,  and  saw 
them  stretched  upon  the  floor,  little  dreaming  that  danger  was  so  near. 

On  we  stole  until  all  our  force  was  within  the  hut,  and  each  police- 
man held  a  cocked  carbine  at  the  head  of  a  bushranger.  Still  they  did 
not  awaken,  and  it  could  only  be  accounted  for  on  the  supposition  that 
they  had  been  up  all  night  making  merry  over  our  supposed  death  by 
fire. 

"  Kill  the  first  man  that  offers  to  stir,  in  his  defence,"  the  lieutenant 
said,  after  having  carefully  collected  all  the  guns  that  could  be  found 
handy. 

The  whisper,  slight  as  it  was,  had  the  effect  of  causing  the  chief,  the 
hideous  N  osey,  to  open  his  eyes  and  look  around,  as  though  half  dream- 

19 


218  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

ing ;  it,  was  not  until  his  eyes  met  those  of  Murden  that  he  fully  awoke, 
then  he  made  an  effort  to  start  to  his  feet,  but  he  found  the  cold  muz- 
zles of  Fred's  and  my  own  rifle  pressed  to  his  brain. 

"  We're  betrayed !  "  he  yelled,  in  a  voice  so  shrill  that  it  awoke  every 
bushranger  as  suddenly  as  though  the  blast  of  a  trumpet  had  rang 
through  the  room. 

There  were  mingled  oaths  and  exclamations,  and  desperate  attempts 
to  gain  their  feet ;  and  one  young  fellow,  who,  in  spite  of  warnings  and 
threats,  persisted  in  getting  up,  was  shot  through  the  head,  and  bis 
brains  spattered  upon  his  comrades,  who  were  lying  by  his  side. 

"  Kill  all  who  resist ! "  yelled  Murden,  scenting  blood  like  a  tiger ; 
u  if  they  submit,  spare  them,  but  death  to  the  refractory." 

The  shooting  of  one  appeared  to  have  a  good  effect  on  the  others,  for 
although  many  a  menacing  glance  was  cast  upon  us,  and  many  a  half- 
uttered  oath  was  checked,  yet  there  was  no  more  struggling,  or  thoughts 
of  resistance. 

"  I  thought  you  dead,"  muttered  Nosey,  after  a  keen  glance  at  the 
face  of  the  lieutenant. 

"  It  is  not  your  fault  that  we  are  not,"  answered  Murden,  dryly. 

"  No,  that  it  is  not,  for  I  meant  to  roast  you  and  your  force ;  in  a  few 
hours  we  intended  to  start  on  an  expedition,  and  look  for  your  bones. 
How  did  you  escape  ?  "  asked  the  unabashed  robber. 

"  That  you  will  never  know ;  be  assured  that  Providence  has  no  such 
fortune  in  store  for  you,  and  that  if  enough  wood  and  rope  can  be 
found,  the  manner  of  your  death  will  not  remain  a  mystery." 

"  Perhaps  you  mean  by  that  I  shall  die  on  the  gallows  ?  "  demanded 
the  bushranger. 

Murden  nodded  his  head  in  token  of  assent. 

"  I'll  bet  you  two  to  one,  that  a  rope  will  never  end  my  existence," 
cried  the  fellow,  with  an  impudence  and  coolness  that  almost  surpassed 
belief. 

. "  Bind  the  villains  with  stout  cords,  for  the  present,"  cried  the  lieu-- 
tenant, returning  no  answer  to  the  banter  of  Nosey,  who  fired  with 
indignation  at  the  epithet. 

"  Whom  do  you  call  villains?"  he  demanded.  "We  were  forced  to 
become  robbers  by  the  tyrants  of  the  hulks,  and  all  the  wrongs  which 
were  there  inflicted  upon  us  we  have  returned ;  and  we  should  not  have 
been  human  had  we  acted  otherwise." 

"  I  have  no  time  to  bandy  words  with  you,  even  if  I  had  the  inclina- 
tion," returned  Murden ;  "  get  upon  your  feet,  and  submit  to  be  bound 
]ike  the  rest ;  we  know  no  distinction,  and  serve  all  the  same." 

The  bushranger  slowly  rose  to  his  feet,  and  his  hideous  face  seemed 
almost  to  burst,  so  livid  were  the  scars  which  marked  it ;  his  eyes  wer« 
injected  with  blood,  and  glared  like  those  of  a  wild  beast. 

"  Bind  me  as  soon  as  you  please ;  here  are  my  hands ;  you  see  that  I 
am  harmless  and  unarmed  ;  the  lion  can  be  taken  by  his  mane,  for  his 
claws  are  clipped,  and  his  teeth  are  broken." 

"  You  bloodthirsty  monster,  do  not  compare  yourself  to  a  lion ;  bah  ? 
you  are  like  the  skulking  wolf  that  sneaks  and  steals  upon  its  prey,  and 
after  appeasing  its  hunger,  slays  for  the  sake  of  showing  its  strength, 
Give  his  cords  an  extra  twist,  men,  for  his  impudence." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  219 

Murden  uttered  the  words  with  an  expression  of  disgust  that  did  not 
jail  to  convince  the  bushranger  of  the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held. 

"  You  think,  I  suppose,"  Nosey  said,  with  an  angry  scowl,  "  that  you 
will  have  the  pleasure  and  triumph  of  carrying  me  to  Melbourne  alive ; 
you  are  mistaken." 

"  Look  well  to  your  prisoner !  "  shouted  the  officer,  as  the  men  pre- 
pared to  slip  a  cord  over  his  wrists. 

He  was  too  late  in  his  warning,  for  the  desperate  robber  suddenly 
thrust  his  hand  into  his  bosom  and  drew  forth  a  huge  knife,  which  he 
waved  over  his  head. 

The  policemen  started  back,  surprised  and  confused  at  the  suddenness 
of  the  action ;  and  before  they  could  rush  and  disarm  the  prisoner,  he 
was  outside  of  the  door,  flourishing  the  knife,  and  threatening  death  to 
all  who  opposed  him. 

"  Fire  on  him  ! "  yelled  Murden,  perfectly  frantic  at  the  thought  of 
his  escape.  "  Kill  him  —  kill  him  !  " 

The  robber  rushed  towards  the  woods,  and  it  seemed  as  though  he 
would  escape  in  spite  of  the  loaded  guns  which  we  carried  in  our  hands; 
but  one  of  the  men,  more  cool  than  the  rest  of  us,  discharged  his  car- 
bine, and  the  ball  struck  the  right  leg  of  Nosey,  and  crushed  the  bone 
as  easily  as  though  it  was  a  pipe  stem. 

Wounded  as  he  was,  he  did  not  immediately  stop,  but  continued  on, 
striving  to  gain  the  woods,  as  though  his  safety  was  secure  if  lie  could 
reach  them.  But  the  effort  was  too  much  for  human  endurance.  He 
staggered,  struggled  to  maintain  his  erect  position,  and  then  fell  with  a 
crash  to  the  ground.  We  went  towards  him ;  he  did  not  move ;  we 
turned  him  over,  and  found  that  he  was  lying  in  a  pool  of  blood,  quite 
dead.  Either  by  accident  or  design,  he  had  faileu  upon  his  knife,  and 
it  was  sheathed  to  the  hilt  in  his  heart. 


CHAPTER     XXXII. 

RETURN  TO  THE  STOCKMAN'S  HUT.  —  SMITH  IN  LOVE. 

THE  bushrangers  were  struck  with  awe  at  the  sudden  death  of  thei> 
chief,  and  made  no  resistance  as  they  were  bound  in  pairs.  Indeed, 
their  audacity  appeared  to  desert  them,  although  they  maintained  a 
sullen  aspect  until  they  got  a  glimpse  of  Steel  Spring,  who,  to  prevent 
mistakes,  had  been  bound  to  a  tree,  while  we  secured  his  comrades. 

The  glances  of  hate  and  scorn  which  were  cast  upon  their  betrayer 
appeared  to  have  no  effect  upon  his  well-tried  nerves,  and  he  seemed  to 
act  as  though  he  had  done  his  duty  and  was  not  ashamed  of  it,  and 
didn't  care  who  knew  the  part  which  he  had  played  in  the  drama.  The 
death  of  Nosey,  however,  appeared  to  astonish  Steel  Spring,  for  when 
fre  was  allowed  to  see  the  body  he  grew  pathetic. 

"  So  old  Nosey  is  dead ! "  he  exclaimed,  looking  upon  the  face  of  the 


220  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OK 

wretch ;  "  veil,  he  vas  a  vonderful  man,  and  used  to  rob  more  peoples 
than  hany  bushranger  in  those  parts ;  ve  shall  miss  him,  I  know  ve 
shall  miss  him ;  and  vere  shall  ve  find  a  man  to  take  his  place  ?  " 

"  Do  you  still  think  of  robbery  ?  "  demanded  Murden,  sternly. 

"No,  sir;  I  vouldn't  take  L,  shillin'  from  a  traveller  to  save  my  life. 
But  ven  I  thinks  of  the  times  ve've  had,  I  feels  like  shedding  tears.  A 
vonderful  man  vas  Nosey ;  so  'andsome,  too ! " 

"  Cease  your  nonsense,  and  answer  me  one  or  two  questions,"  Murden 
said ;  "  the  gang  has  plundered  for  months ;  do  you  know  where  they 
concealed  their  money  ?  " 

"  I'm  blessed  if  I  do,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  with  alacrity. 

"  Do  you  think  that  our  prisoners  know  ?  " 

"  Veil,  that  feller  who  is  looning  at  me  so  cross,  as  though  I'd  hin- 
jured  him,  could  tell  if  he'd  got  a  mind  to,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  point- 
ing to  a  robber  who  seemed  ir  be  regarded  as  a  sort  of  leader,  now  that 
Nosey  was  dead. 

"  Are  you  disposed  to  inform  me  where  Nosey  buried  his  money  ?  " 
asked  Murden,  appealing  to  tlis  man. 

"  And  what  inducements  do  you  hold  out,  if  I  give  you  the  informa- 
tion ?  "  asked  the  robber,  dryly. 

"  I  do  not  promise  you  your  life,  but  I  think  that  I  can  get  the  sen- 
tence put  off  a  few  months,"  the  lieutenant  replied. 

"  And  you  suppose  that  I  w'U  reveal  on  such  conditions  ?  "  demanded 
the  bushranger,  impudently. 

"  I  do ;  you  have  every  thing  to  gain,  and  nothing  to  lose." 

"  My  life,  I  suppose,  you  ca'L  nothing ;  that  is  already  forfeited,  you 
seem  to  think ;  but  you  shall  find  that,  robber  as  I  am,  I  know  how  to 
keep  a  secret." 

"Then  you. refuse  to  divulge?"  asked  Murden. 

The  bushranger  regarded  him  with  a  scornful  air,  and  remained  silent. 
Murden  grew  excited,  and  forgot  that  he  was  only  an  humble  instru- 
ment of  the  law,  and  that  life  and  death  were  not  at  his  disposal  after 
men  had  surrendered. 

"Throw  a  tackle  over  the  branch  of  yonder  tree,"  he  said,  pointing 
to  a  sturdy  gum  tree  which  grew  near ;  "  we  will  save  the  courts  of 
Melbourne  the  trouble  of  trying  the  fellow." 

The  bushranger  did  not  se^m  surprised,  or  appear  to  be  affected  at 
the  news. 

Not  so  the  policemen ;  they  1rnew  that  their  officer  was  exceeding  his 
authority,  but  their  discipline  was  too  good  to  allow  them  to  cavil  at  his 
orders,  right  or  wrong. 

They  threw  a  rope  over  the  i;mb  pointed  out,  and  then  making  a  slip- 
noorse,  passed  it  around  the  neck  of  the  obstinate  robber.  Still  he  wore 
his  scornful  look,  and  did  not  even  ask  for  mercy,  which  Murden  had 
evidently  anticipated. 

"  Will  you  reveal  ?  "  demanded  the  lieutenant. 

"  No ! "  he  yelled ;  and  with  his  refusal  was  a  gesture  of  the  most 
impudent  and  insulting  nature. 

"  Up  with  him,  men ! "  .cried  the  officer,  beside  himself  with  pas- 
sion. 

The  men  tugged  at  the  rop^.,  but  with  all  their  strength  they  could 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  .^VENTURES.  221 

not  raise  the  man  from  the  ground,  owing  to  the  cord  being  passed 
over  a  limb,  instead  of  through  a  block ,  the  friction  was  too  great. 

Smith,  during  all  of  this  time,  had  been  a  spectator,  instead  of  an 
actor  in  the  tragedy ;  but  when  he  saw  that  the  policemen  were  unable 
to  carry  their  designs  into  effect,  he  appeared  to  recollect  the  death  of 
his  oxen,  and  to  think  that  the  present  was  an  excellent  time  to  avenge 
their  death. 

He  rushed  to  the  rope,  and  pulled  away  at  it  with  such  good  will  that 
the  bushranger  was  raised  from  the  ground  a  few  inches,  and  by  the 
spasmodic  movement  of  his  feet,  I  saw  mat  he  was  choking,  and  could 
exist  but  a  few  minutes  longer. 

"  Are  you  mad  ?  "  I  asked  of  Murde7" ;  "  you  have  no  authority  to 
hang  the  man ;  the  courts  of  Melbourne  will  make  a  noise  about  the 
matter,  be  assured." 

The  lieutenant  appeared  to  reflect,  air"  seemed  to  think  that  my  ad- 
vice was  worthy  of  being  taken,  for  he  waved  his  hand,  and  the  nearly 
strangled  man  was  lowered  to  the  ground,  much  to  the  disgust  of  Smith, 
who  appeared  to  think  that  he  was  cheated  of  his  prey. 

"  Once  more,  I  ask  you  to  reveal  the  hiding-place  of  the  treasure," 
the  officer  said,  when  he  found  that  the  robber  had  sufficiently  recovered 
to  answer  his  question. 

"  I  refused  when  a  rope  was  tightened  around  my  neck,  did  I  not  ?  " 
the  bushranger  asked,  in  a  gasping  man'  ?r. 

Murden  nodded  his  head  in  token  of  assent. 

"  And  do  you  think  that,  after  being  half  choked  to  death,  I'll  reveal 
now  ?  "  he  demanded,  in  an  indignant  '.  jne ;  "  I'll  see  you  and  your 

cowardly  police  d d  first;  and  sooner  or  later  I  know  that  you 

will  be." 

"  Up  with  him  again ! "  cried  the  angi  ^  lieutenant ;  but  his  rage  was 
only  momentary,  and  before  the  men  could  put  his  order  into  execution, 
he  countermanded  it. 

"  You  are  too  impudent  a  scoundrel  to  cue  immediately ;  a  few  months' 
solitary  confinement  in  the  prison  at  Melbourne,  with  nothing  but  bread 
and  water  to  eat,  and  the  certain  prospect  of  a  long,  lingering  death, 
will  tame  your  spirit,  and  make  you  docile." 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  asked  the  bushranger,  with  a  sneer. 

Murden  made  no  reply. 

"  If  I  am  placed  in  solitary  confinement,"  the  robber  said,  "  I  shall 
have  the  more  time  to  think  upon  the  many  poor  devils  who  have  begged 
their  lives  of  me,  and  yet  never  got  their  j;_-ayers  granted.  I  shall  think 
of  the  meet  revenge  I  have  had  for  my  injuries  during  a  long  term  of 
imprisonment  at  the  hulks.  I  shall  thin)'  of  the  many  pounds  of  gold 
dust  which  I  have  robbed  from  passing  trains ;  and  better  than  all,  I 
shall  langh  to  know  that  the  police  force  of  Melbourne  cannot  find  it  to 
enrich  themselves." 

"  Devil ! "  yelled  one  of  the  men,  more  fiery  than  the  rest,  "  do  you 
mock-  us  ?  " 

He  raised  his  carbine,  and  with  no  gt,.tle  hand  let  the  breech  fall 
upon  the  fellow's  head.  The  blow  loosened  the  skin,  and  let  loose  a 
torrent  of  blood. 

"  Yes,  this  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  manner  in  which  the  police  of  Met 

19* 


222  LIFE    IN   ATTSTEALIA,   OR 

bourne  treat  prisoners.  Is  there  any  wonder  that  they  fight  desperately 
to  prevent  being  taken  ?  " 

He  dipped  his  finger  into  his  blood,  and  held  it  aloft  for  his  comrades 
to  see.  Had  those  men  been  free,  our  number  would  have  been  les- 
sened in  a  very  few  minutes ;  for  such  expressions  of  rage  passed  over 
their  faces,  that  it  seemed  as  though  the  devil  had  entered  their 
bodies. 

"  You  did  wrong  to  strike  him,  Manuel,"  Murden  said,  and  that  was 
all  the  reproof  the  man  received. 

"  When  I'm  arraigned  before  my  judges,  I  shall  tell  them  of  the 
blow,"  muttered  the  bushranger,  wiping  the  blood  from  his  brow. 

"  Do  so,  if  you  think  it  will  help  your  case  any,"  answered  Murden, 
indifferently.  "  When  you  get  before  the  judges  you  speak  of,  let  me 
advise  you  to  keep  a  civil  tongue,  however,  or  the  worse  for  you." 

"  I  shall  speak  my  mind,"  replied  the  bushranger,  who  appeared  de- 
termined to  have  the  last  word. 

Orders  were  now  given  to  get  ready  for  our  passage  through  the 
woods ;  but  before  we  started  we  threw  the  bodies  of  the  dead  robbers 
into  the  hut,  and  then  set  it  on  fire.  Long  before  the  flames  ceased,  we 
were  safe  out  of  the  woods,  and  mounted  on  our  horses,  heading 
towards  the  old  convict's  hut. 

Our  travel  was  slow,  as  the  bushrangers  were  compelled  to  walk  with 
their  hands  tied  behind  their  backs,  and  it  was  only  by  threatening  to 
ride  them  down,  that  we  could  get  them  to  move  at  any  kind  of  decent 
pace. 

Smith,  whose  whole  ideas  were  concentrated  on  his  lost  cattle,  left  us 
to  see  if  he  could  find  one  yoke  which  were  unaccounted  for.  When 
we  entered  the  woods  in  search  of  the  gold  buried  by  Jim  Gulpin,  we 
had  left  two  yoke  hitched  to  the  cart  and  a  tree,  and  after  our  severe 
ordeal  of  fire,  we  had  found  two  oxen  burned  to  death,  while  two  more 
were  missing. 

Thinking  that  they  might  have  wandered  to  the  corral  where  the  re- 
mainder of  the  cattle  were  confined,  Smith  galloped  across  the  prairie 
and  was  soon  out  of  sight.  He  did  not  rejoin  us  until  we  reached  the 
hut,  where  we  found  that  he  had  regained  his  oxen,  and  was  paying 
considerably  more  attention  to  the  old  stockman's  daughter  than  to  his 
own  affairs. 

There  was  one  thing  which  he  deserved  credit  for,  and  it  was  accorded 
him  with  all  our  hearts.  The  supper  which  he  provided  was  capable  of 
making  us  forget  our  pains  and  fatigue ;  for  a  roasted  lamb  was  smoking 
on  a  table,  and  three  or  four  gallons  of  coffee  were  all  ready  to  be 
drank,  to  restore  us  to  new  life. 

All  the  articles  which  we  had  left  at  the  hut  were  found  in  good  or- 
der, and  nothing  was  missing.  It  may  seem  strange  that  a  stockman's 
hovel,  miles  away  from  other  habitations,  should  escape  the  assaults  of 
bushrangers ;  but  the  latter  knew  their  own  interests  too  well  to  meddle 
with  keepers  of  sheep  and  cattle. 

Many  stockmen  are  in  league  with  escaped  convicts,  and  give  them 
the  earliest  information  in  regard  to  the  pursuit  or  routes  of  policemen; 
and  although  such  a  charge  could  not  be  brought  against  my  friend,  the 
old  convict,  yet  the  bushrangers  knew  that  if  he  was  molested  or  injured, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  223 

the  owners  of  the  animals  under  his  charge  would  find  it  very  hard 
work  to  fill  his  place,  and  be  forced  in  the  end  to  drive  their  herds  to 
other  grazing  spots.  Hence,  the  supply  of  provisions  which  the  bush- 
rangers were  in  the  habit  of  always  considering  secure,  would  have 
been  cut  off,  and  uncertain  means  resorted  to. 

The  only  instance  of  attack  on  my  friend's  house,  on  record,  was  when 
Jim  Gulpin  and  his  band  required  the  surrender  of  a  number  of  po- 
licemen sheltered  within  its  walls.  The  result  of  that  assault  is  well 
known  to  the  readers  of  these  sketches ;  so  I  will  not  review  the  cir- 
cumstances. 

During  our  absence  the  old  man's  daughter,  or,  in  other  words,  Mrs. 
Becky  Lang,  had  attended  to  her  few  household  duties,  and  also  watched 
our  cattle,  to  prevent  their  straying  from  the  corral.  She  had  supplied 
them  with  water  from  the  small  stream,  and  in  every  respect  behaved  like 
a  courageous  woman,  as  she  was.  She  had,  apparently,  recovered  from 
the  deepest  of  her  grief  on  account  of  the  loss  of  her  husband,  and  her 
full  ruddy  cheek  gave  ample  tokens  of  good  health. 

I  saw  that  Smith  was  more  attentive  on  our  return  than  perhaps  there 
was  any  occasion  for;  and  I  also  noticed  that  the  woman  appeared  anx- 
ious that  he  should  have  the  best  of  every  thing,  and  helped  him  twice 
to  our  once. 

There  was  no  occasion  for  our  complaining,  however,  although  we" 
did  joke  Smith  upon  the  conquest  he  had  made,  and  asked  if  he  had 
named  the  happy  day ;  questions  which  he  took  in  very  good  part,  in 
spite  of  the  blushes  which  mantled  his  sun-burned  face. 

That  evening  I  offered  my  sincere  congratulations,  when  Smith,  after 
a  confused  account  of  what  he  wanted  to  do,  informed  me  with  an  air 
of  secrecy,  that  he  had  spoken  to  Becky,  and  that  she  had  returned  an 
answer  that  she  thought  she  could  make  him  happy  the  remainder  of 
his  life. 

"  But  when  is  the  wedding  to  take  place  ?  "  I  asked,  coolly  lighting 
my  pipe ;  for  the  reader  will  please  to  note  that  it  was  not  I  who  con- 
templated the  awful  act,  and  therefore  I  could  condole  with  other  peo- 
ple's woes  with  great  equanimity. 

"  Well,  I'd  like  to  have  it  take  place  immediately,  but  there's  no  par- 
son near,"  replied  Smith,  with  great  deliberation  and  solemnity. 

Like  all  lovers,  he  wished  to  hasten  his  fate,  and  have  the  affair  off 
his  mind. 

"  But  what  will  you  do  with  your  wife  while  absent  with  a  load  at  the 
mines  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  O,  we've  fixed  all  that  —  Becky  and  I  have.  She  will  live  at  our 
house  in  Melbourne,  where  she  can  be  nice  and  comfortable,  until  I'm 
rich  enough  to  start  some  kind  of  business  in  the  city,  when  I  can  re- 
main at  home  and  enjoy  her  society." 

I  looked  at  the  man,  and  actually  compared  him  to  a  young  lover, 
sighing  at  the  first  thoughts  of  his  mistress,  and  picturing  to  himself 
how  happy  he  could  be  with  her  in  a  cottage. 

I  filled  my  pipe  afresh,  and  smoked  for  a  few  minutes  in  silence. 

"  Becky  tells  me  that  she  took  a  fancy  to  me  on  the  night  that  Gul- 
pin assaulted  the  house.  She  thought  I  acted  like  a  man  on  that  trying 
occasion." 


224  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

Ungrateful  Beck,  to  thus  forget  the  valuable  services  of  Fred  and  my- 
self. Love  had  indeed  blinded  her,  for  all  that  was  noble  and  generous 
was  centred  in  Smith. 

"  Well,  Smith,"  I  said,  extending  my  hand,  "  I  give  you  joy,  and  hope 
that  nothing  will  ever  occur  to  disturb  your  happiness.  I  should  like 
to  be  present  at  the  ceremony,  but  I  fear  that  it  will  be  impossible." 

"  I  don't  know  as  it  is  so  very  difficult.  There  are  parsons  at  the 
mines,  and  Ballarat  is  nearer  than  Melbourne." 

I  knew  what  he  wanted  me  to  do,  but  I  feared  that  we  should  waste 
too  much  valuable  time.  He  looked  hard  at  me  to  see  if  I  was  not 
intending  to  urge  him  to  take  the  lady  with  us,  but  as  I  smoked  on  in 
•ilence,  he  did  not  continue  the  conversation. 

We  were  all  tired  enough  at  sundown  to  stretch  our  weary  limbs  upon 
the  ground,  and  endeavor  to  sleep  in  peace  for  one  night.  To  prevent 
our  being  surprised,  sentinels  were  stationed  around  the  hut,  with  or- 
ders to  keep  their  eyes  open,  and  report  if  any  thing  of  a  suspicious 
character  was  seen. 

Whether  they  acted  up  to  the  orders  is  more  than  I  know,  but  of  one 
thing  I'm  positive.  After  I  rested  my  head  upon  my  knapsack,  I  did 
not  awaken  until  I  felt  a  hand  laid  upon  my  shoulder,  when,  starting  up, 
I  found  that  Murden  was  standing  by  my  side. 

"  Day  is  just  breaking,"  he  said  ;  "  I  am  sorry  to  disturb  you,  but  you 
know  we  must  be  on  the  march  to  Melbourne  by  sunrise.  Have  break- 
fast with  us  for  the  last  time,  and  then  we'll  to  the  saddle." 

I  could  not  resist  the  temptation,  and  when  I  had  packed  my  blankets, 
I  found  that  the  policemen  had  nearly  completed  their  arrangements  for 
breakfast,  and  were  feeding  the  prisoners  with  the  remnants  of  last 
night's  repast. 

Coffee  was  swallowed  hastily,  and  then  the  clear,  ringing  notes  of  the 
bugle  gave  the  signal  for  bringing  up  the  horses. 

"  You  surely  don't  intend  to  make  these  poor  devils  walk  all  the 
way  ?  "  I  asked  of  the  lieutenant,  just  before  he  started. 

"  They  will  have  to  walk  until  we  come  across  teams  on  the  road  to 
Melbourne,  and  then  I  shall  let  them  ride.  There  is  no  other  way  that 
I  can  do,"  he  replied. 

Eren  while  we  were  talking,  the  bugle  sounded  to  mount,  so  anxious 
were  the  men  to  reach  the  city. 

"  There  will  be  a  large  amount  of  money  placed  to  your  credit,"  Mur- 
den said.  "  llemember  that  each  bushranger  killed  or  taken  prisoner 
is  worth  one  hundred  pounds." 

"  We  hope  we  shall  never  be  poor  enough  to  ask  for  it,"  Fred  replied. 

"I  hope  that  you  never  will  be  in  want,  certainly,"  Murden  said, 
"  but  I  do  hope  that  your  sensibilities  will  not  prevent  you  from  accept- 
ing that  which  is  legally  your  own.  I  have  no  time  to  argue  with  you 
more,  but  in  less  than  a  month  I  shall  be  at  Ballarat,  when  we  will  fur- 
ther discuss  the  subject." 

"  You  will  have  business  there  at  that  time  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  think  that  I  shall.  The  miners  have  suddenly  become  convinced 
that  it  is  not  right  to  pay  government  taxes  for  the  privilege  of  digging 
gold.  Nothing  serious  has  occurred  as  yet ;  but  how  long  the  storm 
will  hold  off  is  quite  uncertain." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  .  225 

"  This  is  all  news  to  me,"  Fred  said,  affor  a  short  pause,  "  and  I  hardly 
know  how  to  act  under  the  circumstances.  We  have  no  desire  to  vio- 
late your  laws,  or  to  foster  rebellion,  and  I  have  half  a  mind  to  aban- 
don our  enterprise  for  the  present." 

"  I  should  be  happy  to  see  you  both  residents  of  Melbourne,  but  I 
cannot  advise  you  to  turn  from  the  cour"9  you  have  marked  out.  Go 
to  the  mines  and  satisfy  yourselves  that  the  labor  of  gold  digging  is  the 
hardest  labor  that  you  ever  undertook,  and  that  a  week  of  such  work 
is  sufficient  to  convince  you  of  the  fact; 

We  resolved  to  follow  Murden's  advice,  and  were  about  to  bid  him 
farewell,  when  he  added,  — 

"  If  you  conclude  to  remain  at  the  mines,  write  me  a  full  account  of 
how  matters  stand,  and  what  you  think  of  the  demands  of  the  miners. 
I  can  rely  upon  you,  for  you  have  not  singled  with  the  men,  and  of 
course  do  not  at  present  sympathize  with  them.  I  do  not  ask  the  favor 
because  I  wish  you  to  act  the  part  of  a  spy,  but  simply  for.  my  own 
gratification." 

We  promised  faithfully  to  keep  him  advised  of  our  movements,  and 
also  those  of  the  disaffected  part  of  the  residents  of  Ballarat,  and  with 
a  hearty  shake  of  his  hand,  Murden  wheeled  his  horse  and  galloped 
after  his  command,  which  had  been  gone  some  time. 

"  Now,  Smith,  we  are  once  more  dependent  upon  ourselves.  Shall 
we  first  go  after  our  cart,  and  repair  it,  or  do  you  feel  like  resting  for  a 
day  or  two  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  know,"  answered  Smit! ,  in  response  to  Fred's  ques- 
tion. "  I  feel  as  though  I  should  like  to  rest  for  a  few  hours  ;  you  see 
the  confounded  hole  where  we  roosted  was  so  hot,  that  I'm  pretty  near- 
ly used  up." 

I  saw  through  his  design,  but  concluded  not  to  notice  it.  Like  all 
lovers,  he  hated  to  tear  himself  from  the  ;.dol  of  his  heart,  and  thought 
that  a  few  hours  might  alleviate  his  pain. 

"  Well,  we'll  postpone  our  trip  until  to-morrow,  and  to  be  certain 
that  we  shall  be  ready  then,  we  will  take  two  yoke  of  cattle  and  bring 
up  the  team  and  repair  it.  Had  we  not  lost  that  bag  of  gold  which  we 
have  wasted  so  much  time  for,  I  think  that  we  should  have  bought  you  a 
new  cart,  of  later  pattern." 

Fred  spoke  jestingly,  and  yet  not  without  a  sigh  at  the  magnitude  of 
our  loss.  The  old  stockman,  who  was  peated  on  a  bench  at  his  door, 
overheard  the  conversation,  and  interrupted  us. 

"  Who  says  the  gold  is  lost  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  We  all  do,"  replied  Fred ;  "  the  bag  ^ras  not  to  be  found  where  Jack 
placed  it." 

"  I  know  that,"  the  old  man  answered,  with  a  silent  chuckle. 

"  How  do  you  know  that  it  was  gone  "  '  I  demanded. 

"  Why,  because  when  you  threw  it  down,  I  picked  it  up,  and  made 
my  way  out  of  the  woods  as  fast  as  possible." 

"  And  the  bushrangers  took  it  from  you  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  I  didn't  say  so,"  the  stockman  replied,  coolly. 

"  You  don't  mean  to  tell  me  that  the  rnoney  is  safe  ?"  asked  Fred. 

"  Well,  I  should  think  it  was,  because  L  don't  believe  that  any  bush- 
ranger would  discover  the  place  where  I  hid  it." 


2'26  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

"  Bless  your  old  heart ! "  cried  Smith,  slapping  him  on  the  shoulder ; 
"you  are  worth  a  dozen  of  us  young  ones.  But  why  didn't  you  say 
something  about  it  before  ?  " 

"  And  let  those  police  fellers  share  with  us  ?  No,  no ;  I  know  too 
much  for  that ;  they  would  have  required  at  least  half  the  amount  found, 
and  I  didn't  think  my  young  friends  here  would  be  willing  to  be  bled 
to  such  an  extent.  They  shall  have  the  money,  and  can  do  as  they 
please.  I  have  redeemed  my  word ;  I  promised  to  assist  them,  for  they 
have  assisted  me ;  and  when  I  have  placed  the  gold  in  their  hands,  I 
shall  think  that  I  have  only  paid  them  a  small  portion  of  the  debt 
which  I  owe  them." 

We  were  too  much  surprised  and  delighted  to  speak  for  some  time, 
for  the  recovery  of  the  money  was  something  we  were  not  prepared  for. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

RECOVERY  OF  THE  GOLD.  —  ARRIVAL  AT  BALLARAT. 

"  LEAD  us  to  the  spot  where  you  have  secreted  our  gold,"  we  cried, 
jrith  one  accord. 

"  There's  time  enough,"  replied  the  old  man ;  "  I  tell  you  that  it 
is  safe,  and  where  I  can  get  it  any  time.  What  more  would  you 
have  ?  " 

"  We  would  have  the  assurance  that  we  possess  it,  so  that  we  can 
reward  those  who  have  aided  us  in  searching  for  it.  We  wish  to  feel 
that  we  are  indeed  worth  so  much  money,  so  that  we  can  lay  our  plans 
for  the  future." 

"  Do  you  say  that  you  wish  to  reward  those  who  helped  you  obtain 
it  ?  "  asked  the  stockman,  removing  his  pipe  and  pricking  up  "his  ears. 

"  Of  course  we  do,"  replied  Fred,  eagerly ;  "  do  you  think  that  we 
are  so  selfish  as  to  claim  the  whole  of  the  prize  ?  " 

"  It's  not  for  myself  that  I  ask ;  'tis  for  my  daughter,  who,  in  case  I 
am  called  to  rest,  will  be  destitute.  Every  pound  shall  be  returned  to 
you,  and  then  if  you  think  from  out  of  your  abundant  means,  you  can 
spare  the  old  convict  and  his  child  a  few  grains  of  dust,  why,  we  shall 
be  thankful." 

"  Don't  fear  f&r  me,  father,"  the  daughter  said,  with  an  expressive 
glance  at  the  brawny  form  of  Smith,  which  seemed  to  say  that  he  is 
"  strong  enough  to  take  care  of  me  in  this  world  of  trouble." 

"  But  I  do  care  for  you,  for  who  else  have  I  to  love  in  this  world  ?  " 
answered  the  stockman,  wiping  away  a  tear. 

"And  will  you  not  let  another  share  that  love?"  she  said,  fondling 
his  gray  hairs,  as  though  she  had  just  awakened  to  a  sense  of  his  worth. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  girl  ?  "  he  demanded,  with  a  suspicious  glance 
at  her  face,  which  was  suffused  with  blushes. 

"  I  mean,"  she  replied,  coloring   with  confusion,  "  that  if  a  suitor 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  227 

should  present  himself,  would  you  not  be  willing  that  I  should  marry 
again  ?  " 

"  You  have  just  lost  one  husband,  and  who  thinks  of  whispering  non- 
sense in  your  ears  P  Not  these  young  gallants,  I  hope,  for  they  never 
would  be  willing  to  introduce  you  to  their  homes  ;  and  if  they  mean 
false,  the  old  gun  is  still  capable  of  sending  a  bullet  as  true  as  the  day 
that  I  took  it  from  a  bushranger  for  killing  my  sheep." 

"  O,  no,  father  ;  the  young  gentlemen  have  hardly  spoken  to  me, 
and  if  I  should  wait  for  them  to  make  love,  I  should  never  be  married." 

"  Then  who  has  caught  your  fancy,  and  made  you  feel  as  though 
you  wished  to  desert  your  old  father  ?  "  demanded  the  old  convict,  sternly. 

"  Not  to  desert  you,  father,  for  you  shall  come  and  live  with  us,  and 
give  up  your  shepherd's  occupation.  The  work  is  too  hard  and  dan- 
gerous  for  one  of  your  years,  and  if  you  wish  to  make  money  the  city 
offers  larger  inducements." 

"  I  don't  understand  all  of  this,"  cried  the  old  man,  wiping  his  brow, 
and  staring  at  us  as  though  he  wished  we  would  explain.  "  You  want 
me  to  live  with  you,  yet  when,  and  where,  I  am  left  to  conjecture." 

"  He  will  tell  you  all,"  cried  the  daughter,  breaking  away  and  enter- 
ing the  hut,  her  face  nearly  as  red  as  Smith's,  and  the  latter's  seemed 
as  though  burning.  He  cast  an  imploring  glance  towards  me,  and  I 
helped  him  out  of  the  dilemma  as  well  as  I  was  able. 

"  A  man  whom  you  might  well  be  proud  to  call  son-in-law  has  taken 
a  fancy  to  your  daughter,  and  seeks  to  make  her  his  wife.  The  match 
is  one  that  you  can't  help  approving,  for  he  is  able  to  support  her  and 
be  a  kind  husband.  What  more  can  you  ask  for  ?  " 

"  I  ask  for  the  name  of  the  person,  and  you  confuse  me  with  a  tor- 
rent of  praise,"  exclaimed  the  old  man,  testily. 

"  Here  he  is  to  speak  for  himself,"  I  said,  leading  Smith  up.  "  This 
is  the  man  who  desires  to  become  your  son-in-law." 

"  Are  you  serious,  Smith  ?  "  the  stockman  asked,  with  a  suspicious 
glance  of  his  keen,  gray  eye. 

"  I  assure  you  that  I  am,  and  that  I  will  labor  with  all  my  might  to 
make  your  child  a  happy  wife." 

Smith  bore  the  scrutiny  without  flinching,  although  his  words  were 
uttered  by  syllables. 

"  But  my  child  is  poor  ;  I  can  give  her  neither  wealth,  nor  a  proud, 
untarnished  name.  I  have  been  a  sentenced  convict." 

"  And  what  have  I  been  ?  "  asked  Smith,  with  a  tremulous  voice,  his 
head  falling  upon  his  breast. 

"  Let  us  not  refer  to  such  matters,"  cried  the  stockman,  briskly, 
throwing  off,  with  an  effort,  the  constraint  which  the  conversation  had 
given  him.  "  I  ask  you  if  you  are  willing  to  marry  my  daughter,  poor 
as  she  is,  and  poor  as  you  know  me  to  be  ?  ' 

The  stockman's  gray  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  face  of  the  suitor  aa 
though  reading  his  most  secret  thoughts. 

"  I  have  already  answered  that  question,  and  told  you  that  I  was  will- 
ing and  anxious  to  have  the  ceremony  performed  without  delay. 
You  shall  live  with  us,  and  take  care  of  the  house  while  I  am  at  the 
mines.  You  shall  never  want  as  long  as  I  possess  a  shilling,"  answered 
Smith,  heartily. 


228  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  Do  those  words  come  from  your  heart  ? "  asked  the  old  convict, 
eagerly. 

"  Else  I  should  not  have  uttered  them,"  Smith  answered. 

"  Then  my  daughter  shall  be  your  wife  ;  but  she  will  not  be  the  pen- 
niless woman  you  think  for.  Follow  me,  and  I  will  show  you  a  sight 
that  will  surprise  you." 

Thinking  that  the  invitation  was  not  addressed  to  us,  Fred  and  my- 
self held  back,  and  did  not  offer  to  follow  the  old  man  into  his  hut. 
The  stockman  saw  that  we  hesitated,  and  he  called  to  us. 

"  Come  in,  all  of  you.  I  can  trust  friends,  and  I  am  sure  you  have 
all  proved  to  be  such." 

We  followed,  wondering  what  he  meant  by  his  words  and  hasty  ges- 
tures, and  half  inclined  to  think  that  the  late  trials  through  which  he 
had  passed,  had  unsettled  his  brain. 

"  Come  in,"  he  whispered,  "  and  shut  the  door.  We  don't  want 
passing  strangers  to  see  what  we  have  concealed.  Becky,  where  is  the 
iron  bar  ?  "  he  whispered,  still  lower. 

His  daughter  handed  a  small  iron  bar  to  him,  and  with  it  he  raised 
the  corner  of  a  heavy  stone,  which  formed  his  hearth. 

"  Now  hold  the  bar  in  that  position  for  me,"  he  said,  addressing 
Smith. 

The  latter  complied  with  his  request,  when  the  stockman  inserted  his 
hand  under  the  stone,  and  after  groping  about  for  a  moment,  pulled 
out  a  heavy  sheepskin  bag,  and  laid  it  beside  him.  Once  more  ha 
reached,  and  again  dragged  to  light  another  bag,  similar  in  size  and 
weight.  He  motioned  to  let  the  stone  return  to  its  place,  and  then 
turned  to  us  with  a  triumphant  air. 

While  the  old  man  was  thus  employed,  we  remained  silent,  hardly 
knowing  what  tKe  proceedings  on  his  part  meant.  With  trembling 
hands  he  untied  the  strings  which  confined  the  mouths  of  the  bags,  and 
held  them  up  for  us  to  view.  To  our  amazement,  we  found  they  were 
filled  with  fine  gold  dust,  of  an  excellent  quality,  and  that  the  two 
sacks  contained  not  less  than  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth. 

We  uttered  an  exclamation  of  astonishment,  and  could  hardly  be- 
lieve that  what  we  saw  was  real. 

"  Yes,  yes ;  it's  all  good  gold,  God  be  praised,"  cried  the  stockman, 
eagerly ;  "  you  thought  that  the  old  man  was  poor  and  destitute,  but 
you  see  that  I'm  not.  I've  wealth,  and  it's  all  my  own.  God  be 
praised." 

"  But  how  came  you  in  possession  of  so  much  gold  dust  ?  "  asked 
Fred ;  a  slight  suspicion  crossing  his  mind  that  the  old  convict  might 
have  employed  his  leisure  hours  at  a  bushranger's  occupation. 

"  Honestly,  good  youth,  honestly.  God  knows  all  things,  and  he 
will  acquit  me  of  obtaining  the  dust  otherwise." 

"  The  amount  is  large  for  a  person  to  possess  who  has  received  only 
a  few  dollars  per  year  for  his  services  as  shepherd,"  Fred  remarked. 

"  I  know  —  I  know,"  cried  the  old  man,  trembling  with  eagerness, 
and  hastily  taking  up  the  bags  again,  and  depositing  them  under  the 
stone. 

"  I  know,"  he  continued,  when  he  saw  that  the  stone  was  safe  in  its 
accustomed  place,  "  that  the  amount  is  large ;  and  I  mean  to  add  to  it, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  229 

and  be  rich,  and  have  men  bow  to  me,  and  say,  '  There  goes  one  of  our 
most  worthy  men.     He  is  worth  a  million.' " 

The  old  convict  actually  straightened  his  lank  body,  and  looked 
proudly  upon  his  daughter,  as  he  thought  of  the  homage  which  he 
should  receive  as  a  wealthy  man. 

"  But  you  have  not  told  us  how  you  became  possessed  of  so  much 
gold,"  Smith  said,  rather  coolly. 

"Never  you  mind  how  I  got  it  —  that  is  a  secret.  But  be  assured, 
one  half  goes  to  you  on  the  day  that  you  marry  my  daughter." 

"  I  accept  of  the  woman,  but  before  the  gold  crosses  my  palm,  I  must 
know  that  it  was " 

Smith  hesitated,  for  he  did  not  like  to  wound  the  old  man's  feel- 
ings. 

"  You  would  say  honestly,"  cried  the  stockman,  looking  Smith  full  in 
the  face  with  his  calm,  gray  eyes.  "  I  like  you  better  for  your  reluctance 
to  receive  a  portion  with  your  wife  until  you  know  that  you  can  use  it 
with  honor.  Be  assured  that  you  can  do  so." 

"  Convince  me  of  the  fact  by  relating  how  it  came  into  your  posses- 
sion, and  I  am  satisfied,"  returned  Smith. 

"  O  James,  James,  have  mercy,"  murmured  the  distressed  daugh- 
ter, who  was  a  witness  of  the  scene. 

The  sturdy  Smith  resisted  her  appeal,  and  did  not  withdraw  his  eyes 
from  the  face  of  the  stockman,  who  seemed  slightly  discomposed  at 
the  pertinacity  of  his  intended  son-in-law.  • 

The  old  man  hesitated  and  muttered  to  himself,  and  at  length 
appeared  to  recover  sufficient  confidence  to  speak. 

"  Will  all  three  of  you  solemnly  promise  me  that  you  will  not  divulge 
the  secret  which  I  am  about  to  impart  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  We  will  readily  give  our  consent,  because  we  have  fought  too  many 
battles,  side  by  side,  to  injure  a  friend,  even  if  he  has  been  guilty  of 
imprudence,"  he  replied. 

"  And  will  you  also  promise  not  to  interfere  with  my  plans,  and  de- 
mand to  share  my  profits  ?  "  he  asked. 

We  smiled,  for  we  thought  how  little  he  was  capable  of  coping  with 
the  energy  and  enterprise  of  ourselves. 

"  I  see  that  you  consent,"  he  cried ;  "  and  now  for  the  friend  that 
yielded  all  the  wealth  which  I  possess.  Follow  me  a  short  distance." 

He  led  the  way  at  a  rapid  pace  towards  the  small  stream  which  we 
had  crossed  so  many  times,  and  near  the  very  spot  where  we  had  en- 
camped on  our  first  visit  to  that  part  of  the  country. 

"  There  is  where  I  obtained  my  gold,"  he  said,  stopping  suddenly,  and 
pointing  with  his  hand  towards  the  bank  of  the  stream. 

"  You  are  misleading  us,"  I  said,  not  knowing  what  he  meant. 

"  So  help  me,  Heaven,  I  am  not.  Here,  on  the  banks  of  the  stream, 
I  have  dug  and  washed  thousands  of  pans  full  of  earth,  and  yet  no  liv- 
ing soul  ever  saw  me  at  work.  Here  did  I  collect  my  gold,  a  shilling's 
worth  at  a  time,  some  days,  and  on  other  occasions  by  the  ounce,  until 
I  gained  what  I  possess.  I  have  toiled  for  it  during  heat  and  wet,  and 
every  grain  that  you  saw  was  obtained  that  way." 

We  were  silent  from  wonder,  and  could  hardly  realize  that  he  spoke 
the  truth.  At  length,  Fred  remarked,  — 

20 


230  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OK 

"  For  months,  then,  you  have  been  aware  of  the  existence  of  gold  in 
this  particular  spot  ?  " 

"  Not  only  in  one  spot,  but  all  along  the  stream  can  gold  be  found. 
Even  where  you  stand  scales  of  dust  can  be  obtained.  The  earth  is 
full  of  treasure,  and  requires  but  little  stirring  to  enrich  all  who  choose 
to  work." 

"  Then  there  is  no  occasion  for  us  to  go  farther,"  I  said ;  "  here  will 
we  rest  and  try  our  luck." 

"  You  can't,"  shrieked  the  old  man,  shaking  his  withered  hands,  and 
gesticulating  violently.  "  You  have  promised  not  to  interfere  with  my 
work,  and  I  hold  you  to  your  word.  To  me  belongs  the  exclusive  right 
of  mining  on  this  land.  I  cannot  share  it  with  strangers." 

"  Why,  how  unreasonable  and  selfish  you  are,  to  exclude  us  from  the 
privileges  which  you  enjoy !  "  returned  Fred,  angrily. 

"  Not  so,"  replied  the  old  man,  somewhat  mortified.  "  Let  a  rumor 
reach  Melbourne  that  gold  is  to  be  found  by  the  side  of  this  small 
stream,  and  thousands  of  adventurers  will  flock  here.  My  sheep  would 
be  driven  off  or  destroyed  —  the  stream  would  be  dried  up,  for  there  is 
hardly  water  enough  to  supply  my  animals  at  the  present  time.  Men 
would  perish  with  thirst,  and  cut  each  other's  throats  in  their  despair. 
My  home  would  be  invaded,  and  the  old  man  forced  from  the  ground, 
and  perhaps  lose  his  all  while  struggling  in  the  race  for  wealth." 

There  was  too  much  truth  in  the  old  man's  words,  and  we  were  not 
disposed  to  gainsay  them.  Still,  we  did  not  like  to  relinquish  a  chance 
for  money-making,  and  therefore  we  were  disposed  to  argue  the  ques- 
tion. 

"  Here  are  days,"  we  said,  "  when  not  a  team  or  a  foot  passenger 
passes  this  way.  We  could  always  be  on  the  watch,  and  as  soon  as  we 
saw  strangers  we  could  desist  from  digging.  Besides,  then  you  would 
have  us  near  you  to  protect  and  look  after  your  interest.  Consider  how 
much  we  could  assist  you." 

"  I  considered  every  thing,"  replied  the  old  man,  with  a  shake  of  his 
gray  head,  as  though  he  was  determined  not  to  be  convinced.  "  I 
knew  that,  unless  I  exacted  a  solemn  promise,  you  would  be  wild  to  take 
advantage  of  my  information.  But  I  know  your  hearts,  and  am  well 
aware  that  you  will  not  struggle  against  an  old  man's  wishes." 

"  Our  company  is  disagreeable  to  you,  then,"  Fred  said.  "  We  will 
not  force  ourselves  upon  you,  be  assured.  In  an  hour's  time  we  shall 
turn  our  backs  upon  the  place,  and  probably  never  return." 

"  Come,  come,"  cried  the  old  convict,  extending  his  hand,  which  we 
were  in  no  hurry  to  accept.  "  You  are  angry  with  me,  and  yet  you 
have  no  just  cause,  for  I  would  expose  my  life  to  assist  you.  You  are 
richer  than  ] ,  and  need  not  quarrel  with  an  old  friend  for  the  sake  of 
working  from  the  earth  a  few  scales  of  gold.  Let  me  remain  here  in 
peace  for  the  present,  without  being  elbowed  by  strangers." 

"  We  are  agreed,"  I  replied,  pressing  the  stockman's  hand ;  and  as  we 
did  so,  a  vision  of  his  services  rose  before  us,  and  amply  rewarded  us 
for  the  slight  sacrifice  which  we  had  made. 

"  Now,"  cried  the  stockman,  "  we  are  friends  again ;  and  to  prove 
that  I  am  such,  before  noon  I  will  place  in  your  hands  the  bag  of  gold 
which  we  came  so  near  losing  night  before  last." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  231 

"  Ah,  now  we  are  convinced  that  you  have  our  interest  at  heart,"  Fred 
said,  joyfully.  "Let  us  but  touch  the  treasure  and  you  shall  share 
with  us." 

"  I  want  no  share  —  I've  been  repaid,  ay,  more  than  repaid,  in  ob- 
taining my  freedom  through  your  instrumentality,  and  if  I  can  make 
some  return  I  shall  be  happy." 

We  no  longer  stopped  to  discuss  the  question  of  working  upon  his 
claim,  and  in  less  than  ten  minutes  after  our  return  to  the  hut,  we  had 
saddled  cur  horses,  and  leaving  Smith  to  follow  with  his  oxen,  for  the 
purpose  of  bringing  home  his  half-consumed  cart,  we  started  once  more 
towards  the  still  smoking  woods. 

The  hot  winds  of  Australia,  which  begin  about  ten  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon,  swept  over  the  prairie  with  a  blast  that  felt  like  the  flames  of 
an  extensive  conflagration,  and  yet  we  heeded  it  not,  for  our  whole 
thoughts  were  fixed,  like  greedy  misers,  upon  the  gold  which  we  were 
soon  to  acquire,  and  we  speculated  what  we  should  do  with  our  wealth, 
and  how  expend  it. 

We  urged  our  panting  horses  to  their  utmost  speed,  and  not  until  the 
old  stockman  cried  out  to  us  to  draw  nip,  or  we  should  exhaust  the 
brutes,  did  we  allow  them  to  take  breath. 

"  There's  no  use  in  being  in  such  a  hurry,"  he  said,  "  because  we  are 
near  the  spot,  and  have  all  the  afternoon  to  get  home." 

In  fact,  even  while  he  was  speaking  he  dismounted  near  Smith's  cart, 
and  we  quickly  followed  his  example. 

"  When  I  made  my  escape  from  the  bushrangers,  and  carried  off  the 

fold,  I  recollected  that  I  had  seen  a  stone  near  this  spot,  and  that  some 
incl  of  animal  had  burrowed  under  it.  The  knowledge  served  me  a 
good  turn,  for  when  I  gained  the  edge  of  the  woods  I  scraped  away  a 
little  dirt  and  dropped  the  bag  into  the  hole.  Then  I  rapidly  covered 
it,  and  entered  the  forest  again  undiscovered." 

While  he  was  speaking  our  eyes  had  wandered  in  search  of  the  rock 
which  he  was  mentioning,  and  within  a  rod  of  us  we  found  it.  We 
hardly  waited  to  hear  the  conclusion  of  his  words  before  we  had  pushed 
aside  the  loose  dirt,  and  saw  the  soiled  canvas  bag  which  we  had  taken 
from  the  earth  on  the  day  of  our  capture. 

We  raised  it  carefully  from  its  hiding-place,  and  found  that  the  weight 
had  not  diminished.  With  eager  hands  we  untied  the  strings,  and  ex- 
posed to  our  longing  eyes  the  glittering  scales  of  gold  dust,  mixed  with 
gold  coins,  sovereigns,  and  American  ten  and  twenty  dollar  pieces. 

"  Well,"  asked  the  stockman,  "  how  much  do  you  think  you  are  worth 
now  ?  " 

The  old  fellow  was  as  cool  as  an  iceberg,  and  offered  a  striking  con- 
trast to  our  excitement. 

"  Twenty  thousand  dollars,"  replied  Fred,  weighing  the  bag  with  both 
hands  ;  and  no  easy  matter  he  found  it  to  hold  the  gold  at  arm's  length. 

"  More  than  that,"  replied  the  stockman,  with  a  smile  of  gratified 
pride  at  our  pleasure.  "  Say  thirty  thousand,  and  you  will  come  nearer 
the  mark." 

"  Five  thousand  shall  go  to  reward  you  for  your  trouble,"  I  said. 

"  Not  a  penny  will  I  accept,"  he  answered,  quickly  and  decidedly;  "I 
told  you  that  some  time  ago.  I  plead  poverty  because  I  did  not  wish 


232  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

people  to  consider  me  rich,  and  I  suppose  by  that  means  1  have  saved 
my  life ;  for  if  the  marauders  of  these  parts  knew  me  to  possess  gold, 
my  hut  would  have  been  turned  inside  out,  but  that  it  would  have  been 
discovered.  No,  no ;  keep  your  money,  and  may  you  do  good  with  it." 

We  mounted  our  horses  again,  and  hugging  the  bag  of  gold  to  my 
saddle  bow,  as  though  fearful  I  should  meet  bushrangers  to  dispute  my 
right  to  it  at  every  step,  we  recrossed  the  prairie,  meeting  Smith  on  the 
way,  to  whom  we  imparted  our  good  fortune,  and  received  his  congrat- 
ulations. By  three  o'clock  the  gold  was  safe  under  the  hearthstone, 
and  then  we  breathed  free,  and  felt  that  we  indeed  owned  it. 

By  six  o'clock  Smith  joined  us  with  his  dilapidated  cart,  when  we 
immediately  commenced  repairing  it,  and  getting  ready  for  our  journey 
towards  Ballarat. 

By  the  ingenious  use  of  tree  limbs,  we  were  enabled  to  repair  it  suf- 
ficiently to  carry  all  of  our  freight ;  and  after  it  was  loaded  on,  we  ate 
our  supper,  and  prepared  for  an  early  start. 

The  gold,  which  we  were  so  glad  to  obtain  possession  of,  troubled 
us,  however.  We  did  not  like  to  risk  its  safety  with  us,  for  we  knew 
that  the  population  of  Ballarat  were  wild  and  lawless,  and  we  were 
rather  fearful  of  losing  our  treasure,  now  that  we  possessed  it.  We 
consulted  with  Smith,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  the  safest  place 
was  with  the  honest  old  stockman,  buried  beneath  his  stone  hearth. 
He  readily  accepted  of  the  trust,  and  promised  to  deliver  it  only  upon 
a  written  order,  signed  by  both  of  us,  and  with  a  private  mark  upon 
the  paper. 

With  Smith  we  settled  according  to  what  we  considered  a  liberal  re- 
ward. The  honest  fellow  refused,  at  first,  to  accept  of  any  thing,  saying 
that  he  had  only  performed  his  duty,  and  that  he  was  still  in  our  debt ; 
but  we  would  not  listen  to  such  reasoning,  and  weighed  out  five  thou- 
sand dollars,  as  his  share,  for  losses  sustained,  and  time  expended. 

After  that  matter  was  settled,  we  retired  to  sleep,  and  only  awakened 
to  partake  of  a  substantial  breakfast,  for  which,  I  have  always  suspect- 
ed, we  were  indebted  to  the  kind  consideration  Smith  was  held  in  by 
Mrs.  Becky.  At  any  rate,  every  thing  that  we  could  desire  was  spread 
before  us ;  and  when  we  shook  hands  with  the  old  stockman  and  his 
daughter,  I  observed  that  Smith  held  the  woman's  hand  with  a  firm 
grasp,  as  though  reluctant  to  relinquish  it. 

Our  friends  waved  an  adieu,  Smith  cracked  his  whip,  and  sighed,  Ro- 
ver barked  joyfully,  as  he  saw  preparations  for  moving,  Fred  and  myself  - 
cautioned  the  stockman,  for  the  last  time,  to  be  careful  of  our  gold,  and 
then  we  were  off;  and  in  half  an  hour's  time  had  shut  out  the  hut  be- 
hind a  miniature  hill,  the  first  which  we  had  seen  for  many  days. 

For  two  days  we  travelled,  meeting  teams  and  vehicles  of  all  descrip- 
tions, owned  by  uncouth  individuals,  who  asked  us  the  news  from  Mel- 
bourne, and  ridiculed  us  when  we  said  that  we  didn't  know  the  price 
of  ale  and  beer,  or  what  flour  was  worth  per  ton. 

As  we  advanced  towards  the  mining  district,  the  road  was  filled  with 
people  flocking  that  way,  while  hundreds  were  on  their  return  to  Mel- 
bourne or  Sydney. 

Wan,  ghastly  looking  men  were  groaning  upon  the  bottom  of  carts 
destitute  of  springs.  Others,  hardly  able  to  lift  their  feet,  were  stag- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  233 

gering  along  for  some  city  where  they  could  receive  the  attentions  of  a 
physician,  being  too  poor  to  employ  one  at  the  mines,  and  too  destitute 
to  ride  towards  civilization. 

Occasionally  we  saw  a  poor  wretch  by  the  roadside,  who  had  appar- 
ently lain  down  to  die,  too  exhausted  to  proceed  upon  his  journey ; 
while  others  hailed  us,  and  begged  us,  in  God's  name,  for  a  swallow  of 
wine,  or  other  stimulant,  to  cheer  them  on  their  way. 

Long  before  we  reached  Ballarat  our  slender  stock  of  liquors  was  ex- 
hausted, and  yet  we  had  not  administered  to  the  wants  of  one  half  of 
those  who  sought  aid.  Indeed,  had  we  listened  to  all  who  begged,  our 
provisions  would  also  have  disappeared,  and  we  should  have  had  to 
trust  to  our  purses  to  replenish  our  supply. 

Smith  was  an  old  campaigner  in  these  regions,  and  checked  our  gen- 
erosity,' by  giving  us  a  few  words  of  advice,  which  we  afterwards  found 
were  correct. 

On  we  went,  the  road  growing  worse  and  worse  as  we  advanced,  and 
as  the  wheels  sunk  into  the  deep  ruts,  I  thought  the  wagon  would  be 
shattered  to  pieces  in  the  struggle  to  extricate  it.  Dozens  of  teams 
were  stuck,  and  despite  the  yells  and  curses  of  the  drivers,  the  tired 
cattle  refused  to  move. 

Smith's  oxen,  the  freshest  and  strongest  we  had  seen  on  the  road, 
were  often  borrowed  to  give  distressed  teamsters  a  lift,  so  that  our  prog- 
ress was  rather  slow ;  and  it  was  not  until  five  o'clock  that  we  entered 
the  town  of  Ballarat,  and  passed  along  the  main  street,  which  was 
graced  with  huts  and  tents  of  rough  boards,  on  each  side. 

On  we  went,  passing  the  "  Melbourne  Saloon,"  the  "  Sydney  Saloon," 
the  "  London  Hotel,"  the  "  American  Hotel,"  the  "  Californians'  Re- 
treat," and  numbers  of  other  tents,  decorated  with  huge  letters  of  black 
paint,  and  all  setting  forth  .the  peculiar  merits  which  each  offered  to 
the  weary  traveller. 

At  one  place,  we  were  told  that  real  London  porter  could  be  obtained 
for  ten  shillings  per  bottle ;  and  at  another,  that  XX  ale  was  selling  for 
only  one  shilling  per  glass. 

Signs  innumerable  greeted  our  eyes.  Doctors,  who  informed  the 
public  that  their  charges  were  only  one  pound  per  visit,  cash  in  advance 
to  save  trouble ;  carpenters,  who  offered  to  build  houses  at  the  cheap- 
est rate ;  carriers,  willing  to  freight  goods  to  any  part  of  Australia,  and 
would  not  guarantee  a  safe  delivery  —  all  these  were  passed  by  without 
attracting  any  attention,  although  the  scene  was  one  of  novelty  and  ex- 
citement to  us. 

We  gained  a  portion  of  the  town  that  was  comparatively  clear  of 
tents,  and  near  a  stream  of  water.  Here  Smith  thought  we  had  better 
stop ;  and  tired,  and  perhaps  homesick,  we  pitched  our  tent,  and  ate 
our  first  supper  at  the  mines  of  Ballarat. 

20* 


234  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OK 

CHAPTER    XXXIV. 

THE  BULLY  OF  BALLARAT. —  FRED  FIGHTS  A  DUEL. 

HORSE  stealing  is  not  regarded  as  a  very  serious  crime,  I  regret  to 
say,  in  Australia.  There  is  a  certain  class  of  people  who  make  no 
scruple  of  borrowing  an  animal  without  the  owner's  consent,  and  if 
great  objection  is  made  to  such  a  proceeding,  a  resort  to  firearms 
quickly  settles  the  matter,  generally  to  the  disadvantage  of  the  remon- 
strant. 

The  mines  are  overrun  with  ruffians,  who  have  no  fear  of  law,  and 
can  only  be  kept  in  awe  by  courage  superior  to  their  own.  Of  this  we 
were  quickly  made  acquainted,  as  we  were  considered,  by  the  old  resi- 
dents, green,  having  but  recently  arrived,  and  not  yet  learned  the  mys- 
teries of  BallaraL 

The  first  case  occurred  even  before  we  had  finished  our  supper,  and 
perhaps  gave  us  a  better  insight  into  the  manners  and  customs  of  the 
miners  than  we  could  have  otherwise  learned  for  months. 

I  have  already  said  that  Fred  and  myself  rode  two  fine  horses,  for- 
merly owned  by  the  police  department  of  Melbourne.  The  animals, 
owing  to  the  care  which  we  had  taken  of  them  during  our  journey,  were 
in  capital  order,  and  worth  full  as  much  money  as  when  we  first  pur- 
chased them. 

As  we  had  understood  that  horseflesh  was  scarce  and  dear  at  the 
mines,  we  had  determined  to  hold  on  to  the  brutes  for  a  few  days,  and 
then,  if  we  liked  Ballarat,  and  were  disposed  to  locate  there,  we  had 
resolved  to  sell  them,  to  save  expense  of  keeping  —  no  inconsiderable 
item,  where  to  turn  a  horse  out  to  pasture  was  to  lose  sight  of  him  for- 
ever, and  where  barley  was  worth  about  ten  dollars  a  hundred. 

We  were  leisurely  sipping  our  coffee,  after  looking  to  the  comfort  of 
the  animals,  having  fed  and  rubbed  them  down,  and  allowed  them  to 
drink  their  fill  of  water,  when  a  thick-set,  black-bearded  man,  evidently 
partially  intoxicated,  came  swaggering  towards  us.  He  wore  a  blue 
flannel  shirt,  open  at  the  neck,  exposing  a  chest  brawny  enough  for 
Hercules ;  and  around  his  waist  was  a  leather  belt,  such  as  is  worn  by 
sailors  on  shipboard.  In  the  belt  was  a  long  knife  on  one  side,  and  on 
the  other  a  pistol  of  mammoth  dimensions ;  but  it  looked  to  me  as 
though  more  dangerous  to  the  holder  than  the  one  who  stood  before  it, 
for  the  stock  was  broken,  and  the  barrel  rusty  and  neglected. 

Thus  equipped,  the  ruffian — -for  we  could  see  that  he  was  a  ruffian  in 
every  movement  and  in  every  line  of  his  animal  face  —  swaggered  towards 
us,  nodded  to  Smith  in  a  patronizing  manner,  and  after  a  broad  stare 
of  half-defiance  and  half- wonder  at  Fred  and  myself, — an  act  of  imperti- 
nence of  which  we  took  no  notice, — he  began  examining  the  animals  as 
though  he  was  a  connoisseur  in  horseflesh. 

We  apparently  paid  no  attention  to  his  movements,  and  continued 
discussing  our  private  affairs,  and  sipping  our  coffee.  Rover,  who  was 
sharing  our  meal,  once  or  twice  showed  his  teeth,  and  manifested  a  dis- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  235 

position  to  commence  hostilities ;  but  we  silenced  him,  and  thought  that 
we  would  let  the  fellow  operate  for  a  few  moments  without  remon- 
strance. 

"Who  is  he?"  we  asked  of  Smith. 

"  The  worst  man  in  Ballarat.  He  is  called  the  bully  of  the  mines, 
and  it  is  as  much  as  a  man's  life  is  worth  to  anger  him.  His  real 
name  is  Pete  Burley  ;  he  served  out  his  time  for  breaking  a  man's 
head  and  then  robbing  him,  in  London.  Say  nothing  to  him,  but  if 
he  speaks,  answer  him  civilly." 

This  was  all  spoken  in  a  tone  not  above  a  whisper,  and  we  began  to 
think  that  the  fellow  was  indeed  dangerous,  if  a  man  like  Smith  dis- 
played signs  of  fear  in  his  presence. 

After  Mr.  Pete  had  satisfied  himself  which  horse  possessed  the  best 
bottom,  he  turned  towards  us,  and  condescended  to  honor  us  with  his 
attention. 

"  Is  them  bosses  yourn  ?  "  he  inquired,  with  a  growl,  as  though  the 
effort  of  asking  a  question  was  painful. 

Fred  intimated  that  they  belonged  to  us,  and  that  he  considered 
them,  confidentially,  fine  animals. 

"  I  want  to  use  this  ere  one,  to-night ;  where's  the  saddle  and  fixins  ?  " 

"  Let  him  have  the  animal,"  whispered  Smith,  without  raising  his 
eyes  ;  "  it's  better  than  having  trouble  with  him." 

The  advice  was  intended  for  our  benefit,  but  the  Yankee  blood  which 
coursed  through  Fred's  veins  was  opposed  to  such  an  inglorious  acqui- 
escence. 

"  You  don't  intend  to  take  the  animal  without  asking  our  consent,  do 
you?"  inquired  Fred,  mildly. 

The  ruffian  actually  looked  astonished,  and  for  a  moment  did  not  re- 
ply, so  bewildered  did  he  seem. 

"  Have  you  told  them  fellers  who  I  is  ?  "  asked  Pete,  appealing  to 
Smith. 

"  I  don't  think  that  I  have,"  replied  Smith,  hurriedly  ;  "  it's  all  right, 
Pete ;  you  can  have  the  horse,  if  you  want  him." 

"  If  it's  all  right,  I've  no  more  to  say ;  but  if  it's  not  all  right,  I  can 
make  it  right,  d — d  quick,"  the  ruifian  said,  still  looking  towards 
us,  as  though  he  should  like  to  see  a  little  opposition,  just  for  the  sake 
of  showing  us  who  he  really  was. 

"  My  friend,  here,"  said  Fred,  pointing  to  Smifh,  "  is  slightly  mistaken 
in  what  he  says.  I  own  the  horse  you  have  selected  for  a  ride,  and  I 
have  objections  against  loaning  him  to  strangers.  You  can't  have 
him." 

Fred  was  as  cool  as  ever  I  saw  him  in  my  life.  He  reached  over  to 
the  coffee-pot  while  he  was  speaking,  and  deliberately  helped  himself 
to  coffee,  sweetened  it  to  his  fancy,  and  then  drank  it,  without  showing 
the  least  agitation. 

To  my  surprise,  the  ruffian,  instead  of  answering  Fred's  speech,  burst 
into  an  uncontrollable  fit  of  laughter,  which  lasted  for  some  min- 
utes. 

"  If  this  'ere  ain't  jolly !  "  he  said,  after  recovering  his  breath  ;  "  why, 
you  fools,  don't  you  know  me  ?  hain't  you  ever  heard  of  me  afore  ?  I'm 
Pete  Burley,  the  bully  of  Ballarat,  and  can  lick  any  two  men  in  the 


236  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

mines !     Bah,  greenies,  don't  be  putting  on  airs  afore  you've  been  in 
this  ere  town  two  hours.     Where's  this  boss's  bridle  ?  " 

w  I  have  told  you  once,"  replied  Fred,  a  small,  red  spot  beginning  to 
appear  on  each  cheek,  "  that  the  animal  is  not  at  your  disposal.  We 
are  strangers  here,  it  is  true,  but  we  are  not  disposed  to  be  imposed  upon." 

"  Now,  I've  half  a  mind  to  hammer  the  whole  party  till  you're  black 
and  blue,  and  then  drive  you  from  the  mines.  Why,  you  fools,  who 
am  I  ?  what  do  you  take  me  for  ?  am  I  a  fighting  man  or  not  ?  "  roared 
the  ruffian,  his  eyes  beginning  to  grow  bloodshot,  and  his  bloated  face 
livid  with  rage. 

By  this  time,  a  large  number  of  idlers  began  to  gather  around,  ancj 
listen  to  the  altercation  of  words.  None  of  them  seemed  disposed  to 
interfere,  although  I  saw  that  the  mass  were  too  much  under  the  influ- 
ence of  Bully  to  say  a  word  in  our  favor,  while  half  a  dozen  sycophant 
curs  boldly  encouraged  him  in  his  course  of  aggression,  and  whispered 
to  each  other,  that  we  should  soon  knuckle  into  "  nuggets,"  when  the 
bully  got  fairly  awakened. 

We  paid  no  attention  to  the  crowd,  but  continued  to  keep  our  seats 
and  sip  our  coffee ;  but  when  we  saw  that  Pete  was  determined  to  carry 
off'  the  horse  at  any  rate,  we  concluded  that  it  was  time  to  interfere  iq 
earnest. 

The  bully  had  begun  to  unfasten  the  halter  which  held  the  horse, 
when  Fred  and  myself  rose  to  our  feet.  The  crowd  kept  at  a  respect^ 
ful  distance,  for  they  knew  that  Bully  was  a  man  who  did  not  stop  to 
consider  who  were  for  or  against  him,  when  in  a  rage,  and  that  he  had 
been  known  to  discharge  a  pair  of  pistols  in  the  midst  of  a  party  ol 
friends,  if  he  felt  that  it  was  necessary  to  keep  up  his  reputation  for 
fierceness  and  decision.  Under  such  circumstances,  there  is  but  little 
cause  to  wonder  why  men  were  not  disposed  to  press  forward  for  the 
purpose  of  listening  and  offering  assistance. 

•  As  I  said  before,  Pete  had  begun  to  untie  the  halter,  and  the  crowd 
applauded  in  approbation  of  his  firmness.  He  held  the  strap  in  one 
hand,  when  Fred  and  myself,  followed  by  Smith  at  a  short  distance, 
reached  the  spot. 

"  I  have  told  you  once,  that  you  cannot  have  my  horse ! "  cried  Fred, 
firmly  and  decidedly ;  "  will  you  have  the  extreme  goodness  to  let  him 
alone?" 

"  Look  here,  you  cussed  counter-jumper,"  roared  the  bully  ;  "  if  you 
utter  another  word,  I'll  make  you  eat  the  boss  and  saddle,  and  then  boot 
you  out  of  town  in  the  bargain.  I'm  going  to  have  a  ride ;  so  stand 
aside,  and  don't  interfere  with  me." 

He  was  walking  off  with  the  animal,  when  Fred  laid  his  hand  upon 
the  halter.  The  ruffian  turned  suddenly,  and  aimed  a  blow  at  Fred's , 
head  that  would  have  crushed  his  skull,  had  he  not  quickly  avoided  it, 
and  allowed  the  huge  fist  to  pass  within  a  few  inches  of  his  face. 

The  impetus  of  the  blow  turned  the  bully  half  round,  so  that  he  ex- 
actly faced  Fred,  and  for  a  moment  he  was  off  his  guard ;  that  oppor- 
tunity was  improved  by  my  friend,  who  saw  his  advantage. 

Quick  as  lightning,  I  saw  Fred's  right  hand  raised,  and  with  a  "  square 
shoulder  hit,"  such  as  would  have  felled  an  ox,  he  let  it  fall  full  upon 
Bully's  face. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  237 

I  saw  the  dark  blood  spurt  out  from  beneath  the  eye  of  Pete,  and  I 
heard  a  crunching  sound,  as  though  bones  were  broken  ;  but  before  I  had 
time  to  think,  the  ruffian  staggered,  swung  his  arms  aloft,  and  pitched 
heavily  to  the  earth. 

"  By  G — d,  that  was  a  Yankee  blow,"  yelled  a  rough-looking  genius, 
who  had  regarded  the  scene  with  great  composure  during  the  war  of 
words.  "  Them  fellers  is  Yankees,  and  my  countrymen,  and  they  is  go- 
ing to  have  fair  play  if  I  can  get  it.  Stand  back,  all  of  you,  and  let  us 
have  this  thing  out.  Bob,"  our  new  ally  said,  speaking  to  a  friend, 
"  you  just  run  down  to  the  Californe  Saloon,  and  tell  the  boys  a  Yan- 
kee is  in  trouble,  and  needs  help  ;  and  mind  and  tell  'urn  that  they 
needn't  stop  to  draw  the  charge  of  their  revolvers." 

The  person  addressed  as  Bob  hastened  from  the  spot ;  but  before  I 
could  reward  our  new  friend  with  a  word  of  thanks,  Pete,  who  had  lain 
as  if  stunned  for  a  few  moments,  began  to  show  signs  of  reviving. 

"  We  must  look  out  for  his  pistol,"  said  our  rough  friend,  stepping 
from  the  crowd,  and  approaching  me.  "  He  will  be  certain  to  use  it  if 
he  is  not  too  groggy." 

The  words  were  prophetic ;  for  hardly  had  the  fallen  man  looked  around, 
after  rubbing  his  eye,  when  the  whole  transaction  appeared  to  flash 
upon  his  mind. 

"  I  have  been  struck,"  he  yelled,  springing  to  his  feet,  and  stamping 
the  ground  in  his  rage.  "  Where  is  the  man  that  dared  to  lay  a  hand 
upon  me  ?  Show  him  to  me,  and  his  blood  shall  run  like  water." 

"  Put  up  your  pistol,  Pete,"  said  our  new  friend,  laying  his  hand  upon 
that  weapon,  which  Bur  ley  had  drawn,  and  was  about  to  cock.  "  You 
begun  this  'ere  quarrel,  and  you  are  not  going  to  use  the  barkers  with- 
out giving  the  other  side  a  chance.  Is  it  a  regular  stand  up  and  take 
match  that  you  want,  or  do  you  like  ten  paces  better?  If  you  are  for- 
fight,  you  can  be  accommodated  ;  but  the  fellow  that  fires  the  first  shot, 
without  a  signal,  dies,  if  there's  any  virtue  in  a  revolver." 

"  A  fight,  a  fight,"  yelled  the  outsiders,  and  even  while  they  were 
cheering,  I  saw  a  dozen  or  twenty  brawny-limbed  fellows  break  through 
the  crowd  and  rush  into  the  ring. 

"  We  just  got  word  from  you,  Charley,  that  an  American  wanted  fair 
play.  Who  is  he  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  new  comers  ;  and  by  his  pecu- 
liar dialect,  I  knew  him  for  a  native  of  did  Vermont. 

"  These  two  'Mericans  have  been  pitched  into  by  Pete  Burley,  'cos 
they  won't  let  him  have  their  hoss.  I  happened  'long  and  saw  the 
whole  of  it,  and  I  tell  you  it  was  butfully  done,  and  no  mistake.  The 
Yankee  give  him  Jesse,  and  yet  he  fetched  him  only  one  winder." 

"  We'll  stick  by  you,  and  no  mistake,"  cried  our  generous  countryman, 
standing  between  the  bully  and  Fred,  for  fear  that  the  former  should  do 
him  some  harm.  "  The  fellow  is  a  nuisance,  and  ought  to  be  kicked 
from  the  mines,  for  he  makes  his  living  by  sponging  and  stealing." 

"  Come,  Burley,"  cried  the  American  addressed  as  Charley,  "  is  it  a 
fair  stand  up  fight  that  you  want,  or  an  exchange,  of  shots?  Our 
countryman  will  accommodate  you  with  either,  I  have  no  doubt." 

"  I  want  his  blood ;  d him,  I'll  have  his  heart  out  of  him,"  yelled 

the  ruffian,  who  was  also  surrounded  by  a  small  circle  of  admirers.     "  He 
nas  struck  me,  and  I  want  revenge." 


238  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Well,  don't  cry  about  it,"  cried  Charley,  quite  jocular.  "  I  suppose 
that  there  will  be  no  trouble  in  satisfying  you.  What  say  ?  shall  I  make 
arrangements  for  a  meeting,  so  that  you  can  have  a  pop  at  each  other  ?  " 
he  continued,  addressing  Fred. 

"  The  fact  of  it  is,"  Charley  said,  dropping  his  voice  to  a  whisper, 
"  the  fellow  is  a  bloodthirsty  wretch,  and  has  committed  more  than 
half  a  dozen  murders,  yet  they  cannot  be  brought  home  to  him.  You 
have  struck  him,  and  he  will  take  your  life  on  the  first  opportunity. 
You  had  better  shoot  him,  and  get  him  out  of  the  way.  I  will  explain 
the  matter  to  the  government  inspector,  and  there  will  be  nothing  said 
about  the  matter." 

"  But  you  forget  that  the  ruffian  may  shoot  me,"  replied  Fred,  with  a 
smile. 

"  Well,  the  fact  of  it  is,  I  disremembered  that.  But  111  tell  you  what 
I  will  do,  if  you  think  it  will  be  of  any  consolation  to  you.  If  he  hits 
you,  I'll  challenge  him,  and  revenge  your  loss." 

"  I  am  much  obliged  to  you,  certainly,"  Fred  replied ;  "  but  I  won't 
request  you  to  put  your  life  in  danger  on  my  account.  If  you  think  I 
am  bound  to  give  satisfaction  for  the  blow,  please  act  in  connection  with 
my  friend  as  my  second." 

"  We'll  arrange  it,  never  fear,"  Charley  said,  with  great  readiness,  as 
though  the  meeting  was  one  of  the  most  natural  things  in  the  world. 

Cowards  are  always  fickle,  and  can  be  swayed  by  good  or  bad  suc- 
cess. Those  who  a  few  minutes  before  were  silent,  or  encouraged  the 
English  bully  in  his  course,  now  left  his  ranks,  arrayed  themselves  upon 
our  side,  and  many  a  hand,  rough  and  hard  with  toil,  was  stretched  out 
for  us  to  grasp  and  receive  congratulations. 

"  Faith,  Mr.  Yankee,"  whispered  a  Hibernian  to  Fred,  "  ef  ye  can 
kill  the  divil,  do  so  wid  all  your  heart,  for  a  bigger  thief  never  lived. 
He  stole  me  boots  day  afore  yesterday,  and  the  spalpeen  refuses  to  re- 
turn 'um." 

"  He  licked  me  last  week,"  said  another,  in  an  under  tone,  "and  if 
you  think  you  can  afford  to  beat  him  for  a  pound,  I'll  give  it,  readily." 

"  When  you  aim  at  him,  be  sure  to  fire  a  second  afore  the  word  is 
given,"  cried  another  new,  but  not  very  conscientious  friend.  "  It's  a 
trick  the  bully  is  up  to,  and  it's  that  way  he  treated  poor  Billy  Hanes, 
who  accused  him  of  stealing  his  dust.  Do  as  I  bid  you,  and  you'll  be 
all  right." 

"  We've  fixed  it,"  cried  California  Charley,  as  he  was  called  by  the 
crowd,  interrupting  the  confidential  advice  which  Fred  was  receiving. 
"  We  have  concluded  to  let  Bur  ley  have  a  shot  to  heal  his  wounded 
honor,  as  he  calls  his  black  eye.  A  devilish  bad  looking  peeper  he  has 
got.  and  a  stunning  blow  you  must  have  given  him  to  have  produced 
such  an  effect." 

"  When  is  it  to  come  off?"  I  asked,  almost  trembling  for  Fred. 

"  We  have  decided  that  it  shall  take  place  immediately,  'cos  it  would 
be  cruel  to  disappoint  the  crowd  assembled.  They  expect  a  duel,  and 
we  must  gratify  them.  If  you  are  successful,  you  will  be  the  most  pop- 
ular man  in  Ballarat,  and  there  is  no  knowing  what  is  in  store  for  you." 

"  What  weapons  are  we  to  use  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Revolvers,  to  be  sure.     I've  promised  to  let  the  fellow  use  mine  for 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  230 

the  sake  of  placing  him  on  an  equality  with  you.  I  see  that  you  have  a 
revolver,  so  that  I  know  you  will  be  able  to  shoot  better  with  it  than  a 
strange  pistol.  But  remember,  we  have  no  fooling  about  the  affair.  I 
never  stand  second  for  a  man  unless  he  tries  to  win,  and  I  should  hate 
to  think  that  you  were  foolish  enough  to  throw  away  your  fire.  Do  you 
kill  him  the  first  time,  or  he  will  kill  you." 

Fred  thanked  our  countryman  for  his  advice,  and  for  a  moment  we 
conferred  together  apart. 

"  The  same  directions  which  I  gave  you  when  I  was  compelled  to 
fight  my  first  duel,  will  answer  for  this,"  Fred  said.  "  If  any  thing 
should  happen,  don't  let  me  be  buried  near  this  place.  Carry  my  body 
to  the  old  convict's  hut,  and  let  me  be  interred  there  by  the  side  of 
the  stream." 

I  promised,  although  there  were  tears  in  my  eyes  and  a  choking  sen- 
sation in  my  throat,  as  I  did  so. 

"  Don't  give  way  to  any  weakness,  here,"  Fred  whispered.  "  Re- 
member that  the  eyes  of  a  thousand  people  are  upon  us.  Let  them 
see  that  we  possess  the  true  Yankee  grit." 

He  squeezed  my  hand  as  he  spoke,  and  the  next  instant  I  was  re- 
stored to  my  usual  calmness,  as  far  as  the  prying  eyes  which  were  fas- 
tened upon  us  could  discover. 

"  Am  I  to  be  kept  waiting  all  day  for  the  young  feller  to  say  his  pray- 
ers ?  "  roared  the  bully,  who  began  to  grow  impatient  for  blood. 

"  Don't  let  him  call  again,"  said  Charley ;  "  if  he  does,  the  people 
will  think  we  are  rather  backward  to  meet  him.  Sympathy  is  now  all 
on  our  side,  and  we  must  not  lose  it." 

"  I  am  ready,"  replied  Fred,  after  a  brief  inspection  of  his  revolver. 

"  That's  right  —  are  you  certain  that  those  caps  are  not  damp  ?  Do 
you  want  any  thing  ?  Can  I  do  any  thing  for  you  ?  " 

With  these  questions,  and  half  a  dozen  others  in  the  same  breath, 
which  Charley  asked  as  rapidly  as  though  there  was  not  a  moment  to 
spare,  Fred  was  conducted  near  his  adversary,  who  uttered  an  exclama- 
tion when  he  saw  him,  that  was  intended  far  an  intimidation. 

"  Where  shall  I  hit  the  d d  Yankee  ?  "  he  cried,  brandishing  his 

pistol.  "  I'll  pepper  him  just  where  you  tell  me  to,  and  afterwards  we'll 
drink  his  speedy  passage  to " 

The  balance  of  the  exclamation  was  so  shocking  that  his  only  friend 
checked  him  by  asking  if  his  pistol  was  well  loaded. 

"  It's  loaded  well  enough  to  kill  that  d d  pup.  I  say,  what  9 

joke  it  will  be !  I  kill  a  d d  Yankee  with  a  Yankee's  pistol.  I  sup- 
pose they  want  to  thin  the  breed  off." 

The  bully's  words,  instead  of  intimidating  Fred,  had  a  contrary  effect, 
for  I  saw  by  his  eyes  that  his  mind  was  made  up,  and  all  feeling  of  com- 
passion was  banished  from  his  bosom. 

"  You're  to  stand  off  twenty  paces,"  Charley  said,  speaking  to  Fred ; 
"  I  had  some  thoughts  of  making  the  distance  less,  but  I  was  afraid  to 
trust  you  so  near,  considering  that  you  are  a  new  beginner." 

Fred  glanced  at  me  and  smiled.  The  Californian  little  thought  that 
he  was  acting  as  second  to  a  man  whose  reputation  as  a  hunter  of  bush- 
rangers was  the  theme  of  every  miner's  discourse,  and  that  the  news- 
papers of  Australia  had  spread  our  fame  all  over  the  island. 


240  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"You  need  not  fear  that  I  shall  disgrace  your  patronage,"  Fred  said. 
u  I  have  seen  an  enemy's  front  before  to-day." 

"  Gad,  I  begin  to  think  that  you  have,"  Charley  cried,  noticing  that 
his  man  displayed  no  sign  of  tremulousness. 

"  Stand  one  side,  gentlemen,"  cried  the  Californian.  "  Our  men  are 
going  to  fire." 

"  Let  me  get  in  front  of  them  —  that's  the  safest  place,"  roared  out 
some  joker. 

"  It's  pluck  the  Yankee  is,"  cried  our  Hibernian  friend.  "  See,  he 
don't  look  a  bit  like  running  away." 

"Five  to  one  that  Burley  hits  at  the  first  fire,"  cried  a  sporting  man. 

"  Done,"  yelled  the  Irishman.  "  How  much  does  ye  wish  to  come 
down  ?  " 

"  Five  pound  to  two  that  neither  is  killed  at  the  first  fire,"  roared 
another. 

"  Make  it  mortally  wounded,  and  Jim's  your  customer,"  replied  an 
anxious  miner,  producing  his  small  bag  of  gold  to  cover  the  stake. 

"  I'll  go  this  nugget  that  the  Yankee  hits  his  man  at  the  first  fire," 
cried  one  fellow,  holding  up  a  lump  of  virgin  gold  as  large  as  a  hen's 
egg- 

"  I'll  take  it  —  I'll  take  it,"  a  number  of  voices  replied,  and  straight- 
way there  was  a  rush  towards  him. 

"  Jim,"  cried  our  bully  opponent,  "  do  you  go  into  the  crowd  and 
take  a  few  bets  on  my  account,  as  I  am  in  want  of  money,  and  after 
I've  killed  this  young  sprig  of  insolence,  I  intend  to  go  on  a  spree. 
Take  all  the  odds  offered." 

I  saw  no  one  accept  of  the  mission,  so  I  concluded  that  the  ruffian's 
words  were  merely  intended  as  capital  for  the  crowd,  accessions  to  which 
were  constantly  increasing. 

"  Qome,"  said  Fred,  speaking  to  Charley  ;  "  let  us  have  this  concluded 
as  soon  as  possible,  or  the  whole  town  of  Ballarat  will  be  here  to  wit- 
ness it." 

"  That  is  just  what  I  want,"  replied  our  new-found  friend,  with  great 
coolness.  "  If  you  are  fortunate  enough  to  kill  the  bully,  —  and  I  am 
sure  I  hope  you  will  be,  —  every  one  who  sees  him  fall  will  swear  that 
the  fight  was  a  beautiful  one,  and  that  every  thing  was  perfectly  fair  and 
just ;  while  those  who  did  not,  will  vow  that  murder  has  been  commit- 
ted, and  urge  the  commissioner  to  arrest  you.  It's  a  great  satisfaction 
sometimes  to  see  a  duel,  and  it's  only  right  and  proper  that  as  many  as 
possible  should  be  gratified  with  the  sport." 

"  But  it  appears  to  me  that  the  population  of  the  town  is  all  here 
now,"  remonstrated  Fred. 

"  There's  where  you  are  mistaken,"  replied  Charley ;  "  the  news  has 
hardly  reached  the  miners  in  the  shafts,  and  that  class  of  people  will 
feel  deeply  grieved  unless  they  are  among  the  spectators." 

"  There  comes  a  gang  of  men,"  I  said,  calling  the  Californian's  at. 
tention  to  thirty  or  forty,  who,  to  judge  by  soiled  garments,  had  just 
come  from  the  bowels  of  the  earth. 

"  Yes,  there  are  some  of  the  underground  miners,  and  a  rough  set 
they  are.  Will  you  hurry  up  ?  "  Charley  shouted,  "  or  are  we  to  wait 
here  all  night  ?  " 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  241 

"  Why  weren't  we  called  afore  ?  "  asked  one  of  the  party.  "  This 
don't  look  like  the  old  style  of  doing  things,  I  must  say." 

"  I  got  word  to  you  as  quick  as  I  could,  and  what  more  can  I  do  ? 
\t's  all  owing  to  me  that  you  got  an  invite  at  all.  This  young  feller 
don't  know  our  customs,  and  wanted  to  bang  away  afore  any  one  was 
here,"  replied  my  assistant  second. 

"  Did  you  tell  him  how  we  managed  things  ? "  asked  the  leading 
miner,  gravely,  as  though  a  breach  of  etiquette  had  been  committed  of 
the  rudest  kind. 

"  Of  course  I  did,"  replied  Charley,  with  alacrity.  "  You  don't  think 
I'd  forget  my  duty  ?  " 

"  And  what  answer  did  the  young  feller  make  ?  "  inquired  the  miner, 
as  though  a  great  deal  was  attached  to  Fred's  reply. 

"  He  said  that  he  was  ready  to  comply  with  the  customs  of  Ballarat, 
and  that  he  would  wait  a  fortnight,  if  necessary,  to  allow  the  shaft 
miners  to  get  out  to  see  the  fun." 

"  He  said  that,  did  he  ?  "  asked  the  spokesman,  nodding  his  head  with 
pleasure. 

"  Of  course  he  did ;  and  let  me  tell  you  he  is  one  of  'em,"  Charley 
exclaimed,  with  enthusiasm. 

"  I  believe  ye,  and  the  fight  can  go  on  without  any  further  delay,  after 
I've  filled  my  pipe  and  lighted  it." 

We  watched  the  miner  as  he  slowly  cut  his  tobacco  and  stuffed  it  into 
his  pipe,  and  then,  with  great  deliberation,  sheltered  it  with  his  hands 
while  he  lighted  it  with  a  match. 

"  Now  I'm  comfortable  —  let  the  fight  go  on." 

As  soon  as  the  miner,  who  appeared  to  have  great  authority  over  the 
crowd,  uttered  these  words,  there  was  a  scattering  on  every  side  to  get 
out  of  range  of  the  bullets.  The  people  fell  back  and  left  the  two  prin- 
cipals with  their  seconds  in  a  double  line,  which  extended  for  some  dis- 
tance. 

"  Let  us  shake  hands  again,"  said  Fred,  as  the  two  men  were  brought 
into  position.  "You,  too,  Smith,  are  entitled  to  my  thanks,  and  a 
farewell." 

"Don't  say  that  —  God  knows  I  did  all  that  I  could  to  keep  you 
apart." 

"  I  know  that  you  did,"  replied  Fred,  with  a  smile ;  "  but  we  have  no 
time  to  talk  of  such  matters.  Stand  one  side,  for  I  see  the  crowd  and 
my  opponent  are  impatient  to  smell  blood." 

Smith  fell  back,  and  I  slowly  and  reluctantly  followed  him. 

"  Gentlemen,"  cried  the  Californian,  taking  his  station  about  midway 
between  the  principals,  "  you  are  .to  fire  when  I  say  '  fire,'  and  not  be- 
fore. The  man  who  discharges  his  pistol  before  the  word  is  given  shall 
get  the  contents  of  half  a  dozen  different  revolvers." 

This  piece  of  intelligence  appeared  to  disconcert  Burley,  for  he  whis- 
pered to  his  second,  and  they  glanced  suspiciously  towards  the  crowd. 

"  There'll  be  no  firing  afore  the  time  at  this  fight,"  I  heard  the  man 
Bay  who  had  requested  us  to  be  on  the  watch  for  the  bully. 

"  Now,  then,  gentlemen,  are  you  ready  ?  "  asked  Charley. 
_  "  Ready  for  half  an  hour  past,  'cos  I've  got  to  be  at  old  Steve's  at 
eight  o'clock,"  returned  Burley. 

21 


242  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

The  crowd  cheered  him  for  his  spunk,  as  they  termed  it,  and  when 
Fred  only  bowed  to  the  question,  and  pulled  his  hat  a  little  more  over 
his  eyes,  the  Californian's  party  applauded. 

"  Now,  then,  remember  what  I  told  you.     Are  you  ready  ?  " 

Both  men  cocked  their  pistols,  and  aimed  as  though  they  meant  mis- 
chief. 

"  Fire ! "  thundered  the  Californian. 

I  heard  a  bullet  whiz  past  me,  and  I  saw  that  Fred  stood  firm  upou 
his  legs,  and  then  I  had  just  time  to  look  towards  the  bully  to  see  bin1- 
give  a  spring  upward  and  fall  heavily  upon  his  face.  The  earth  fairly 
shook  as  he  struck  it. 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

BALLAKAT  CUSTOMS,  AFTER  A  DUEL. 

A  WILD  cheer,  whether  of  joy  or  rage  I  could  not  tell,  burst  from  the 
crowd  as  Burley  fell.  The  vacant  space  which  had  been  kept  clear  for 
duelling  was  filled  at  once  by  a  struggling  mass  of  people,  all  pressing 
towards  the  fallen  bully  to  learn  the  result  of  his  injuries. 

Amidst  all  the  confusion  and  struggling,  our  California  friends  man- 
aged to  keep  close  to  us,  as  though  to  afford  protection  in  case  we  were 
molested  by  adherents  of  Burley.  But  no  one  appeared  to  assail  us, 
while  hundreds  rushed  up  and  shook  our  hands,  and  congratulated  us 
on  the  result  of  the  fight. 

"  It's  well  ye  did  it,  by  gar,"  cried  our  Hibernian  acquaintance ;  "  niver 
fear  but  ye  is  all  right  now.  I'll  fight  for  ye,  mind,  for  faith,  I've  won 
a  nugget  on  ye." 

"  Take  your  men  off  the  ground,  Charley,"  said  the  stout  miner,  who 
appeared  to  exercise  such  unlimited  control  over  the  crowd.  "  Take 
'em  off,  and  if  they  is  wanted  we  know  where  to  find  'em." 

In  obedience  to  this  mandate  we  were  forced  off  the  ground  towards 
our  tent,  and  when  we  reached  it  we  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  news. 
Indeed,  we  found  some  trouble  in  keeping  people  out,  for  crowds  were 
wishing  to  get  a  sight  of  the  man  who  tamed  the  bully  of  Ballarat ;  and 
had  not  our  California  friends  reported  that  Fred  was  slightly  wounded 
and  desired  time  to  have  his  hurts  attended  to,  I  verily  believe  he  would 
have  been  paraded  round  the  town  on  the  shoulders  of  his  enthusiastic  ad- 
mirers. While  we  were  speculating  on  the  result  of  the  duel,  and  Fred 
was  congratulating  himself  on  getting  off  so  cheap,  Charley  rushed  in. 

"  Well,  how  much  injured  is  Burley?  "  I  asked. 

"  He  is  pretty  badly  hurt,  but  I  reckon  he'll  get  over  it.  The  shot 
hit  him  on  the  hip,  and  if  ever  he  does  get  well  he'll  be  troubled  in 
walking,  I  should  think." 

"  Then  there  is  a  prospect  of  his  recovering  ?  "  demanded  Fred,  anx- 
iously. 

*  Well,  I  should  think  there  was  a  right  smart  chance  of  his  getting 


A.  ©OLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  243 

on  his  pins  in  the  course  of  time.     It's  hard  killing  such  ugly  custom- 
ers, you  know." 

"  I  am  thankful  that  he  will  not  die  by  my  hand,"  replied  Fred,  with 
his  whole  heart. 

"  Well,  it's  just  as  one  fancies,  you  know.  Now  I  shouldn't  have 
thought  it  a  great  crime  had  the  old  scamp  been  peppered  right  through 
the  heart.  But,  how's  this  ?  " 

The  eyes  of  Charley  wandered  around  the  tent  as  though  he  saw 
something  that  excited  his  suspicions.  We  looked  at  him  with  aston- 
ishment. 

"  It  ain't  the  way  the  miners  have  been  accustomed  to  be  treated,  and 
I'm  sorry  that  I  had  any  thing  to  do  with  the  duel,  'cos  I'll  be  blamed," 
Charley  said,  shaking  his  head,  and  looking  as  mournful  as  though  he 
had  just  heard  of  the  death  of  his  grandfather. 

"  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  tell  us  what  you  disapprove  of,"  asked 
Fred,  anxiously. 

"  Well,  I  hope  that  I'll  be  acquitted  of  all  blame,  and  I  want  you  to 
say  so  when  the  influential  miners  make  their  appearance,"  our  new 
acquaintance  said,  still  shaking  his  head  and  muttering  to  himself. 

"  Pray,  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  repeated  Fred,  beginning  to  feel  a  little 
nervous  and  a  little  angry  at  the  same  time. 

"  Well,  I  suppose  you  knoAv  something  'bout  the  customs  of  the 
miners,  don't  you  ?  "  Charley  asked. 

"  I  know  nothing  about  your  customs  or  laws,  for  I've  been  in  Balla- 
rat  only  two  hours,  and  yet  I've  fought  a  duel  and  eaten  supper,  work 
enough  for  one  man,"  Fred  said. 

"  I  forgive  you,"  cried  Charley,  seizing  our  hands  and  shaking  them 
in  a  sudden  burst  of  friendship.  "  Say  no  more  —  I  forgive  you." 

"  For  Heaven's  sake,  what  have  I  done  that  deserves  forgiveness  on 
your  part  ?  "  demanded  Fred. 

;  Why,  didn't  you  know  that  on  occasions  like  these  'ere  the  survivor 


my  friend  Smith,  here,  who  has  made  many  trips 
to  Melbourne  and  the  mines,  ever  heard  of  it,"  replied  Fred. 

Smith  shook  his  head  to  intimate  that  he  was  in  blissful  ignorance, 
and 'just  then  one  of  the  Californians,  who  acted  as  doorkeeper,  put  his 
head  into  the  tent  and  shouted,  — 

"  They're  coming,  Charley ;  are  you  ready  for  'em  ?  " 

"  You  see,"  our  friend  said,  with  great  coolness,  "  that  something  to 
drink  is  exoected,  and  yet  we  have  nothing  to  offer.  What  are  we  to 
do?" 

"  What  have  you  been  accustomed  to  do  ? "  interrogated  Fred,  be- 
ginning to  think  that  he  had  fallen  among  queer  people,  his  countrymen 
included. 

"  Well,  a  gallon  or  two  of  gin,  or  the  same  amount  of  brandy,  has 
always  been  considered  as  about  right.  It  all  depends  on  a  man's  cir- 
cumstances. Now,  you,"  and  Charley  fixed  his  eyes  with  great  earnest- 
ness upon  Fred's  form  while  speaking,  "  I  calculate,  is  worth  something 
considerably  handsome,  and  can  afford  to  treat  the  boys  pretty  liberal." 


244  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Is  any  thing  more  customary  ?  "  asked  Fred,  with  a  slight  sneer. 

"  Well,  sometimes,  when  it's  a  pretty  bad  case,  I've  known  a  feller  to 
come  down  liberally  with  beer ;  but  of  course  you  can  do  as  you  please 
about  that.  They  sell  first  rate  at  the  Californe  saloon  —  new  tap,  just 
arrived,"  and  Charley's  eyes  sparkled  at  the  prospect  of  getting  a 
drink. 

"  Then,  perhaps,  as  I  and  my  friend  are  strangers  here,  you  will  do 
me  the  pleasure  of  acting  as  master  of  ceremonies,  and  order  what  you 
think  fit." 

"  But  you'll  pay  for  the  fixens,  you  know,"  our  friend  said,  with  true 
Yankee  sagacity ;  and  as  he  spoke  he  watched  narrowly  to  see  if  the 
money  was  forthcoming  to  back  up  the  request. 

"  Certainly,"  answered  Fred,  with  a  melancholy  smile  at  the  prospect 
before  him.  He  drew  from  his  pocket  a  number  of  gold  pieces  and 
handed  them  to  Charley,  who  clutched  them  with  avidity. 

"  I  say,  Bob,"  our  California  friend  exclaimed,  running  to  the  entrance 
of  the  tent;  "it's  all  right.  Tell  the  folks  to  wait,  and  we'll  have 
something  to  wet  their  whistles.  He's  come  down  handsomely,  and  no 
mistake." 

"  Any  orders  ?  "  asked  the  fellow  addressed  as  Bob. 

"  Yes,  indeed ;  go  down  to  my  place  and  tell  my  partner  that  we'll  be 
there  in  a  few  minutes,  and  that  we  intend  to  drink  him  dry  afore 
morning." 

"  A  pleasant  prospect,"  I  muttered,  in  an  undertone,  to  Fred.  "  It 
seems  that  the  fellow  is  proprietor  of  a  saloon,  and  is  determined  that 
we  shall  pay  him  for  his  trouble  by  drinking  all  that  he  has  got." 

Charley  intimated  that  he  would  show  us  the  way,  but  Fred  held 
back. 

"  Why  can't  you  drink  your  ale  without  my  presence  ? "  he  asked, 
impatiently. 

"  'Cos  we  don't  approve  of  haristocracy  here  in  Ballarat,  and  it  would 
make  the  miners  think  that  you  didn't  want  to  'sociate  with  'em.  It 
wouldn't  do." 

"  But  if  you  should  tell  them  that  I  am  slightly  injured,  and  need 
rest,  wouldn't  that  have  some  effect  ?  "  Fred  inquired,  driven  almost  to 
desperation. 

"  Well,  the  only  effect  it  would  have  you'd  be  obliged  to  receive  the 
folks  in  your  tent,  and  perhaps  that  would  not  be  agreeable.  But  you 
can  do  jist  as  you  please,  remember.  I've  been  at  Ballarat  for  six 
months,  and  I  should  think  I  know'd  the  ideas  and  habits  of  the  miners 
purty  well." 

"  For  Heaven's  sake,  let  us  go  to  your  place  without  delay,  and  get 
through  with  the  business.  I've  half  a  mind  to  turn  my  back  upon 
Ballarat  to-morrow,"  cried  Fred. 

"  You  won't  do  that,  I  reckon,  while  there's  so  much  of  the  root  of 
all  evil  in  the  ground.  Why,  I  s'pose  you  come  up  here  to  get  rich,  and 
you  is  going  jist  the  right  way  to  work  to  do  it.  To-morrow  you'll  be 
the  most  popular  man  in  the  mines,  and  there's  no  telling  what  the  boys 
may  do  for  you.  Perhaps  send  you  a  delegate  to  the  governor-general, 
to  ask  him  to  clip  off  the  taxes  which  we  have  to  pay  for  digging  gold. 
I  tell  you  there's  a  brilliant  future  before  you,  so  come  along." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  245 

We  could  not  resist  such  a  plea,  and,  followed  by  about  half  a  thou- 
sand miners,  teamsters,  and  idlers,  we  gained  the  saloon  owned  by  our 
friend,  which  proved  to  be  the  much  vaunted  "  Californian  Retreat." 

The  saloon  was  made  of  sail  cloth,  not  exactly  in  the  form  of  a  tent, 
for  a  slight  frame  was  visible  of  a  square  order,  and  to  the  joist  was  the 
cloth  tacked.  A  few  rough  boards,  evidently  taken  from  boxes,  formed 
the  bar,  or  counter,  and  half  a  dozen  shelves  were  nailed  up  behind  it, 
composed  of  the  same  material. 

On  the  shelves  were  a  dozen  or  more  black  bottles,  and  three  cracked 
tumblers  stood  upon  the  bar  ready  to  use.  A  pitcher  of  water,  that 
almost  steamed  with  heat,  was  arrayed  before  the  tumblers ;  but  that,  I 
imagine,  was  intended  as  an  ornament,  and  not  for  use,  for  I  did  not 
observe,  while  I  was  at  the  mines,  a  man  make  use  of  such  liquid  to 
qualify  his  liquor.  The  merchants  of  Melbourne  and  the  carriers  of 
freight  between  the  city  and  the  mines  saved  them  the  trouble. 

In  the  rear  part  of  the  saloon  was  a  good  sized  Yankee  stove,  black 
with  dirt  and  rust,  the  accumulation  of  many  days'  cooking,  during 
which  fried  pork  was  the  staple  article ;  and  it  was  evident  that  the 
presiding  genius  of  the  cuisine  department  had  been  regardless  of  how 
much  fat  was  spilled,  and  how  much  dirt  his  patrons  consumed. 

Three  or  four  berths,  near  the  stove,  shaped  like  those  found  in  the 
steerage  of  a  ship,  completes  a  description  of  every  thing  in  the  Cali- 
fornian Retreat  worthy  of  notice.  In  one  of  the  berths  I  noticed  a 
man  who  appeared  to  be  very  sick,  for  he  hardly  opened  his  eyes  when 
the  crowd  which  followed  us  to  the  saloon  rushed  in  in  a  disorderly 
manner. 

"  Well,"  said  our  friend  Charley,  rubbing  his  hands  with  an  air  of 
great  satisfaction,  and  glancing  around  his  premises,  "  this  looks  snug, 
don't  it?" 

"  Very,"  I  answered,  rather  dryly. 

"  You  won't  find  in  all  Ballarat  a  saloon  that  can  begin  to  compare 
with  this  in  point  of  neatness,  and  a  supply  of  all  the  luxuries  of  the 
season.  Our  liquors  are  first  rate,  and  no  mistake ;  and  although  we  is 
out  of  cigars,  we  have  got  some  of  the  juiciest  nigger-head  that  you 
ever  seed." 

The  miner,  who  appeared  to  exercise  such  sway  over  his  comrades, 
edged  his  way  through  the  crowd. 

"  I  came  here,"  he  said,  "  thinking  that  the  duel  feller  had  axed  us  to 
wet  our  whistles,  but  it  'pears  that  I  am  mistaken." 

The  speaker,  now  that  I  had  time  to  study  his  countenance  and  ap- 
pearance, I  found  was  a  man  nearly  six  feet  six  inches  high,  broad  across 
the  shoulders,  with  a  face  massive  and  determined,  yet  not  wanting  in- 
dications of  good  nature. 

"  Don't  be  in  such  a  stew,  Ben,"  cried  Charley,  rushing  towards  him, 
and  preventing  his  leaving  the  saloon.  "  The  thing  is  all  right.  The 
dueller  feller  pays  for  all,  and  we're  only  waiting  for  my  partner  to  roll 
in  a  keg  of  some  of  the  slickest  Yankee  whiskey  that  was  ever  made  in 
York  State,  I  tell  you." 

"  Is  that  so  ? "  asked  stout  Ben,  as  he  was  called,  and  his  face 
appeared  to  express  satisfaction  at  the  news.  "  That  is  r-e-1-i-a-b-l-e,  I 
•'pose,  Charley  ?  "  . 

21* 


246  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OE 

"  My  word  for  it,  Ben.  But  come  and  shake  hands  with  Burley^g 
tamer,  and  encourage  the  youngster  with  your  patronage." 

The  giant  drew  the  back  of  his  hand  across  his  mouth  as  though  it 
was  watering  for  the  whiskey,  but  after  a  slight  urging,  the  second  time 
he  suffered  Charley  to  conduct  him  to  the  corner  of  the  saloon,  where 
Fred,  Smith,  and  myself  were  standing,  receiving  congratulations  from 
all  who  wanted  a  drink  of  liquor  free  of  cost. 

"  This  is  the  chap,  Ben,"  Charley  said,  nodding  towards  Fred,  and 
that  was  all  the  introduction  which  was  deemed  necessary. 

"  I  am  happy  to  know  you,"  said  Fred,  grasping  a  hand  that  was  about 
the  size  of  a  shoulder  of  mutton,  and  twice  as  hard  and  nubby. 

"  You  did  putty  well  with  Burley,  and  I  am  glad  of  it,"  Ben  replied, 
shutting  his  fist  and  compressing  Fred's  hand  for  what  he  intended  as  a 
gentle  squeeze  —  but  I  could  see  by  my  friend's  face  that  he  would  be 
very  glad  when  it  was  relinquished. 

"  A  fine  shot  you  made  of  it,  sir,"  Ben  said,  not  noticing  that  he  had 
inflicted  a  large  amount  of  pain. 

"  Is  the  poor  fellow  Tjadly  hurt  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  Well,  he's  got  an  ugly  hole  in  him,  and  it's  hard  hunting  —  the 
sawbones  will  have  to  find  the  lead." 

"  I  hope  that  he  will  live,"  repeated  Fred.  "  I  did  not  seek  his  life, 
and  I  should  be  sorry  to  think  that  an  act  of  mine  sent  him  from  the 
world  with  all  his  sins  unrepented  of." 

"  Never  you  mind  about  that,"  replied  Ben.  "  If  a  feller  wants  to 
take  your  heart  out,  you've  got  the  right  to  say  to  that  feller,  you  don't 
come  it ;  and  if  the  feller  still  persists,  you  is  bound  to  act  on  the  de- 
fensive, and  either  lick  him  or  kill  him,  I  don't  care  which.  I  jinerally 
lick  'em." 

As  I  glanced  at  the  sturdy  limbs  of  the  giant  miner  I  thought  that 
he  would  be  apt  to  meet  but  few  men  who  would  not  prefer  the  shooting 
to  the  licking. 

"  You  often  have  trouble  here  in  Ballarat  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Well,  no,  I  can't  say  that  I  see  much  of  it.  Sometimes  the  fellers 
make  a  rumpus,  but  they  generally  let  me  alone,  and  that's  all  I  ax  of 
'em.  But  whar's  that  'ere  licker  we's  to  have  ?  Tears  to  me  it's  rather 
slow  in  getting  'long." 

"  Here  it  comes,"  shouted  Charley,  bustling  around  the  crowded 
room,  if,  indeed,  room  it  could  be  called.  "  1  had  to  wait  for  it  to  be 
unloaded,  Ben,  'cos  it  arrived  only  an  hour  or  two  ago  from  Sydney." 

"  You  say  it's  the  real  New  York  first  proof  whiskey,  do  ye  ?  "  asked 
Ben,  holding  a  tumbler  two  thirds  full  of  the  stuff  up  to  the  light,  and 
scanning  its  color  with  a  critical  eye. 

"  The  real  thing,  and  no  mistake.  It's  just  sich  as  you  used  to  git 
when  chopping  away  down  in  the  backwoods  of  Maine,"  replied 
Charley. 

We  then  discovered,  what  we  had  all  along  suspected,  that  the  miner 
was  an  American,  and  belonged  in  the  Eastern  State. 

"  Come,  ain't  you  fellers  a  goin'  to  drink  with  us  ?  That  ain't  exactly 
the  thing,  you  know.  There  ain't  no  aristocracy  in  these  parts.  Every 
feller  is  free  and  equal,  as  the  old  Constitution  of  the  States  says." 

We  could  not  withstand  Ben's  pressing  intimation  that  we  were  to 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  247 

consider  ourselves  no  better  than  others  present,  and  after  waiting  five 
minutes  for  a  chance  at  a  glass,  we  managed  to  swallow  a  few  mouth- 
fuls  of  the  vile  stuff. 

"  That's  the  ticket ! "  he  cried,  when  he  saw  that  we  were  disposed  to 
follow  his  example  ;  "  nothing  like  good  whiskey  to  keep  a  man  all 
right  at  the  mines.  I  don't  drink  much  myself,  but  I've  no  objections 
to  other  people  taking  a  nip  now  and  then." 

As  he  spoke,  he  held  out  his  glass  for  another  nip,  and  the  attentive 
Charley,  with  an  eye  to  his  profits,  quickly  filled  it. 

"  I  give  you,"  said  Ben,  appealing  to  the  crowd  for  silence  —  for  most 
of  the  miners  had  grown  talkative,  under  the  influence  of  their  drink  — • 

"I  give  you  a  toast.  Here's  to  the  tax,  and  d the  man  that 

wouldn't  d it ! " 

The  toast  was  received  with  yells  of  applause,  and  even  when  the 
confusion  was  at  its  height,  I  noticed  a  small,  dark-complexioned  man, 
•wearing  a  blue  frock  coat  with  brass  buttons,  but  with  no  other  insignia 
of  office  or  authority,  enter  the  room. 

His  presence  was  not  noticed  by  the  crowd,  which  still  continued  its 
revels,  until  the  new  comer  approached  us,  when  a  death-like  silence 
crept  over  the  assembly. 

"  Good  evening,  gentlemen,"  said  the  dark  man,  addressing  Fred  and 
myself  in  a  courteous  manner ;  "  I  belive  that  you  are  recent  arrivals  ?  " 

"  Not  more  than  three  hours  since,"  I  replied,  returning  his  salutation. 

"  I  believe  you  have  stated  the  hours  correctly,"  he  returned,  dryly ; 
"  we  live  fast,  here  in  Ballarat,  yet  I  think  you  have  outstripped  us  by 
your  activity." 

"  No  one  can  regret  the  circumstance  which  has  taken  place  more 
than  myself,"  replied  Fred. 

"  Perhaps  not,"  answered  the  dark  man  with  a  grim  smile ;  and  while 
he  was  speaking,  I  noticed  that  those  in  the  saloon  edged  towards  us 
for  the  purpose  of  hearing  our  conversation. 

"  The  quarrel  was  occasioned  by  a  dispute  about  horses,  I  believe  ?  " 
the  little  man  said. 

"  You  are  correct  in  your  suppositions,"  returned  Fred. 

"  Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  inform  me  how  those  animals  came  in 
your  possession  ?  "  interrogated  the  stranger. 

"  I  don't  know  what  business  it  is  of  yours,"  returned  Fred,  with 
Rome  asperity ;  "  but  as  we  seek  to  disguise  nothing,  I  will  frankly  in- 
form you  that  we  purchased  the  horses  and  paid  for  them." 

"  A  likely  story,  truly ;  I  never  yet  knew  the  police  of  Melbourne 
to  sell  their  spare  horses." 

At  these  words,  we  saw  that  the  crowd  looked  at  each  other  suspi- 
ciously, and  appeared  to  regard  us  as  being  guilty  of  some  serious 
crime. 

"  When  you  show  us  your  authority  for  asking  questions,  we  will  ex- 
plain matters,"  I  replied,  after  a  moment's  hesitation. 

"  Perhaps  you  will  explain  before  it  suits  your  convenience,"  the  lit- 
tle man  said,  ironically ;  "  I  heard  of  the  quarrel  and  the  duel  which 
one  of  you  has  been  engaged  in,  and  while  .investigating,  I  took  occa- 
sion to  look  at  the  horses  which  you  rode.  You  will  imagine  that  I 
was  surprised  to  discover  that  each  animal  had  upon  his  hind  quarter 


248  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

the  private  mark  of  the  police  of  Melbourne.  I  repeat,  sir,  that  the 
authorities  of  that  city  are  not  in  the  habit  of  selling  horses  to  adven- 
turers." 

The  little  man  spoke  confidently,  and  glanced  around  the  crowd  to 
see  if  his  words  were  having  an  effect  upon  his  audience.  Thinking 
that  he  would  complete  our  humiliation,  he  continued :  — 

"  Our  worthy  miners  here  at  Ballarat,  have  sometimes  been  put  to 
great  trouble  by  losing  the  dust  which  they  have  sent  to  the  cities, 
and  I  think  that  I  am  right  in  demanding,  in  their  name,  a  strict  ac- 
count of  all  suspicious  people  who  visit  us." 

This  was  a  shrewd  bit  of  acting  on  the  part  of  the  little  man,  for  he 
instantly  carried  all  the  miners  with  him.  Hardly  one  present  but  had 
suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  bushrangers,  and  was  anxious  to  avenge 
his  loss. 

"  Let  the  fellers  show  who  they  is,"  the  crowd  began  to  murmur ;  and 
even  our  former  friend,  Charley,  I  observed,  joined  in  the  cry,  while 
Ben  remained  silent,  and  drank  two  more  glasses  of  whiskey  during 
the  tumult. 

"  It  is  evident  that  you  suspect  us  of  being  bushrangers,"  observed 
Fred,  coolly. 

"  I  certainly  think  that  you  are,"  returned  the  little  man,  bluntly  ; 
"  and  it  is  a  matter  of  surprise  to  me  that  I  see  you  in  the  company 
of  a  man  who  has,  during  his  trading  at  the  mines,  borne  a  good 
character." 

This  was  a  hard  dig  at  Smith,  and  he  sought  to  explain,  but  Fred 
checked  him. 

"  If  we  should  prove  to  you  that  we  are  honest  men,  I  suppose  that 
you  would  be  willing  to  make  an  ample  apology  for  the  manner  in  which 
you  have  addressed  us  ?  "  Fred  said. 

The  little  man  smiled  sarcastically,  and  intimated  that  he  should  be 
most  happy. 

"  Then,"  Fred  exclaimed,  drawing  a  paper  from  his  pocket  and  hand- 
ing-it  to  the  little  man,  "you  will  please  to  read  that,  and  see  if  you 
are  acquainted  with  the  signatures." 

The  stranger  called  for  a  candle,  for  it  was  nearly  dark,  and  by  its 
light  began  perusing  the  document. 

"  What  is  this  ?  "  he  muttered ;  "  a  bill  of  sale  of  two  horses,  for- 
merly owned  by  the  police  of  Melbourne,  to  Messrs.  Frank and 

James ,  signed  by  Hansen,  the  captain  of  police,  and  Mur- 

den,  lieutenant.  Can  it  be  possible  ?  Yes,  it  must  be ;  I  understand 
it  all."  ^ 

The  little  man  threw  himself  upon  us,  grasped  each  of  our  hands,  and 
to  the  intense  astonishment  of  all  present,  began  shaking  them  as 
though  he  was  working  a  pump. 

"  How  could  I  be  so  mistaken  ?  "  he  asked.  "  I  really  thought ;  but, 
pshaw,  my  suspicions  were  so  absurd." 

"  What's  the  row  ?  "  demanded  big  Ben,  who  began  to  feel  the  ef- 
fects of  the  chemical  whiskey. 

"  There  is  no  row,  only  I  am  happy  to  say  that  I  made  a  mistake  in 
my  man,"  the  little  person  said. 

"  What,  ain't  they  men,  after  all  ?  "  shouted  Ben  j  "  if  they  ain't  men, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  249 

they  must  be  wimmin,  and  that's  all  the  better  ;  if  one  of  'um  wants  a 
husbin'  I'm  the  feller  for  her ! " 

"  Their  past  conduct  don't  prove  that  they  are  women ! "  cried  the 
little  man.  "  They  are  the  two  Americans  who  are  known  all  over  the 
island  a&  bushranger  hunters.  We  have  all  read  an  account  of  their 
doings  in  the  Melbourne  papers,  and  we  welcome  them  to  the  mines, 
and  hope  that  they  will  be  as  successful  here  as  they  have  been  else- 
where." 

"  The  devil  they  is ;  why,  I  thought  when  I  seen  that  ere  feller 
stand  up  to  be  shot  at,  that  he  had  smelled  gunpowder  afore.  Give  us 
your  hands,  my  chickens !  Cuss  me,  if  ye  ain't  an  honor  to  the 
States ! " 

We  hardly  dared  trust  our  hands  within  Ben's  grip,  yet  when  we  did 
so,  we  were  delightfully  surprised  to  find  that  he  was  reasonable. 

"  Well,  I  allers  said  that  they  was  all  right ! "  cried  Charley,  who  turned 
with  the  tide ;  "  the  instant  I  seed  'um  insulted,  I  knew  that  I  should 
be  on  the  right  side.  You  wouldn't  like  to  pay  for  the  whiskey  which 
has  been  drunk,  would  you  ?  "  he  asked,  in  an  undertone. 

Fred  put  a  number  of  gold  coins  in  his  hand,  but  whether  our 
sponging  friend  was  overpaid,  or  whether  the  money  fell  short,  I  never 
knew,  as  I  saw  the  little  man  give  him  a  glance  that  was  very  expres- 
sive of  his  disapprobation,  and  with  an  ashamed  look,  the  fellow  slunk 
back  to  his  whiskey  cask. 

"  Come,  gentlemen,"  said  the  little  man ;  "  this  is  no  place  for  tired 
travellers.  Let  us  retire,  and  leave  the  crowd  to  drink  themselves 
drunk." 

We  followed  his  advice,  and  in  a  few  minutes  had  left  the  dissipated 
miners  to  their  revels. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

ARRIVAL  AT  BALLARAT.  —  MR.  BROWN'S  STORY. 

WE  walked  slowly  along  the  main  street  of  Ballarat,  and  chatted 
with  our  new  friend  on  a  variety  of  subjects.  He  appeared  to  be  well 
informed  on  mining,  and  shrugged  his  shoulders  when  we  intimated 
that  our  intention  was  to  get  rich  by  delving  in  the  earth,  and  bringing 
its  riches  to  light. 

"  By  the  way,"  our  new  acquaintance  said,  "  it  is  a  little  singular  that 
Murden  did  not  give  you  a  letter  to  me.  He  knows  that  I  am  stationed 
here,  and  that  I  would  do  all  in  my  power  to  assist  his  friends." 

I  suddenly  recollected,  that  just  before  we  left  .Melbourne,  Murdeu 
did  scribble  off  a  letter,  and  hand  it  to  me,  with  a  remark,  that  per, 
haps  it  might  be  useful  to  us.  I  had  forgotten  the  circumstance,  but  I 
knew  where  the  note  was,  and  I  determined  to  hunt  it  up  as  soon  as  I 
returned  to  my  tent. 

"  I  have  a  letter  from  the  lieutenant,"  I  said  ;  "  but  if  I  am  not  mis- 


250  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

taken,  it  is  addressed  to  a  Mr.  Brown,  although  where  Mr.  Brown  is  to 
be  found  is  more  than  I  can  tell." 

The  little  man  laughed  in  a  quiet  manner,  as  though  he  did  not  wish 
to  commit  himself  by  being  too  jovial. 

"  I  think  that  you  have  hit  upon  the  right  one,"  he  said,  "  for  my 
name  is  Brown." 

"  Then  you  shall  have  the  note,"  I  replied ;  "  but  I  should  never  have 
thought  of  looking  for  the  one  that  it  is  addressed  to." 

"  O,  yes  you  would,"  he  replied,  confidently. 

"  Why  do  you  think  so  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because  you  will  hear  my  name  mentioned  oftener  at  Ballarat  than 
any  other." 

"  And  pray,  may  we  be  so  bold  as  to  ask  what  your  position  is,  that 
gives  you  so  great  a  notoriety  ?  " 

"  Ask  ?  To  be  sure  you  may,"  returned  the  little  man ;  "  I  am  the 
police  inspector  of  Ballarat,  and  my  name  is  James  Brown,  very  much 
at  your  service." 

"  We  have  mingled  with  the  police  so  much  since  we  have  been  in 
Australia,  that  we  almost  consider  ourselves  as  belonging  to  the  de- 
partment. We  are  therefore  sorry  that  we  were  not  introduced  to  your 
notice  under  better  auspices,"  Fred  said. 

"  O,  you  alluded  to  that  shooting  affair  to-night.  That  did  not 
amount  to  much,  although  I  must  say  that  I  wish  you  had  killed  the 
bully,  for  he  has  given  me  more  trouble  than  any  other  man  at  the 
mines.  He  is  as  desperate  a  scoundrel  as  ever  went  unhanged,  and 
had  he  been  killed  outright,  there  are  few  who  would  mourn  his  fate." 

"  That  may  be  true,  yet  I  have  always  a  great  repugnance  to  shedding 
Vitnan  blood,  replied  Fred,  in  a  sorrowful  tone. 

Mr.  Inspector  Brown  stopped  for  a  moment,  as  though  surprised  by 
the  answer. 

"  I  had  the  same  kind  of  feeling  once,  yet  it  is  many  years  since.  A 
long  residence  in  Australia  has  blunted  all  my  finer  sensibilities,  and  I 
have  witnessed  so  much  crime  and  cruelty,  that  I  am  unmoved  now, 
even  when  a  poor  wretch  is  gasping  forth  his  last  words.  I  have  often 
thought  that  I  would  give  all  the  gold  that  the  mines  of  Australia 
yield  if  I  was  but  young  again,  and  possessed  the  same  sympathizing 
heart  that  I  did  once." 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  our  tent,  and  our  approach  was  chal- 
lenged by  a  deep  bay  from  Rover,  whom  we  had  left  to  guard  our  bag- 
gage. 

"  A  splendid  animal,"  remarked  the  inspector,  as  he  sought  to  lay 
his  hand  upon  Rover's  head;  but  the  dog  resented  the  liberty,  and 
growled  menacingly. 

"  He  deserves  all  your  praise,"  I  replied,  pleased  at  the  conduct  of 
the  brute,  and  doubly  pleased  to  hear  a  deserved  tribute  to  his  ability. 

"  If  you  ever  feel  disposed  to  part  with  him,"  the  inspector  hinted, 
"  I  will  not  haggle  about  his  price." 

"  I  will  never  sell  him,"  I  answered. 

"  Where  did  you  obtain  him,  for  I  see  that  he  is  of  English  breed  ?  " 
asked  Inspector  Brown. 

We  entered  the  tent,  where  we  found  Smith,  who  had  preceded  us 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  251 

from  the  Californian's  Retreat,  and,  after  finding  a  seat  for  Mr.  Brown, 
we  related  the  manner  in  which  Rover  had  started  us  by  his  deep  bays, 
on  the  night  of  our  first  encampment  by  the  hut  of  the  old  convict. 

"  And  Black  Darnley  —  when  you  met  him,  did  the  dog  appear  to 
recognize  him  as  the  author  of  the  murder  ?  "  asked  the  inspector,  who 
appeared  deeply  interested  in  our  narrative. 

I  related  the  scene  in  the  forest,  when  the  bold  outlaw  yielded  up 
his  life  to  satisfy  the  vengeance  of  an  enraged  father ;  and  when  I  had 
concluded,  the  little,  dark  man's  eyes  gleamed  as  though  he  had  taken 
part  in  the  battle. 

"  How  I  should  liked  to  have  been  with  you  ! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  I  can 
imagine  your  feelings,  as  you  crept  through  the  forest,  and  awoke  the 
bushrangers  with  the  crack  of  your  rifles.  No  wonder  the  governor- 
general  wished  to  secure  your  services  in  the  police  force." 

"  How  did  you  learn  that  ?  "  I  asked,  astonished  at  his  knowledge. 

"  A  friend  at  Melbourne  wrote  to  me  to  that  effect,  and  also  sent  me 
newspapers  containing  your  exploits.  The  last  brush  that  you  had  with 
Murden  was  more  exciting  than  any  other  that  you  ever  engaged  in." 

"  How  did  you  know  that  we  had  been  so  engaged  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  By  rumor.  A  team  reached  this  place  this  evening,  and  the  driver 
reports  that  he  met  Murden  fifty  miles  from  Melbourne,  with  eight  or 
ten  bushrangers  as  prisoners.  From  one  of  the  police  he  gained  his 
information  that  two  Americans  were  participants  in  the  fight.  Of 
course  I  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  both  of  you  were  present.  Come, 
tell  me  all  about  it." 

"On  condition  that  you  relate  one  or  two  of  your  life  adventures," 
Fred  said. 

"  Agreed." 

Fred  commenced  from  the  time  when  we  began  our  search  for  gold, 
(although  he  wisely  omitted  all  mention  of  finding  any,)  and  recounted 
the  surprise,  and  our  capture  —  the  rescue  by  Murden  —  the  fight  — 
the  attempt  of  the  bushrangers  to  burn  us  by  firing  the  woods  —  an  es- 
cape, and  promise  to  Steel  Spring,  (at  the  mention  of  whose  name  Mr. 
Brown  smiled,  as  though  acquainted  with  the  reputation  of  the  treach- 
erous wretch,)  if  he  would  guide  us  to  the  retreat  of  Nosey  —  the  ful- 
filment of  his  promise,  and  the  death  of  the  bushranger  chief,  and 
the  capture  of  his  gang. 

"A  splendid,  stirring  time  you  had  of  it,"  said  Mr.  Brown,  rubbing 
his  sinewy  hands  as  though  he  liked  to  work,  and  was  impatient  to  think 
that  he  had  not  been  there. 

"  But  you,"  Fred  said,  "  must  have  seen  many  rough  times  during 
your  long  service  at  the  mines." 

"  My  fights  have  been  more  with  single  men,  or  at  least,  not  over 
throe  at  a  time.  You  were  speaking  of  Black  Darnley,  and  the  manner 
in  which  he  met  his  fate.  I  never  encountered  him  but  cnce,  and  then 
he  slipped  through  my  fingers ;  and  whether  the  fellow  concluded  that 
we  prrssed  him  too  hard,  or  thought  that  better  opportunities  for  steal- 
ing existed  near  the  forest,  I  can't  say  ;  but,  at  any  rate,  I  never  heard 
of  his  being  nearer  Ballarat  than  twenty-five  miles  after  we  met." 

"  If  not  too  much  trouble,  please  relate  an  account  of  it,"  I  said. 

The  little  man  glanced  at  his  watch,  and  saw  that  the  hour  was  still 


252  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OB 

early,  and  after  asking  our  permission  to  light  his  pipe,  which  we  readi- 
ly accorded,  and  joined  him  with  pleasure  in  the  same  agreeable  occu- 
pation, he  began :  — 

"  I  think  it  was  about  three  months  since,  when  a  party  of  three 
miners,  who  had  accumulated  a  considerable  amount  of  treasure  by 
working  in  these  mines,  concluded  that  they  would  sell  out  their  claim 
and  return  to  Sydney,  and  from  thence  take  ship  to  England,  where  they 
belonged.  For  the  sake  of  saving  the  small  percentage  that  govern- 
ment charges  on  sending  gold  dust  to  Melbourne,  or  Sydney,  under  the 
escort  of  soldiers,  the  miners  concluded  that  they  would  guarantee  its 
safety. 

"  I  explained  to  them  that  they  were  running  a  great  risk,  as  I  had 
heard  that  Darnley  was  in  the  neighborhood  ;  but  they  only  laughed  at 
my  warnings,  and  pointed  to  their  long  knives  and  smooth-bored  guns, 
and  intimated  that  the  bushranger  must  be  a  bold  man  who  dared  to 
ask  them  to  stand  and  deliver. 

"  If  I  had  not  often  heard  such  boasts,  perhaps  I  might  have  been 
deceived ;  but  I  knew  many  men,  both  brave  and  daring,  who  had 
quailed  at  the  sight  of  an  armed  bushranger,  so  I  put  no  confidence  in 
the  stories  of  what  they  intended  to  do  in  case  of  an  attack.  I  consid- 
ered it  my  duty  to  warn  them  once  more,  and  when  that  failed,  I  let 
them  leave  the  mines  without  further  remonstrance. 

"  I  think  that  it  was  the  third  day  after  the  miner's  departure,  that  I 
was  sitting  in  my  office,  making  out  a  few  records  that  were  to  be  sent 
to  Melbourne,  when,  to  my  surprise,  one  of  the  pig-headed  fellows  pre- 
sented himself  before  me.  1  should  hardly  have  known  him,  he  was  so 
changed.  His  feet  were  bare  and  bleeding,  his  clothes  were  torn  into 
shreds,  and  his  whole  appearance  of  the  most  abject  and  wretched  de- 
scription. 

"  I  asked  a  few  questions,  but  for  a  long  time  my  visitor  could  not  an- 
swer me,  so  overcome  was  he  with  grief.  He  shed  tears,  upbraided  him- 
self for  his  obstinacy,  and  refused  to  be  comforted.  At  length,  by  the 
aid  of  a  few  glasses  of  stimulants,  I  was  enabled  to  learn  bis  story.  It 
was  as  I  had  half  supposed. 

"  About  twenty-five  miles  from  Ballarat,  a  singular  looking  genius 
had  joined  them,  and  requested  permission  to  travel  in  their  company. 
He  manifested  so  much  fear  of  robbers,  and  told  about  his  aristocratic 
relatives,  and  the  large  amount  of  money  on  his  person,  that  a  ready 
assent  was  given  to  his  request." 

"  It  must  have  been  Steel  Spring,"  I  said. 

The  little  man  nodded  his  head  in  token  of  assent,  and  contin- 
ued :  — 

"  At  noon,  on  the  day  that  Steel  Spring  joined  the  party,  a  halt  was 
proposed,  under  the  shade  of  a  gum  tree  that  stood  near  the  road.  The 
miners,  tired  with  the  long  walk,  readily  consented,  and  after  partaking 
of  their  humble  fare,  Steel  Spring  produced  a  bottle,  and  invited  all  to 
join  him  in  a  friendly  drink.  He  did  not  have  to  ask  twice,  and  al- 
though no  suspicions  were  entertained  by  the  miners,  the  relater  of  the 
transaction  told  me  that  he  noticed  that  Steel  Spring's  sups  at  the  flask 
were  short,  and  not  at  all  frequent. 

"  The  treacherous  scamp,  after  he  had  won  their  confidence  by  relat- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  253 

ing  some  incidents  connected  with  his  early  life,  began  to  examine  the 
guns  which  the  miners  carried ;  and  after  he  had  finished,  and  when  the 
men  were  about  ready  to  commence  their  journey,  a  stout,  dark-faced, 
ferocious-looking  man  appeared  before  them.  He  soon  made  known 
his  intentions,  for  in  his  belt  he  carried  a  pair  of  pistols,  and  at  his 
shoulder,  with  glistening  eyes  glancing  along  the  barrel,  sighting  the 
first  one  that  offered  to  stir,  was  a  heavy  gun,  with  a  bore  like  a  blun- 
derbuss. 

"  For  a  few  seconds  they  stood  thus,  not  a  word  being  spoken,  when 
suddenly  Steel  Spring,  with  a  pretended  cry  of  terror,  threw  himself  at 
the  feet  of  the  stranger  and  shouted  for  mercy.  It  was  a  trick  of  his. 
and  well  he  played  his  part ;  yet  the  miners  did  take  up  their  guns,  but 
found  that  the  priming  had  been  removed  by  Steel  Spring  while  they 
were  drinking  his  liquor. 

"  The  instant  the  poor  fellows  made  a  motion  towards  repriming,  the 
bushranger  discharged  his  gun,  and  one  fell.  The  other  two,  struck 
with  awe  at  the  sight  of  their  comrade's  blood,  turned  and  fled  —  but  a 
pistol  shot  brought  down  one  of  them,  while,  by  good  fortune,  the  third 
escaped,  and  brought  to  me  a  narrative  of  his  sufferings. 

"  He  had  lost  all  of  his  hard  earnings,  for  the  gold  dust  was  in  their 
knapsacks,  and  left  behind,  a  prize  to  Black  Darnley.  The  survivor 
begged  of  me,  nay,  entreated,  and  promised  half  that  he  had  lost  if  I 
would  only  recover  his  wealth.  In  fact,  he  appeared  to  be  much  more 
anxious  to  get  his  gold  than  avenge  the  death  of  his  comrades ;  and 
amidst  all  his  grief,  he  had  the  impudence  to  ask  me  if  I  did  not  con- 
sider that  he  was  entitled  to  the  wealth  of  his  partners  in  case  I  recov- 
ered it.  I  was  almost  tempted  to  turn  him  out  of  my  room,  but  I 
thought  that  it  would  do  no  good ;  I  recollected  that  I  had  a  public 
duty  to  perform,  and  I  made  preparations  for  an  immediate  departure. 
I  took  with  me  but  three  men,  stout  fellows  whom  I  knew  I  could  rely 
upon,  and  whose  courage  had  been  tested  in  a  dozen  fights. 

"  We  armed  ourselves  with  pistols  and  rifles,  and  mounting  the  fast- 
est horses  that  we  could  command,  started  for  the  scene  of  robbery,  in 
hope  of  tracking  the  villains  to  their  retreat,  and  bringing  them  to 
speedy  justice.  We  reached  the  tree,  near  where  the  murders  had  been 
committed,  but  no  bodies  were  in  sight.  A  short  distance  from  the 
road,  however,  was  a  long  line  of  dried  weeds  and  rank  grass,  and  as  I 
observed  a  number  of  birds  of  prey  sailing  over  the  place,  I  concluded 
that  I  should  find  the  remains  of  the  men  there.  I  was  not  disap- 
pointed. 

"  The  bodies  had  been  dragged  out  of  sight  of  the  road,  and  then 
rifled  of  every  thing  of  value.  I  did  not  stop  to  give  the  poor  fellows 
burial  then,  because  every  moment  was  of  importance ;  but  after  we 
had  concluded  the  expedition,  my  men  returned  and  covered  them  with 
earth,  and  placed  a  rude  cross  at  their  heads. 

"  We  examined  attentively  for  a  trail  to  show  the  direction  that  the 
robbers  had  taken,  and  luckily  found  it  without  difficulty.  It  led  in  a 
direct  course  towards  Sydney,  and  it  was  evident  that  Dai'nley  intended 
to  cross  the  country  for  about  fifty  miles,  and  then  strike  for  the  com- 
mon road,  so  that  he  could  get  provisions  or  water  from  those  who 
happened  to  be  passing. 

22 


254  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

"  I  studied  on  the  matter  for  a  few  minutes,  and  wondered  why  they 
should  choose  such  an  extraordinary  course ;  at  last  I  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  murderers  were  really  bound  for  Sydney,  and  that  they 
had  an  object  in  view,  and  were  determined  to  get  there  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible —  or  why  should  they  go  over  a  mountainous  country,  when  they 
might  have  kept  the  woods  ? 

"  The  course  which  they  had  evidently  taken  was  many  miles  shorter 
than  the  usual  route,  but  a  road  that  a  horse  could  not  travel. 

"  I  suddenly  recollected,  while  my  men  were  following  the  trail  for 
the  purpose  of  seeing  if  my  surmises  were  correct,  that  the  miners  had 
deposited  in  the  Sydney  bank  about  a  thousand  pounds,  and  that  it  was 
subject  to  their  order.  Their  certificates  of  deposit  must  have  been 
upon  their  persons  when  murdered,  and  Darnley  would  not  scruple  to 
boldly  present  himself  at  the  bank,  or  else  send  Steel  Spring  to  secure 
the  money.  I  reasoned  in  that  manner,  and  then  concluded  to  act  as 
though  my  surmises  were  facts. 

"  I  recalled  the  men,  and  we  started  towards  Sydney  without  a  mo- 
ment's delay.  I  knew  that  both  robbers  were  fast  travellers,  but  I 
calculated  that  I  could  reach  the  point  at  which  they  would  strike  the 
Sydney  road  as  soon,  if  not  sooner,  than  they  did. 

"  In  this  I  was  disappointed  ;  for  although  we  rode  all  night,  and  only 
stopped  long  enough  to  recruit  the  strength  of  our  animals,  yet  when  I 
made  an  inquiry  of  a  party  bound  for  Ballarat,  I  found  that  two  men, 
who  stated  that  they  were  from  the  mines,  had  purchased  provisions  and 
water  from  them,  and  then  continued  on  their  course,  as  though  they 
had  not  a  moment  to  lose.  It  was  noon  when  the  information  was 
given,  and  the  murderers  were  seen  at  daylight.  They  had  ten  hours  the 
start  of  us,  but,  nothing  daunted,  we  pushed  on,  making  inquiries  of 
those  whom  we  met,  yet  not  a  word  of  news  could  be  obtained.  I  did 
not  wonder  much  at  that,  for  I  knew  that  Darnley  would  avoid  the  high 
road  as  much  as  it  was  possible,  and  only  strike  it  to  obtain  provisions. 
I  also  knew  that  he  would  conduct  himself  in  a  discreet  manner,  for 
fear  of  starting  an  alarm ;  and  that  he  would  forego  all  thoughts  of 
pillage  for  the  sake  of  carrying  through  the  business  which  he  had  un- 
dertaken. 

"  Hoping  to  reach  Sydney  before  him,  I  pressed  on  night  and  day, 
and  only  stopped  long  enough  to  recruit  our  animals  when  there  was  a 
prospect  of  their  breaking  down.  On  the  forenoon  of  the  fourth  day 
after  leaving  Ballarat  we  entered  Sydney,  and  rode  direct  to  the  bank. 
I  inquired  if  the  murdered  men  had  money  deposited  there,  and  found 
that  they  had,  and  that  no  attempt  to  draw  the  same  had  been  made. 
With  a  brief  caution  to  the  cashier  not  to  pay  out  the  amount,  and  to 
arrest  any  one  who  asked  for  it,  I  mounted  my  force  on  fresh  horses  and 
again  sought  the  road  on  which  I  expected  Darnley. 

"  I  did  not  report  myself  to  the  police  of  Sydney,  for  I  was  deter- 
mined to  win  all  the  honor,  or  sustain  all  the  disgrace,  of  an  encounter 
with  Darnley.  Perhaps  afterwards  I  felt  sorry  that  I  had  not  obtained 
assistance,  but  I  never  acknowledged  it  to  those  in  authority.  I  made 
an  excuse  that  was  considered  sufficient  for  my  course,  and  there  the 
matter  rested. 

"  About 'twelve  o'clock  on  the  day  that  we  reached  Sydney,  we  dis- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  255 

covered  our  men  trudging  along  the  road,  disguised  in  a  manner  that  at 
first  almost  deceived  me,  and  I  called  myself  well  acquainted  with  the 
persons  of  Darnley  and  Steel  Spring.  I  allowed  them  to  get  within  a 
few  feet  of  us,  when  I  suddenly  called  upon  them  to  stop.  Up  to  this 
time  it  was  evident  that  neither  suspected  us,  but  upon  my  speaking,  I 
saw  Darnley's  hand  thrust  into  his  bosom,  and  I  knew  what  he  was 
searching  for. 

" '  You  are  our  prisoners,'  I  said,  covering  the  person  of  Darnley  with 
a  pistol  that  I  had  never  known  to  fail  me. 

"'You  are  mistaken  in  your  men,'  he  answered,  edging  away  from 
my  horse. 

" '  It's  no  mistake,'  I  replied ;  '  I  arrest  you,  Black  Darnley,  for  the 
murder  of  two  miners.' 

"  Still  keeping  my  eyes  upon  the  bushranger,  and  suffering  my  men 
to  attend  to  Steel  Spring,  who  cowed  as  though  overwhelmed  by  de- 
spair, I  disengaged  one  foot  from  the  stirrup,  and  was  just  about  dis- 
mounting, when  I  saw  the  villain  draw  a  pistol  and  aim  at  me.  He  was 
so  quick  that  I  had  no  time  to  defend  myself ;  but  his  rapid  movement 
started  the  horse,  and  he  shied  just  enough  to  save  me  and  receive  the 
contents  of  the  pistol. 

"  The  poor  brute  bounded  and  dashed  against  my  companions,  over- 
turning two  of  them,  and  nearly  unhorsing  the  other ;  and  while  I  was 
picking  myself  up  from  the  road,  where  I  had  been  thrown,  I  heard  a 
hoarse  laugh,  and  saw  Darnley  and  Steel  Spring  bounding  over  a  fence 
that  enclosed  a  number  of  acres  of  growing  grain. 

"  Frantic  with  rage,  I  sighted  them  with  my  pistol,  but  the  cap  alone 
exploded  ;  and  before  I  could  draw  another,  the  murderers  were  out  of 
sight.  I  looked  towards  my  companions,  to  ask  why  they  did  not  use 
their  weapons,  and  I  found  that  two  of  them  were  just  picking  them- 
selves up  from  the  middle  of  the  road,  and  the  third  was  going  towards 
Sydney  at  a  rapid  rate,  and  in  despite  of  his  utmost  exertions  to  stop 
the  animal  upon  which  he  was  mounted. 

"  I  shouted  to  the  men  to  follow  me,  but  only  one  obeyed ;  the  other 
had  broken  an  arm  in  his  fall,  and  was  groaning  over  it  piteously.  We 
sprang  over  the  fence  and  followed  the  trail  through  the  grain,  each 
step  leading  us  away  from  the  city  and  assistance,  but  I  thought  not  of 
that.  My  whole  desire  was  to  grapple  with  the  villains,  and  either  cap- 
ture them  or  end  their  career.  I  encouraged  my  companion  to  keep  up 
with  me  in  the  pursuit ;  but  I  was  either  fleeter  of  foot,  or  else  he  sadly 
lagged  behind,  for  after  ten  minutes'  running  I  was  left  alone. 

"  I  knew  that  it  would  be  useless  to  return  to  the  city  and  ask  for 
assistance,  and  in  fact,  to  tell  the  truth,  I  didn't  want  to  be  laughed  at, 
as  I  knew  that  I  should  be  after  telling  my  story.  So  on  I  went,  run- 
ning with  all  my  might  after  two  men,  either  of  whom  was  a  match  for 
me  in  a  fair  hand  to  hand  fight. 

"  At  length  I  caught  sight  of  the  murderers,  and  I  redoubled  my 
speed ;  and  as  I  ran  I  placed  fresh  caps  upon  my  pistols,  and  prayed 
that  they  would  not  disappoint  me  in  my  extremity.  The  villains  saw 
me  close  at  their  heels,  but  they  did  not  stop,  supposing,  of  course,  that 
I  was  backed  by  my  men.  Once  or  twice  I  saw  Darnley  look  over  his 
shoulder  as  though  calculating  the  distance  between  us,  so  that  I  was 


256  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

not  much  surprised  when  he  stopped  suddenly,  and  ^imed  his  undis- 
charged pistol  at  my  head. 

"  That  act  stopped  me  in  double  quick  time,  for  I  had  heard  accounts 
of  Darnley's  proficiency  with  the  pistol,  and  I  thought  I  would  exchange 
shots  with  him  instead  of  coming  to  close  quarters. 

"  I  think  that  I  owe  my  life  to  the  speed  with  which  Darnley  had  been 
running,  and  I  am  certain  he  escaped  from  the  same  cause,  for  when  I 
raised  my  pistol  I  could  hardly  hold  it  in  a  straight  line.  We  fired  both 
at  the  same  time.  I  felt  something  strike  my  side  that  appeared  to 
burn  like  a  coal  of  fire,  and  when  I  put  my  hand  to  the  spot  it  was  soon 
covered  with  blood. 

"  I  staggered  and  fell ;  but  even  as  I  did  so,  I  looked  towards  the 
bushranger  to  see  if  my  shot  had  taken  effect,  I  heard  him  exclaim,  — 

" '  Hang  him,  he's  hit  me  on  the  shoulder.     I'll  murder  him  for  it ! ' 

"  '  And  get  kotched  by  the  beaks  vile  doing  so ! '  rejoined  Steel  Spring, 
who  appeared  more  anxious  for  flight  than  for  blood. 

"  I  remember  seeing  the  ruffian  start  towards  me,  and  then  all  was  a 
blank  until  I  awoke  in  the  hospital  at  Sydney,  where,  by  the  way,  I  was 
obliged  to  stay  for  two  weeks  before  I  could  get  the  physician's  consent 
to  let  me  return  to  Ballarat,  and  nearly  three  more  passed  before  I  was 
a  well  man." 

"  Did  Darnley  strike  you  after  you  fell  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  He  had  no  time,  as  I  was  afterwards  informed.  Just  as  he  ad- 
vanced towards  me,  the  fellow  I  had  outstripped  appeared  in  sight,  and 
the  bushranger  evidently  thought  that  it  was  better  to  beat  a  retreat." 

"  And  the  gold,  did  you  recover  that  ?  " 

"  Not  a  penny's  worth,  with  the  exception  of  that  in  the  bank  on  de- 
posit. I  found  out  the  relatives  of  the  men  murdered,  and  sent  it  to 
them,  and  very  glad  they  were  to  get  it." 

"  And  the  miner  who  escaped  —  where  is  he  ?  " 

"  Here  in  Ballarat,  a  dissipated,  shiftless  wretch.  The  loss  of  his 
gold  ruined  him,  for  he  has  not  had  ambition  enough  to  do  a  day's  work 
since." 

"  Is  the  inspector  here  ? "  cried  a  man,  thrusting  his  head  into  the 
tent  just  as  Mr.  Brown  had  concluded. 

"  Yes ;  what  is  wanting  ?  "  the  little  man  asked. 

"  There's  a  big  fight  at  the  '  Pig  and  Whistle '  saloon,  sir,  and  it's 
pistols  they  is  using,  sure,"  replied  the  visitor. 

"  I  wish  they  would  enact  the  part  of  the  Kilkenny  cats,"  replied  the 
inspector,  as  he  rose  to  bid  us  good  night,  "  for  as  sure  as  night  comes 
a  fight  occurs  at  that  den.  Gentlemen,  I  shall  see  you  in  the  morning, 
and  if  I  can  be  of  any  service  to  you  pray  don't  scruple  to  ask  for  it." 

The  inspector  shook  hands  with  us,  and  then  turned  to  the  fellow  who 
had  brought  the  news. 

"  Run  to  the  Whistle  and  tell  them  I'm  coming,  and  those  not  killed 
by  the  time  I  arrive  shall  be  hanged  without  judge  or  jury." 

"  Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  person  addressed,  and  off  he  started  to  carry 
the  message,  while  the  inspector  followed  more  slowly. 

We  saw  that  our  animals  were  safe,  and  then  left  them  in  charge  of 
Rover,  while  we  retired  to  get  a  night's  rest — something  that  we  really 
stood  in  need  of. 


A  GOLD   HUNTERS   ADVENTURES.  257 

CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

FINDING  OF  A  110  LB.  NUGGET.  —  CAVING  IN  OF  A  MINE. 

WE  had  hardly  dressed  ourselves  and  made  our  scanty  toilet  the 
morning  after  our  arrival,  when  the  inspector  made  his  appearance, 
looking  none  the  worse  for  the  tumult  which  summoned  him  away  the 
night  before. 

"  You  are  stirring  early,"  he  said,  warming  his  hands  by  a  fire  which 
Smith  had  started  for  the  purpose  of  getting  breakfast ;  "  I  expected 
to  find  you  sleeping  off  your  fatigue,  for  men  with  nothing  to  do  gener- 
ally like  to  lie  abed  mornings." 

"  Late  sleeping  will  not  earn  the  fortune  that  we  expect  to  get," 
replied  Fred. 

"  So  you  still  think  of  sinking  a  shaft  here,  do  you?"  inquired  the 
inspector,  with  a  grave  smile. 

"  Of  course,  such  is  our  intention  at  present,  if  we  can  get  a  license 
for  mining." 

"The  license  is  obtained  easily  enough  —  government  is  very  happy 
to  receive  ten  shillings  per  month  for  the  privilege  of  allowing  a  iran 
to  try  his  luck,"  the  inspector  answered,  with  an  attempt  at  a  laugh. 

"  Then  if  you  will  oblige  us  by  getting  a  license,  we  will  commence 
operations  to-day,"  Fred  answered. 

"  Why,  you  are  in  a  hurry,"  Mr.  Brown  replied,  seating  himself  com- 
posedly, and  lighting  a  pipe  which  he  carried  in  a  small  box  in  his  pocket. 

"  Wouldn't  you  advise  us  to  commence  mining  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  To  answer  you  frankly,  I  would  not,  because  I  know  that  you  can 
do  better  than  by  spending  your  days  under  ground,  and  emerge  at 
night  to  find  that  you  are  killing  both  mind  and  body." 

"  Why  do  you  speak  of  working  under  ground  ?  "  I  inquired.  "  Is  not 
mining  the  same  here  as  in  California  ?  " 

"  Bless  your  heart" — and  Mr.  Inspector  Brown  smiled  at  my  ignorance 
—  "  don't  you  know  that  at  Ballarat  a  shaft  has  to  be  sunk  many  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  and  after  you  have  reached  the  layer  of 
dirt  in  which  the  gold  is  found,  you  are  obliged  to  work  upon  your 
hands  and  knees,  and  excavate  for  many  feet  in  different  directions, 
until  at  last  you  break  in  upon  some  other  miner's  claim,  and  are  com- 
pelled to  retreat  and  sink  a  new  shaft  ?  " 

This  was  all  news  to  us,  or  if  we  had  heard  of  it  before  we  had  not 
given  the  subject  any  attention.  A  new  light  broke  in  upon  us,  and  we 
began  to  consider. 

"  Breakfast  is  all  ready,"  said  Smith,  just  at  that  moment. 

We  had  brought  a  few  luxuries  with  us  from  Melbourne  that  were 
unknown  at  the  mines,  and  I  saw  the  eyes  of  the  inspector  sparkle  as  he 
snuffed  the  perfume  of  the  fried  potatoes  and  warm  chocolate. 

"  Will  you  join  us,  Mr.  Brown  ?  "  I  asked,  extending  an  invitation 
that  I  knew  he  was  dying  to  receive.  "  We  have  not  much  to  ask  you 
to  share,  but  such  as  it  is  you  are  welcome  to." 

22* 


258  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  "  really,  I  don't  know  as  I  feel  like  eating  at  so 
early  an  hour,  but " 

Smith  opened  a  hermetically  sealed  tin  canister,  which  he  had  been 
warming  in  a  pot  of  hot  water,  and  the  steam  of  fresh  salmon  greeted 
our  olfactory  nerves. 

"  What !  "  cried  the  inspector,  with  a  look  of  astonishment,  "  you  don't 
mean  to  say  that  you  have  got  preserved  salmon  for  breakfast  ?  " 

"  If  you  will  really  honor  us  with  your  presence  at  breakfast  you 
shall  be  convinced  of  the  fact,"  Fred  answered,  politely. 

"  Say  no  more ;  I'd  stop  if  all  Ballarat  was  at  loggerheads." 

We  were  soon  seated  upon  such  articles  as  were  handy,  and  after  the 
first  cravings  of  our  appetites  were  satisfied,  we  renewed  the  subject  of 
mining. 

"  All  the  miners,"  Fred  remarked,  "  are  not  obliged  to  work  so  deep 
beneath  the  surface." 

"  If  they  do  not,  their  chance  of  finding  gold  is  exceedingly  slim,"  re- 
plied the  inspector.  "  I  have  known  stout,  lazy  fellows  pick  around  on 
the  surface  of  the  earth  for  weeks,  and  not  earn  enough  to  find  them- 
selves in  food.  To  be  successful  a  shaft  has  to  be  sunk." 

"  And  yet,  according  to  your  own  showing,  gold  is  not  always  struck 
by  such  a  method." 

"  True,  and  I  can  easily  explain  why  it  is  so.  Mining  is  like  a  lottery 
—  where  one  draws  a  prize,  hundreds  lose.  We  might  dig  deep  into 
the  earth  where  we  are  seated,and  it  would  surprise  no  one  if  we  took 
out  gold  by  the  pound  ;  and  yet  no  one  would  think  of  laughing  if  we 
did  not  earn  our  salt.  The  case  would  be  so  common  that  no  notice 
would  be  taken  of  it."  We  sat  arid  listened  to  the  inspector's  words  in 
silence,  and  began  to  think  that  we  had  better  have  remained  in  Mel- 
bourne and  entered  into  business  of  a  more  substantial  nature. 

"  I  know  of  a  dozen  cases,"  the  inspector  continued,  "  where  not  even 
enough  gold  has  been  found  by  industrious  men,  who  .have  sunk  shafts, 
to  make  a  ring  for  the  finger ;  and  yet  not  one  rod  from  the  place  where 
such  poor  success  was  encountered  others  have  grown  rich,  and  left 
Ballarat  well  satisfied  with  their  labor." 

"  But  we  have  certainly  read  of  men  taking  a  nugget  from  these  mines 
weighing  over  a  hundred  pounds,"  I  said. 

"  And  the  account  that  you  read  was  perfectly  correct.  I  remember 
the  circumstance  well.  It  was  soon  after  my  recovery  from  the  wound 
inflicted  at  the  hands  of  Black  Darnley.  A  man  rushed  into  my  tent 
one  afternoon  with  his  eyes  apparently  starting  from  their  sockets,  and 
his  whole  appearance  that  of  a  crazy  man.  He  was  breathless  and 
speechless  for  a  few  minutes,  but  I  at  length  obtained  information  that 
two  miners  had  come  across  a  nugget  of  gold  so  large  that  half  a  dozen 
men  were  unable  to  lift  it  from  the  shaft.  I  hurried  to  the  spot,  and  as 
I  went  along  hundreds  of  people  were  flocking  to  the  scene.  The  news 
spread  like  fire  upon  a  prairie.  Saloons  and  rooms  were  deserted  — 
miners  crawled  from  their  shafts  —  sick  men  forgot  their  ailments 
— even  gamblers  desisted  from  playing  for  a  short  time,  in  their  anxiety 
to  look  at  the  largest  lump  of  gold  that  had  ever  been  discovered. 

"  When  I  reached  the  opening  of  the  shaft  I  found  many  hundred 
people  present,  and  fresh  arrivals  were  joining  the  crowd  every  moment 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  259 

1  organized  a  force,  and  drove  the  excited  throng  from  the  opening  of 
the  mine,  for  I  feared  that  the  chambers  which  had  been  excavated 
would  not  stand  the  pressure,  and  that  those  above  and  below  would  be 
buried  alive. 

"  After  I  had  succeeded  in  my  efforts,  we  set  to  work  and  raised  the 
mighty  nugget  to  the  surface,  but  instead  of  its  weighing  two  or  three 
hundred  pounds,  it  weighed  one  hundred  and  ten.  But  it  was  a 
splendid  lump  of  gold,  almost  entirely  free  from  quartz  and  dirt,  and 
of  rare  fineness  and  purity.  The  finders  were  overjoyed,  as  well  they 
might  be,  and  guarded  their  treasure  with  great  care  until  they  saw  it 
safe  in  the  custody  of  the  government  agent.  A  gentleman  from  Mel- 
bourne, who  was  on  a  visit  to  the  mines  for  the  purpose  of  collecting 
rare  specimens  of  gold,  offered  the  lucky  finders  four  thousand  pounds 
for  the  nugget,  but  they  got  an  idea  into  their  heads  that  it  was  worth 
more,  and  declined." 

"  And  was  that  the  largest  nugget  ever  found  ?  "  I  asked. 

"As  far  as  my  knowledge  is  concerned.  At  the  other  mines  I  have 
heard  that  immense  pieces  have  been  found,  but  I  consider  the  rumor 
as  exaggerated." 

"  You  would  be  greatly  surprised  if  we  should  happen  to  discover  a 
piece  worth  as  much,"  I  remarked. 

"I  think  I  should,"  answered  the  inspector,  dryly,  slowly  filling  his 
pipe,  and  apparently  dilating  on  the  subject  mentally. 

"  Well,  we  will  not  pledge  ourselves  to  make  such  a  sti-ike  as  the 
one  you  have  related,  but  we  will  guarantee  to  get  more  gold  than  two 
thirds  of  the  miners  at  Ballarat,"  Fred  said,  confidently. 

The  inspector  shook  his  head. 

"  You  don't  know  the  kind  of  work  that  you  will  have  to  undertake," 
he  said.  "  In  the  first  place,  you  have  got  either  to  buy  a  claim,  or  be- 
gin digging  at  some  spot  where  no  one  would  think,  unless  a  new  ar- 
rival looking  for  gold.  All  the  dirt  that  you  wanted  to  work  out  would 
have  to  be  carried  to  the  water,  and  you  can  see  that  our  lakes  and  riv- 
ers are  not  very  extensive. 

"  We  will  imagine  that  you  have  resolved  to  commence  operations, 
and  that  ar  suitable  spot  has  been  selected.  After  a  day's  digging,  you 
will  find,  that  to  prevent  the  earth  from  caving  in  and  burying  you 
up,  timber  is  wanting.  You  make  application,  and  find  that  to  buy 
staves  and  planks  will  cost  you  as  much  as  a  small  house  in  the  States. 
Even  a  few  cracked  branches  are  valued  at  the  rate  of  five  or  ten  shil- 
lings per  stick,  and  you  can  calculate  how  much  the  cost  would  be  after 
sinking  a  shaft  a  hundred  or  two  hundred  feet,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
chamber  work." 

We  began  to  comprehend  that  mining  was  rather  difficult  and  uncer- 
tain work. 

"  Then,  according  to  your  showing,  the  best  thing  that  we  can  do,  is 
to  pack  up  our  traps  and  return  to  Melbourne,"  Fred  said,  after  a  long 
pause. 

"  By  no  means  ;  you  are  not  going  to  start  so  soon,  I  hope,"  the  in- 
spector replied. 

"  We  see  but  little  use  of  remaining  here  and  wasting  our  means  on 
an  uncertainty,"  I  answered. 


260  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Have  patience,  my  lads,"  replied  the  inspector,  softly ;  "  are  there 
no  other  ways  of  making  money  besides  mining  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked,  with  a  suspicious  glance. 

The  inspector  laughed,  and  slowly  refilled  his  pipe. 

"  I  don't  propose  to  rob  the  specie  train,  or  to  waylay  travellers.  I 
think  that  money  can  be  made  in  an  honest  manner,  and  without  work- 
ing very  hard." 

"  But  how  ?     Show  us  the  modus  operandi." 

"  I  will,  with  great  pleasure.  Make  an  agreement  with  your  com- 
panion here,  Smith,  and  let  him  return  to  Melbourne  and  load  two 
teams  with  goods,  such  as  I  will  give  you  a  hint  to  buy.  By  the  time 
he  returns,  you  can  have  a  store  or  large  tent  to  receive  them.  Paint 
on  a  huge  piece  of  canvas  that  you  have  fresh  goods  from  England 
and  the  United  States,  and  call  your  place  the  '  International  Store." 
It  will  sound  well,  and  half  of  the  fellows  here  won't  know  what  it 
means,  and  of  course  they  will  patronize  you  for  the  purpose  of  find- 
ing out." 

"  But  where  is  the  capital  to  come  from  ?  "  I  asked,  thinking  that  I 
would  test  his  friendship  by  pretending  that  we  had  but  little  money  at 
our  command. 

"  A  thousand  pounds  will  be  enough ;  I  will  recommend  you  to  deal- 
ers in  Melbourne  who  will  be  glad  to  give  you  three  months'  credit," 
the  inspector  answered,  promptly. 

"  That  may  be  true,  but  a  thousand  pounds  is  a  large  sum  of  money, 
and  where  are  we  to  find  it  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Why,  I  have  five  hundred  pounds  that  I  don't  want  to  use,  and  I 
am  so  certain  that  what  I  recommend  will  succeed,  that  you  are  wel- 
come to  it  without  interest  for  a  twelvemonth." 

Mi\  Brown  seemed  so  sincere  and  honest  that  we  were  compelled  to 
shake  hands  with  him  in  token  of  our  appreciation  of  his  offer. 

"  We  are  comparatively  strangers  to  you,"  Fred  said.  "  How  dare 
you  to  offer  to  trust  us  with  money,  when  you  don't  know  but  we  may 
deceive  you  ?  " 

"  Because  I  have  met  a  number  of  Americans  here  at  Ballarat,  and  I 
never  knew  one  to  do  a  dishonest  action,  no  matter  how  hard  he  strove 
to  make  money.  But  what  makes  me  feel  positive  in  this  case  that  I 
shan't  lose  my  funds,  is  the  honesty  expressed  in  your  faces." 

"  Pray  spare  our  blushes,  Mr.  Brown,"  Fred  said,  laughing,  "  for  we 
have  not  met  with  so  much  praise  since  we  have  been  in  Australia." 

"  Then  you  have  been  thrown  in  contact  with  rogues,  who  didn't  give 
honest  men  their  due.  But  speak ;  is  my  offer  accepted  ?  " 

"  We  will  consider  on  it,  and  let  you  know  how  we  feel  disposed,  in 
the  course  of  the  day.  But  of  one  thing  rest  assured.  We  shall  not 
call  upon  you  for  money,  as  we  can  manage  to  raise  enough  of  our  own 
to  commence  business." 

Mr.  Inspector  Brown  looked  disappointed,  and  seemed  to  think  that 
we  had  been  playing  with  him. 

"  We  only  plead  poverty  to  see  if  you  would  lend  us  your  powerful 
assistance,"  Fred  said.  "If  we  should  conclude  to  follow  your  advice, 
we  will  be  sure  and  ask  aid  from  you  if  we  require  it." 

"  Well,  on  such  conditions  I  forgive  the  little  trick  you  have  played 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  261 

upon  me  ;  and  now  I  will  explain  more  fully  the  idea  that  I  entertain 
regarding  my  money-making  scheme.  You  must  set  Smith  at  work,  in 
company  with  another  driver  or  freighter,  and  let  them  bring  such  arti- 
cles as  will  find  a  ready  market.  A  stock  must  be  laid  in,  sufficient 
to  last  nearly  all  winter,  for  during  the  wet  season  the  roads  are  next 
to  impassable,  and  provisions  go  up  like  a  rocket,  only  they  forget  to 
fall  until  good  weather  begins,  and  freighting  gets  brisk." 

"  But  what  articles  are  best  for  the  market  of  Ballarat  ?  "  I  inquired, 
beginning  to  grow  interested  in  the  inspector's  scheme,  in  spite  of  my- 
self. 

"  Smith  can  tell  you  as  well  as  I,  but  I  may  as  well  answer  the  ques- 
tion while  my  tongue  is  loose.  Flour  is  our  great  staple  here,  and  is 
Belling  at  a  large  profit  on  Melbourne  prices.  Let  Smith,  or  some  one 
that  he  may  select,  watch  the  potato  market  closely,  and  often  great  bar- 
gains may  be  picked  up.  Ship  bread  is  also  paying  a  big  profit,  while 
pork  and  rice  can  be  made  to  cover  all  expense  of  freighting  other  ar- 
ticles. Pickles  and  vinegar,  and  even  preserved  meats,  sell  well,  and,  in 
fact,  more  money  is  gained  by  selling  luxuries  than  dispensing  more 
substantial  articles.  A  large  stock  of  tea,  coffee,  and  liquids  of  all 
kinds,  will  enable  you  to  open  the  most  extensive  store  in  Ballarat." 

"  That  is  so,"  echoed  Smith,  approvingly. 

We  were  about  to  make  further  inquiries,  when,  breathless  with  haste, 
a  miner  rushed  into  our  tent, 

"  In  the  name  of  God,  Mr.  Inspector,  come  and  help  me ! "  he 
gasped. 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter,  Bill  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  asked,  quite  coolly. 

"  It  is  matter  enough.  Our  mine  has  caved  in,  and  both  Sam  and 
Jack  are  buried  alive.  Help  me  get  them  out,  and  you  shall  have  a 
share  of  the  gold  they  have  got  on  their  persons." 

"  Did  I  not  tell  you,  no  longer  ago  than  yesterday,  that  you  was  not 
shaping  your  shaft  properly  ?  "  demanded  the  inspector,  sharply. 

"  I  know  that  you  did,  but  we  thought  that  we  could  save  a  few 
pounds,  and  run  a  little  risk,"  replied  the  miner,  in  a  humble  tone. 

"  And  a  pretty  mess  you  have  made  of  it  with  your  meanness.  I 
have  a  great  mind  to  let  you  do  your  own  work,  and  save  the  lives  of 
your  comrades  as  best  you  can,"  and  Mr.  Brown  looked  cross. 

"Don't  say  that,  sir,  when  two  poor  human  beings  are  probably 
dying.  Hadn't  you  better  help  them  first  and  scold  them  afterwards, 
if  alive  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Your  advice  is  too  good  to  go  unheeded,"  returned  Mr.  Brown ; 
"  Bill,  I  will  go  with  you  at  once,  and  do  all  in  my  power  to  assist  you 
to  rescue  your  comrades." 

The  miner  led  the  way  towards  his  claim  at  a  brisk  trot,  and  while 
we  followed  at  his  heels,  Mr.  Brown  explained  what  we  afterwards 
found  often  happened  at  Ballarat.  Through  neglect  to  buy  staves,  or 
heavy  pieces  of  timber  to  keep  the  sides  of  the  shaft  from  caving  in, 
the  poor  fellows  had  been  suddenly  buried,  and  it  was  a  question  wheth- 
er they  could  exist  long  enough  to  allow  of  a  force  to  remove  the  earth 
which  blocked  up  the  entrance  of  the  shaft. 

When  we  reached  the  scene  of  the  disaster  not  more  than  a  dozen 
people  were  present,  and  they  did  not  display  any  intense  affliction  at 


262  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

the  catastrophe.  Five  or  six  were  smoking  and  lounging  about,  dis» 
cussing  the  probabilities  of  the  miners  being  alive,  yet  showing  no  great 
inclination  to  commence  work  and  put  all  doubts  to  rest. 

One  miner  —  an  aged  man  who  had  worked  in  the  coal  mines 
of  Newcastle,  England  —  expressed  a  decided  opinion  that  both  Sam 
and  Jack  were  alive,  and  proceeded  to  demonstrate  it  by  saying 
that  the  mine  had  been  worked  for  some  time,  and  it  was  probable  that 
the  men  were  at  some  distance  from  the  shaft  when  the  earth  caved  in  ; 
and  when  I  asked  how  they  could  exist  without  air,  he  pointed  out  a 
large  shaft  that  had  fallen  in  such  a  manner  that  it  prevented  the  dirt 
from  filling  up  a  large  space,  although  it  appeared  to  me  as  though 
hardly  a  ray  of  light  could  penetrate  the  crevice. 

"  If  you  think  the  men  alive,  why  do  you  not  commence  working  for 
their-  rescue  ?  "  I  asked,  indignantly. 

"  Hoot,  man,  who's  to  pay  me  for  the  time  I'd  be  losing,  while  helpivig 
other  folks.  It's  me  own  bread  and  butter  I  hiv  to  earn  widout  run- 
ning after  strange  kinds  of  jobs,"  answered  the  old  miner,  a  Scotchman  ; 
he  was  determined  to  be  paid  for  his  labor,  and  did  not  believe  in  char- 
itable deeds  unless  one  of  his  countrymen  was  concerned. 

"  Why,  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  you  require  payment  for  helping 
dig  out  the  men  buried  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  Hoot,  and  why  not,  man  ?  It's  mickle  a  man  gets  here  for  his  work, 
that  he  should  be  after  throwing  it  awa." 

"  Is  this  a  fair  sample  of  the  charity  miners  exhibit  towards  each  oth- 
er ?  "  Fred  asked  of  the  inspector. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  it  is  ;  but  this  is  not  unusual ;  before  you 
leave  the  mines  you  will  see  cases  of  selfishness  that  will  make  you 
think  men  have  turned  brutes,  and  possess  the  hearts  of  stoics," 
replied  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoulders. 

"  I  confess,"  Fred  said,  speaking  so  that  those  present  could  hear 
him,  "  that  I  have  not  lost  all  feelings  of  humanity,  and  that  I  nev- 
er turned  a  deaf  ear,  or  calculated  what  I  should  make  by  assisting 
a  person  in  distress.  The  customs  of  Ballarat  may  be  just,  but  I  must 
say,  that  in  my  humble  opinion,  they  are  heartless  and  cruel." 

"  Hoot,  man,"  replied  the  Scotchman ;  "  you  are  but  a  boy,  and  have 
not  been  long  enough  here  to  .understand  us.  It's  little  silver  or  gold 
ye  will  git  if  ye  run  after  other  people's  business." 

The  Scotchman  relighted  his  pipe,  and  was  walking  towards  his  tent, 
when  Fred  stopped  him. 

"  What  shall  I  pay  you  per  hour  for  assisting  to  rescue  the  miners  ?  " 
he  asked. 

"  Ah,  now  man,  ye  is  talking  to  some  purpose,  now.  What  will  ye 
give  ?  " 

"  Two  shillings  per  hour,"  answered  Fred,  at  a  venture. 

"  Ah,  well,  I  don't  mind  helping  the  poor  fellows,  at  that  rate.  I 
never  could  stand  distress.  But,  Misther,  ye  wouldn't  mind  paying  in 
advance,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  I  will  be  responsible  for  your  pay,"  the  inspector  said,  seeing  that 
the  man  hesitated  from  fear  that  he  should  get  cheated,  after  he  had 
performed  his  part  of  the  bargain. 

The  fellow,  luckily,  had  an  axe  with  him,  so,  without  more  delay,  we 


A  GOLD  HUNTERS  ADVENTURES.  & 

lowered  him  into  the  shaft,  and  set  him  at  work  shoring  up  the  sides, 
so  that  others  could  work  without  danger  of  the  earth  caving  in. 

We  had  just  got  him  employed,  when  Bill,  the  man  who  had  first  ap- 
pealed to  the  inspector  for  help,  again  joined  us,  having  been  absent  in 
search  of  friends  to  lend  assistance. 

"  I  can't  get  a  man  to  aid  me,"  he  cried,  "  unless  I  promise  to  pay 
them  for  their  labor." 

"  Well,  then,  you  must  pay  them,"  briefly  rejoined  the  inspector,  who, 
with  coat  off,  was  hard  at  work  cutting  timber  in  proper  lengths  for 
shores  and  supports. 

"  And  ruin  myself  by  so  doing,"  the  heartless  wretch  exclaimed,  in  a 
aulky  manner,  and  with  the  expression  of  a  fiend. 

The  inspector  made  no  reply,  but  continued  his  labor,  and  without 
delay  we  joined  him. 

"  I  don't  suppose  these  young  fellers  would  be  willin'  to  allow  me  two 
shillin's  per  hour  for  workin',  would  they  ?  "  the  impudent  scamp  asked, 
appealing  to  the  inspector. 

"  Hark  ye,  Bill,"  Mr.  Brown  said ;  "  if  you  are  not  stripped  and  in 
that  shaft  in  less  than  five  minutes,  I'll  not  only  drive  you  from  the 
mines,  but  I'll  levy  on  your  property  to  pay  all  the  expenses  of  this  job. 
I  know  where  you  keep  your  dust,  and  can  lay  my  hand  on  it  at  any 
time." 

The  brute,  without  a  moment's  delay,  removed  his , heavy  guernsey 
frock  which  he  wore,  and  was  lowered  to  a  place  beside  the  Scotchman. 

By  the  time  we  had  got  fairly  at  work,  we  were  joined  by  Smith,  who 
had  remained  behind  to  attend  to  the  wants  of  his  cattle,  and  the  hon- 
est fellow,  without  a  moment's  delay,  lent  us  his  powerful  aid. 

The  novelty  of  seeing  three  strangers  at  work  endeavoring  to  save 
the  lives  of  unfortunate  miners,  began  to  attract  attention,  and  we  soon 
found  that  a  large  crowd  was  assembling. 

Fred,  in  his  eager  and  impetuous  manner,  appealed  for  volunteers ; 
and  he  painted  the  duty  that  man  owes  to  man  in  such  fine  colors,  that 
a  dozen  or  twenty  burly  fellows  presented  themselves,  and  demanded  a 
chance  to  assist  in  the  benevolent  work. 

It  was  a  great  triumph  for  us,  and  so  Mr.  Brown  informed  us,  for 
he  declared  that  he  had  never  known  the  people  of  Ballarat  so  liberal 
before.  Just-  as  the  old  Scotchman  was  about  to  leave  the  shaft  for 
dinner,  he  requested  silence,  as  he  thought  he  heard  the  voices  of  the 
imprisoned  men. 

We  all  listened,  and  found  that  he  was  not  mistaken,  and  the  knowl- 
edge that  the  men  were  alive  was  a  sufficient  incentive  to  urge  us  all  to 
renewed  exertion. 

Men  forgot  their  dinners,  and  worked  as  though  their  own  lives 
depended  upon  their  labors,  and  without  stopping  to  rest  or  eat,  we 
continued  on  until  four  o'clock,  when  we  raised  the  poor  fellows  to  the 
surface  of  the  earth,  and  found,  with  joy,  that  they  were  as  well  as 
could  be  expected,  after  so  long  an  imprisonment 

Shouts  rent  the  air,  and  hundreds  of  miners  rushed  towards  the  shaft 
to  congratulate  the  rescued  men,  and  amid  all  the  confusion,  Fred, 
Smith,  and  myself  walked  off  quietly,  and  sought  that  rest  at  our  tent 
which  we  so  much  needed. 


264  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,  OB 

We  were  just  engaged  drinking  a  pot  of  coffee,  when,  to  our  surprise, 
all  three  of  the  miners,  Bill,  Sam,  and  Jack,  entered  our  tent,  without 
ceremony. 

"  We  are  not  very  rich,"  Sam  said,  wiping  his  heated  brow,  and  re- 
maining uncovered  while  he  addressed  us,  "  but  we  can't  let  three 
ptrangers,  who  have  worked  so  hard  for  our  deliverance,  go  unthanked. 
Bill,  here,  has  told  us  all  about  it,  and  how  the  d d  Scotchman  re- 
fused to  work  unless  paid.  Don't  let  the  latter  affair  trouble  you,  'cos 
we've  settled  with  him,  and  now  we  want  to  fix  things  with  you." 

"  We  are  already  settled  with,"  I  answered ;  "  it's  pleasure  enough 
to  us  to  know  that  you  are  both  safe,  and  for  that  object  we  would 
work  as  hard  again." 

"  Would  you,  though  ?  "  demanded  the  speaker,  a  look  of  delight 
overspreading  his  face.  "  Well,  if  I  ever  see  my  children  or  wife  again, 
they  shall  learn  to  pray  for  you,  and  I  would,  if  I  knew  how." 

"  When  the  shaft  caved  in,"  Jack  said,  "  we  had  just  found  three  nug- 
gets of  gold,  and  even  during  our  extremity,  we  retained  our  hold  of 
them.  We  are  not  rich,  as  Sam  states,  but  if  you  will  accept  of  the 
nuggets,  and  keep  them  as  a  remembrance  of  our  deliverance,  we  shall 
feel  thankful." 

They  laid  them  down  and  were  gone  before  we  could  remonstrate, 
and  just  as  they  left  the  tent  the  inspector  entered. 

"  Well,"  he  exclaimed,  "  what  have  you  decided  to  do  about  the 
store  ?  The  patronage  of  the  whole  of  Ballarat  is  at  your  disposal,  for, 
go  where  I  will,  I  can  hear  of  nothing  but  the  two  Americans,  who 
tight  duels  with  one  hand  and  rescue  people  with  the  other." 

"  We  have  decided,"  replied  Fred. 

"That  you  will  commence  business?"  eagerly  inquired  the  in- 
spector. 

"Yes."  - 

"  Good !  "  and  without  another  word  the  inspector  left  our  tent  ab- 
ruptly, as  though  he  had  forgotten  some  important  business. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  265 

CHAPTER    XXXVIII. 

INCIDENTS   IN   LIFE   AT   BALLAEAT. 

WE  had  hardly  recovered  from  the  surprise  of  the  inspector's  myste- 
rious disappearance,  when  our  old  acquaintances,  Charley,  the  proprietor 
of  the  "  Californian's  Retreat,"  and  "  Big  Ben,"  made  their  appearance, 
and  seated  themselves  upon  boxes  in  our  tent  without  the  formality  of 
being  asked.  Ben  was  smoking  away  desperately  at  a  short  pipe,  nearly 
as  black  as  his  beard,  while  Charley,  as  became  the  owner  of  an  estab- 
lished business,  confined  his  attention  to  a  cigar  which  are  vulgarly 
called,  in  this  country,  "  short  sixes,"  I  believe. 

"  I  s'pose  you  haint  forgot  old  friends  nor  nothing  ?  "  Charley  said,  as 
he  carefully  laid  aside  his  cigar,  to  be  resumed  some  other  time,  while 
he  accepted  a  pot  of  coffee  at  the  hands  of  Smith. 

"  We  have  thought  of  you  often  since  we  parted,"  replied  Fred,  with 
a  slight  flight  of  imagination. 

"  Do  tell  if  you  have  ?  Well,  I  declare  to  man,  if  you  two  fellers 
don't  beat  all  natur,  and  no  mistake.  You  don't  'pear  to  make  any 
thing  of  fighting  duels,  and  then  hiring  folks  to  dig  other  folks  out  of  a 
mine.  I  tell  Ben,  here,  ef  I  had  known  you  had  the  dust  to  spare  I 
should  have  axed  you  to  discount  a  note  for  me  for  sixty  days,  payable 
at  sight,  witli  interest.  You  wouldn't  want  to  do  any  such  thing  as  that, 
I  s'pose  ?  No,  I  reckoned  not." 

For  the  first  time  we  really  noticed  our  countryman's  peculiar  dialect 
and  manners,  and  it  gave  us  more  pleasure  to  see  a  genuine  Yankee  at 
the  mines  of  Ballarat  than  it  would  had  we  found  a  nugget  weighing  a 
pound. 

"  We  have  but  little  money,  and  from  appearances  I  think  we  shall 
need  all  we  have  brought  with  us,"  replied  Fred. 

"  You'd  better  believe  you  will,"  said  Ben,  with  an  ominous  shake  of 
the  head,  as  though  he  had  passed  through  the  furnace  of  experience. 

"  What  we  came  here  to  see  you  fellers  for,"  Charley  said,  after  a 
slight  pause,  and  an  exchange  wink  with  Ben,  "  is  to  know  how  you 
stand  in  regard  to  this  'ere  mining  tax,  which  is  crushing  the  life  blood 
out  of  the  vitals  of  us  honest  working  men,  and  making  us  think  of 
Bunker  Hill  and  the  American  Eagle,  I  can  tell  you?" 

"  Really,"  Fred  answered,  after  a  moment's  thought,  "  I  am  too  fresh 
an  arrival  at  the  mines  to  give  an  opinion  as  yet,  and  I  think  we  shall 
have  to  wait  and  see  how  grievous  the  tax  is." 

"  Ain't  that  what  I  told  you  ?  "  grunted  Ben,  appealing  to  Charley. 

"  You  just  wait  a  while,  will  ye,  old  feller,"  remonstrated  Charley. 
"  Things  is  working,  I  tell  ye." 

"  We  shall  be  happy  to  listen  to  you  —  go  on,"  was  all  the  response 
Fred  returned. 

"  I  s'pose  you  have  all  read  'bout  the  tea  tax,  a  good  many  years  ago, 
when  our  revolushinary  daddies  pitched  the  darned  stuff  overboard  in 
Bosting  harbor  ?  " 

23 


266  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OB 

Fred  nodded  in  token  of  acquiescence. 

"  Wall,  things  here  is  something  like  the  things  in  them  'ere  times, 
only  a  darned  sight  wus.  Now,  the  miners  are  taxed  a  putty  consider- 
ahle  sum  jist  for  the  chance  of  digging  about  on  this  earth,  when  by 
nat'ral  rights  the  fellers  hadn't  orter  pay  a  cent. 

"  Sometimes  the  miner  is  lucky,  and  then  agin  he  isn't ;  but  whether 
he  gets  a  pile  or  not,  he's  got  to  shell  over  every  month,  and  if  he  don't 
come  down  he  gets  no  license,  and  can't  arn  an  honest  livin'.  Now 
what  do  you  think  of  such  a  state  of  things,  hey  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  that  the  government  don't  know  that  you  feel  that  the  tax 
is  a  burden,"  Fred  answered,  evasively. 

"  O,  yes,  they  do,  'cos  we've  petitioned  a  dozen  times  to  have  'em 
abolish  it,  but  no  notice  has  been  taken  of  our  papers.  They  can't  say 
that  the  thing  was  not  correct,  'cos  I  writ  one  of  'em  and  headed  it  with 
my  name,  to  let  'em  know  that  we  Americans  still  possessed  the  spirit 
of  our  grand  daddies." 

"  Then  you  had  better  petition  again,"  remarked  Fred,  determined  to 
take  no  part  in  his  schemes  at  present. 

"  No,  we  are  tired  of  that  'ere  game,  'cos  two  can't  play  at  it.  What  we 
have  got  to  do  is,  to  say  to  the  Britishers,  here,  we  won't  give  you  another 
shillin'  to  save  your  old  crown,  and  then  we  shall  bring  'em  round." 

"  But  what  say  the  Englishmen  at  Ballarat  ?  Do  they  refuse  or 
grumble  at  paying  a  tax  ?  " 

"  Of  course  they  do !  There  isn't  an  Englisher  or  a  foreigner  but  io 
ready  to  say  we  won't  stand  the  imposition  no  longer  —  things  is  com- 
ing to  a  head,  and  no  mistake." 

"  And  what  do  you  wish  us  to  do  ?  "  inquired  Fred. 

"  We  want  you  to  jine  us,  and  help  stir  the  boys  up  so  that  they'll 
listen  to  reason,  and  stand  out  like  men,"  replied  Charley,  and  Big  Ben 
grunted  his  applause  at  the  sentiment. 

"  But  that  we  are  not  willing  to  do  at  present.  We  are  strangers 
here,  and  have  paid  no  tax,  nor  have  we  been  asked  to.  We  shall  not 
go  into  the  matter  blindfolded ;  therefore,  for  the  present,  we  must  keep 
aloof  from  your  gatherings  and  petitions." 

Charley -sat  and  listened  without  interruption. 

"  Do  you  know  what  Australia  is  ?  "  he  asked,  in  a  whisper,  dropping 
his  voice  as  though  fearful  of  being  overheard. 

Fred  replied  that  he  considered  it  the  largest  island  in  the  world,  and 
that,  if  the  truth  was  known,  it  would  not  be  so  well  populated  as  at 
present. 

"  That's  it,"  replied  Charley,  "  the  largest  island  in  the  world.  Bigger 
than  all  the  New  England  States,  and  much  more  valible.  Do  you  un- 
derstand me  ?  "  and  the  fellow  winked  violently. 

"  I  can't  say  that  I  fully  comprehend  you.  Can't  you  be  a  little  more 
explicit  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Sartainly.  This  'ere  island  is  rich  —  more  gold  is  exported  than 
from  California  —  immense  droves  of  sheep  is  scattered  all  over  it,  and 
all  kinds  of  garden  stuff  will  grow  in  abundance,  if  only  planted.  You 
understand  me  now,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  still  in  the  dark,"  replied  Fred,  trying  hard  to  refrain  from  a 
smile  at  the  mention  of  "  garden  stuff." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  26T 

The  two  visitors  again  exchanged  glances,  when  Charley  sank  his 
voice  still  lower. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  annexation,  hey  ?  " 

"  What,  annex  Australia  to  the  United  States  ?  "  we-  exclaimed,  in 
astonishment. 

"  Hush !  Don't  blart  it  out  in  that  way,  'cos  the  thing  is  a  secret  as 
yet.  We  have  got  to  work  to  bring  the  tiling  'bout,  but  it  can  be 
done." 

"  And,  pray,  in  what  manner  ?  "  we  asked,  somewhat  amused  to  find 
that  even  Australia  was  not  safe  from  the  Yankee's  covetousness. 

"  In  this  'ere  manner.  The  Britishers  feel  riled  at  the  idea  of  paying 
taxes  on  mining,  and  when  we  tell  'em  that  in  California  every  body  can 
dig  as  long  as  they  darn  please,  without  paying  a  dime,  they  feel  mad- 
der than  ever.  Of  course,  we  don't  check  that  'ere  feeling  at  all.  O, 
no ;  we  stirs  'em  up,  and  preaches  how  great  a  blessing  it  is  to  belong 
to  a  free  and  enlightened  government  like  the  United  States  of 
America." 

"  Well,  go  on  and  explain  the  whole  method." 

"  I'm  coming  on  as  fast  as  I  can.  By  and  by  the  fellers  round  here 
say  that  we  won't  pay  any  more  tax,  and  then  the  government  says  you 
shall,  and  tell  the  sogers  to  collect  it ;  and  while  they  is  doing  that,  some 
miner  resists  and  is  killed,  and  then  we  have  something  to  work  upon, 
and  we  begin  to  stir  people  up  by  telling  'em  how  badly  we've  been 
treated  ;  and  then  a  soger  gets  knocked  on  the  head  by  some  lucky  acci- 
dent, and  we  have  a  fight  with  the  red  coats,  and  lick  'em,  and  then  war 
is  declared  between  us,  and  at  it  we  go  for  a  few  months,  till  we  have 
driven  every  red  coat  out  of  the  country,  and  then  declare  that  it  is  a 
republic,  and  that  we'll  do  as  we  please." 

"  Why,  this  is  treason,"  we  exclaimed,  amazed  at  his  audacity. 

"  I  know  that  old  Ben  Franklin,  Geo.  Washington,  and  others  were 
called  traitors  for  talking  in  the  same  way  during  the  revolution,  but 
their  cause  was  just  and  triumphed  at  last,"  replied  Charley,  dogmat- 
ically. 

"  But  you  don't  compare  your  sufferings  and  oppression  to  that  which 
our  revolutionary  fathers  bore,  do  you  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  'bout  that.  We  is  taxed,  and  so  were  the  old  fellers 
that  we  read  about  who  fought  and  died  for  our  benefit,  and  I  think  we 
ain't  worthy  of  the  name  of  Yankees  unless  we  resist  all  taxes ! " 

"  But  suppose  that  the  English  government  should  feel  inclined  to 
yield  and  vacate  the  island,  leaving  the  people  of  Australia  to  make 
laws  for  themselves,  what  course  should  you  pursue  ?  " 

"Do?"  replied  our  ardent  friend,  without  a  moment's  hesitation, 
"  appoint  the  proper  officers,  elect  a  president,  and  have  a  senate  and 
house  of  representatives,  jist  as  they  do  at  Washington." 

"  And  what  then  ?  "  we  inquired. 

"  Why,  after  we  had  got  to  going  we'd  send  a  feller,  and  I  know  one 
who  would  do  first  rate,  to  the  United  States,  and  after  playing  our 
keerds  putty  well,  we'd  agree  to  annex  Australia  to  the  United  States, 
and  we'd  do  it,  too,  by  thunder." 

We  could  hardly  retain  our  countenances  long  enough  to  listen  to  the 
splendid  burst  of  expectation  which  Charley  had  dreamed  upon  so  long, 


268  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

that  he  really  fancied  his  project  was  practicable.  Conquest  first,  and 
annexation  afterwards,  is  the  theme  upon  which  Americans  harp  wheu 
in  strange  lands. 

"  You  don't-  know  the  feller  that  I  have  in  my  mind's  eye ! "  Charley 
said,  after  a  few  minutes'  silence. 

"  No,  I  am  not  acquainted  with  any  of  my  countrymen  here  at  Bal- 
larat," Fred  replied,  with  a  vacant  look. 

"  The  fellow  that  I  know  hain't  bin  here  in  Ballarat  a  great  while." 

« Indeed." 

"  Yes ;  and  though  I  don't  know  your  name,  I  reckon  you'd  do  tha 
trick  putty  neat." 

"  O,"  answered  Fred,  with  a  smile,  "  it's  me  that  is  to  be  honored  with 
so  delicate  a  mission,  is  it?  To  what  am  I  indebted  for  the  selec- 
tion ?  " 

"  Wall,  we  want  your  help  to  stir  the  folks  up,  and  no  mistake.  Me 
and  Ben  have  been  and  talked  the  matter  over,  and  we've  agreed  to  let 
you  have  that  'ere  office,  if  you  will  back  us  up ;  Ben  is  to  do  a  good 
part  of  the  fighting,  and  I'm  to  negotiate." 

"  We  will  take  your  proposition  into  consideration.  But  there  is 
one  thing  that  you  have  forgotten.  What  offices  are  my  two  friends 
here  to  get  ?  " 

"  O,  we'll  make  'em  senators,  or  somethin'  of  that  sort.  They  shall 
be  cared  for  in  some  way  or  other." 

I  could  only  bow  my  thanks  to  the  kind  gentleman,  but  before  I 
could  reply,  the  inspector  joined  us. 

"  Ah,  Ben,  you  and  Charley  here,"  he  said,  in  a  careless  way.  "  How 
does  the  indignation  meetings  and  the  petitions  get  along  ?  " 

"  Wall,  we  have  another  meetin'  to-night,  and  I  think  that  it  will  be 
a  rouser.  We  shall  make  ourselves  heard  yet,  Mr.  Brown." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will,  but  it  will  be  in  a  different  manner 
from  what  you  anticipate.  Let  me  advise  moderation,  or  there  may  be 
trouble." 

"  There  kin  be  a  muss  if  we  is  disregarded,  and  made  to  pay  for 
what  we  don't  have,"  answered  Ben,  sullenly ;  and  with  that  shot  the 
Americans  left  the  tent. 

"  Of  all  the  unreasonable  brutes  that  I  ever  encountered,  the  miners 
of  Ballarat  appear  to  be  the  worst,"  ejaculated  Mr.  Brown.  "  That  fel- 
low, Charley,  has  not  worked  ten  weeks  in  the  mines,  and  yet  he  talks 
as  glibly  of  the  evils  of  taxation  as  though  the  government  was  wring- 
ing the  last  shilling  from  his  possession.  He  is  a  pot  house  wrangler, 
as  we  call  them  in  England,  and  is  a  positive  nuisance  at  Ballarat." 

Mr.  Brown  appeared  to  be  disgusted  with  our  countryman,  for  he 
displayed  more  temper  than  we  had  seen  since  we  had  made  his  ac- 
quaintance. 

"  But  the  miners  have  some  reason  for  complaint,"  I  said.  "  Taxa- 
tion without  representation  is  wrong,  and  has  occasioned  much  ill  feeling 
and-  bloodshed." 

"  True ;  but  without  the  present  tax,  how  can  government  support  a 
police  force,  and  send  gold  to  the  cities  under  the  escort  of  soldiers  P 
How  can  the  hospitals  at  Sydney  and  Melbourne,  always  filled  with  dis- 
abled miners,  be  kept  open,  and  how  can  the  roads  be  kept  clear  of 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  269 

bushrangers  ?  The  tax  is  not  unreasonable  per  month,  and  yet  through 
its  collection  see  how  much  government  is  enabled  to  do  ?  All  goes 
to  the  benefit  of  the  miner,  and  every  pound  is  expended  for  his  pro- 
tection'or  comfort.  As  far  as  representation  in  our  House  of  Assem- 
bly is  concerned,  I'm  certainly  in  favor  of  it ;  but  just  show  me  how  we 
are  to  arrive  at  any  satisfactory  conclusion  regarding  the  number  of 
members  Ballarat  is  entitled  to.  I've  been  here  ever  since  the  mines 
were  discovered,  and  I  can't  tell.  To-day  there  may  be  fifteen  thousand, 
and  to-morrow  not  ten.  People  are  coming  and  going  continually. 
They  change  from  mine  to  mine  at  every  rumor,  and  I  assure  you 
that  change  is  not  beneficial  to  their  financial  affairs." 

"  In  that  case  we  shall  have  to  do  a  cash  business  when  we  open  our 
Btore,"  Fred  said,  with  a  smile. 

"  Of  course.  It  will  never  do  to  give  credit  to  strangers.  But 
•while  speaking  of  stores,  let  me  inform  you  that  I  have  made  a  few  ar- 
rangements in  your  behalf.  I  have  secured  a  fine  location  for  you,  and 
spoken  to  a  man  who  is  desirous  of  selling  a  suitable  building." 

"  And  the  price  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  Is  reasonable  beyond  all  my  expectations.  The  owner  is  homesick, 
and  will  not  haggle  about  a  few  pounds." 

"  Why  cannot  we  look  at  the  store  this  afternoon,  and  decide  whether 
we  will  take  it  or  not  ?  It  will  save  time." 

"  Come,  then  ;  I  have  no  objections." 

We  followed  the  inspector  through  the  most  thickly-settled  part  of 
the  town,  and  at  length  stopped  before  a  good-sized  frame  building, 
with  the  roof  and  sides  covered  with  sail  cloth  and  common  cotton. 
The  man  who  called  himself  the  proprietor,  was  an  Englishman,  suffer- 
ing under  a  severe  attack  of  rheumatism,  and  therefore  inclined  to 
exclaim  loudly  against  the  mines,  and  Ballarat  in  particular.  The  few 
articles  which  he  had  in  his  store  were  old  and  unworthy  of  purchase. 

We  examined  the  premises,  and  found,  according  to  our  California 
experience,  that  we  could  take  up  our  quarters  there,  and  with  a  little 
trouble,  make  the  building  water  proof.  There  was  room  also  fo*r  an 
addition  to  be  made  in  case  it  was  necessary,  and  as  the  place  was  easy, 
of  access,  we  concluded  we  could  do  no  better  than  strike  a  bargain, 
and  secure  the  building  as  soon  as  possible.  This  we  were  tho  better 
able  to  do  through  a  few  suggestions  which  Smith  let  fall  concerning 
the  severity  of  a  wet  season,  and  the  danger  of  rheumatic  people 
remaining  at  the  mines  during  its  continuance. 

For  a  hundred  pounds  in  cash,  we  were  put  in  complete  possession  of 
not  only  the  store,  but  all  it  contained,  including  a  very  good  stove,  of 
a  Massachusetts  man's  make,  and  sent  to  Australia  on  speculation  — 
three  or  four  pots  and  kettles  —  a  number  of  cracked  dishes,  very  dirty 
—  weights  and  scales,  both  large  and  small,  and  which,  we  afterwards 
found,  were  so  arranged  that  the  buyer  got  about  two-thirds  of  what 
he  paid  for,  while  the  weights  for  purchasing  gold  dust  were  a  little 
too  heavy  to  accord  with  strict  honesty  —  barrels  containing  remnants 
of  articles  of  not  much  use  to  any  one,  besides  other  things  which  we 
did  not  make  any  account  of. 

We  made  a  bargain  that  we  should  take  possession  of  the  premises 
»n  the  next  day,  and  after  taking  a  bill  of  sale  of  the  articles  purchased, 

23* 


270  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OE 

with  the  bold  signature  of  Mr.  BrWn  as  a  witness  of  the  transaction, 
we  returned  to  our  tent,  and  thought  that  our  labors  for  the  day  were 
over.  In  this,  we  were  unhappily  disappointed,  for,  to  our  extreme 
amusement,  a  dozen  or  twenty  persons  were  seated  in  the  vicinity  of 
our  temporary  home,  and  a  more  wretched,  woe-begone  set  I  never 
saw  in  my  life. 

"  Hullo !  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  I  asked  in  surprise,  as  I 
surveyed  the  crowd. 

"  We've  come  to  be  doctored  by  you,"  said  an  Irishman,  exposing  his 
hand,  wrapped  in  a  dirty  bandage. 

"  But  there  is  some  mistake  here.  You  have  applied  to  the  wrong 
man,"  I  replied. 

"  No  mistake,  yer  honor,"  answered  a  sturdy,  good-looking,  bronzed 
fellow,  with  a  military  air  and  a  military  salute ;  "  we've  heard  of  yer 
honors,  and  we  know  that  ye  can  do  us  good  without  wringing  the  last 
shilling  from  us,  like  those  blood-sucking  sawbones." 

"  They  take  us  for  physicians,"  muttered  Fred,  in  astonishment. 

"  You  are  mistaken,"  replied  Mr.  Brown ;  "  they  are  poor  devils,  who 
cannot  afford  to  employ  a  surgeon,  so  come  to  you  to  get  their  wounds 
dressed.  If  you  have  any  knowledge  of  cuts  and  bruises,  assist  them, 
and  you  will  be  no  loser  by  it." 

The  advice  was  good,  but  the  idea  of  our  prescribing  and  dressing 
all  the  wounds  of  the  poor  of  Ballarat  was  something  that  we  had  not 
bargained  for. 

"  You  see,  your  honor,  I  got  an  ugly  cut  on  my  hand  with  a  shovel,  a 
few  days  since,  and,  somehow,  I  don't  think  that  it's  doing  very  well," 
the  military  man  said,  exposing  his  right  hand,  which  looked  in  a  hor- 
rible condition. 

"  You  should  ask  the  advice  of  a  physician,"  I  said,  after  a  brief  in- 
spection of  the  poor  fellow's  injury ;  "  inflammation  has  set  in,  and  you 
will  have  trouble,  unless  the  cut  is  attended  to." 

"  I  know  that,  yer  honor ;  but  it's  little  the  doctors  around  here  care 
for  me,  unless  I  visit  'em  with  a  gold  piece  in  my  hand.  I've  paid  six 
pound  already,  and  I  think  I'm  getting  worse  very  fast." 

I  could  not  help  pitying  the  poor  fellow,  he  was  such  a  sample  of 
manly  strength,  and  bore  himself  like  a  true  soldier.  He  had  been  dis- 
charged from  the  British  army,  at  the  expiration  of  his  time,  and  was 
in  hopes  of  making  money  enough  to  go  home  and  live  in  peace  with 
his  parents. 

All  this  I  learned  after  a  few  minutes'  conversation ;  and  when  I  saw 
that  he  regarded  us  as  superior  in  medical  intelligence  to  the  few  prac- 
tising surgeons  at  Ballarat,  and  all  on  account  of  our  being  Americans, 
I  could  not  find  it  in  my  heart  to  turn  away  from  him.  He  had  touched 
the  right  spot  in  our  national  character,  and  perhaps  we  felt  a  little  vain, 
and  a  desire  that  his  expectations  should  be  fulfilled. 

"  Your  honor  is  going  to  do  something  for  us  ? "  the  soldier  said, 
and  he  read  the  expression  of  my  face  correctly. 

With  non.*  too  much  confidence  in  my  own  skill,  I  determined  to 
undertake  his  cure,  and  at  work  Fred  and  myself  went,  I  taking  the 
Boldier  and  he  the  Irishman. 

For  the  informatiou  of  those  who  may  be  disposed  to  question  my 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  271 

skill,  I  will  state  that  I  first  washed  the  wound  in  tepid  water,  using 
castile  soap  to  cleanse  the  parts,  and  that  after  a  patient  process,  I  cov- 
ered the  cut  with  salve,  such  as  we  had  brought  from  Boston,  and  then 
bound  it  up  with  clean  bandages,  and  gave  him  strict  orders  not  to 
remove  the  cloths,  or  to  use  his  hand  in  working.  Other  directions, 
concerning  diet,  I  administered,  and  made  my  patient  promise  to  keep 
them,  and  after  I  had  concluded,  I  was  obliged  to  attend  another,  and 
out  of  charity,  Fred  and  myself  were  kept  working  until  near  sundown. 

"  That  is  the  best  day's  work  that  you  ever  performed,"  the  inspector 
said,  as  the  last  patient  took  his  departure,  profuse  in  his  thanks.  "  Be- 
fore this  time  to-morrow,  the  skill  of  the  American  doctors,  as  they 
will  insist  upon  calling  you,  will  be  so  magnified,  that  there  is  no  dis- 
ease that  they  will  not  insist  you  can  cure.  Two  branches  of  business 
are  now  offered  you  —  that  of  a  professional  gentleman,  and  the  more 
plebeian  one  of  a  storekeeper." 

"  The  latter,  by  all  means,"  replied  Fred,  with  a  laugh  at  the  idea 
of  our  having  M.  D.  added  to  our  names. 

"  Don't  make  sport  over  that  which  may  yield  a  large  income,"  the 
inspector  said,  seriously  ;  "  I  have  seen  injuries  dressed  in  a  worse  man- 
ner than  those  this  afternoon." 

"  Perhaps,"  I  rejoined,  thinking  that  he  was  disposed  to  make  game 
of  us. 

"  I  am  honest  in  my  expression,  and  to  prove  it  so,  how  many  regular 
surgeons  or  physicians  do  you  think  there  are  at  Ballarat  ?  " 

"  Ten,"  I  answered,  at  a  venture. 

"  One  is  the  actual  count ;  the  balance  are  quacks,  or  else  apotheca- 
ries' apprentices,  escaped  from  indentures,  who  find  a  rich  field  in  hum- 
bugging the  unwary." 

"  Well,  let  them  operate,"  returned  Fred ;  "  we  will  not  enter  into 
competition  with  them  at  present.  But  come  in  and  eat  supper  with 
us,  for  we  have  many  things  to  talk  about." 

"  I  accept  the  invitation  with  more  pleasure  than  you  are  aware  of, 
because  the  exquisite  flavor  of  the  pickled  salmon  that  I  ate  for  break- 
fast is  still  lingering  in  my  mouth,  and  I  long  for  another  taste." 

We  humored  our  friend  by  complying  with  his  hint,  and  after  we  had 
finished  our  tea,  we  lighted  our  pipes,  talked  business,  and  broached 
a  subject  to  Smith,  which  we  had  entertained  ever  since  we  had  decided 
to  go  into  business. 

Our  proposition  to  Smith  was,  that  he  should  form  one  of  a  partner- 
ship, to  be  conducted  under  the  firm  of  Frank,  Jack,  &  Smith.  The 
latter  was  to  attend  to  the  freighting  and  buying  in  Melbourne,  while 
we  would  do  the  trading  and  selling  at  Ballarat.  We  agreed  to  put  in 
three  thousand  dollars  each,  and  we  were  to  value  Smith's  team  and 
animals,  and  allow  a  fair  price  for  them,  and  then  he  was  to  make  up 
with  cash  enough  to  bring  his  capital  equal  to  ours. 

There  were  many  things  which  we  had  to  say  that  we  did  not  like  to 
discuss  before  the  inspector,  so  that  when  he  arose  to  go,  we  felt  thank- 
ful. We  then  drew  up  articles  of  partnership,  and  gave  Smith  an  or. 
der  to  get  the  gold  which  we  had  stored  at  the  old  stockman's,  and  to 
take  a  certain  portion  of  it  to  buy  goods,  and  deposit  the  remainder  to 
our  order  in  the  Melbourne  Bank. 


272  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

After  our  business  was  completed,  the  night  was  far  advanced  ;  and 
with  bright  anticipations  for  the  future,  we  retired  to  our  hard  beds, 
and  dreamed  of  home  and  happiness. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

ATTEMPT  OF  THE  HOUSEBREAKER.  —  ATTACK  BY  THE  SNAKE. 

I  CONFESS  that  it  is  somewhat  startling  to  awaken  a  few  minutes  be- 
fore sunrise,  and  see  a  dozen  rough,  gaunt,  ragged  men,  standing  near 
the  entrance  of  one's  tent,  and  to  hear  them  whisper  in  a  low  tone,  as 
though  they  intended  murder,  or  robbery  at  least ;  and  it  was  with  the 
latter  impression  that  I  sprung  from  my  couch,  revolver  in  hand. 

"What  is  the  meaning  of  all  this?"  I  asked,  rubbing  my  eyes,  not 
being  thoroughly  awakened. 

"  Ah,  yer  honor  is  awaken,  is  ye  ?  "  inquired  a  familiar  voice ;  and  upon 
closer  inspection,  I  found  that  our  Irish  friend,  whose  hand  Fred  had 
dressed  the  succeeding  evening,  was  one  of  our  visitors. 

"  Ah,  it's  you,  is  it?  "  I  asked,  hastily  concealing  my  revolver.  "  What 
has  sent  you  here  so  early  ?  " 

"  Faith,  it's  yer  honor  that  may  well  ax  that.  It's  a  beautiful  night's 
rest  I  had,  yer  honor,  and  I  couldn't  rest  without  coming  and  telling 
yer  honor  of  it.  It's  painless  is  my  hand,,  and  it's  all  owing  to  the  doc- 
toring, I  know,  glory  to  God  ;  and  it's  a  few  friends  of  mine  I've  brought 
wid  me,  whom  I  hope  yer  honors  will  look  at  for  my  sake,  and  long 
life  to  yer  honors'  ginerosity." 

"  Well,  this  is  cool,  certainly,"  I  said,  in  a  low  whisper  to  Fred. 
"  What  are  we  to  do  ?  We  can't  afford  to  devote  all  our  nights  and 
mornings  to  practising  on  the  philanthropic  style." 

"  We  must  make  the  best  of  pur,  bargain,  at  present.  If  we  should 
turn  them  away,  people  would  say  that  we  possessed  no  feeling,  and  as 
likely  as  not  we  should  get  insulted  in  some  manner  or  other  during 
the  first  drunken  fray  that  occurred  near  our  new  place  of  business. 
As  we  have  begun,  so  must  we  finish." 

I  concluded  that  Fred's  advice  was  far  the  best,  and  without  another 
complaint,  I  assisted  him  to  go  through  with  our  new  patients.  As 
usual,  they  left,  profuse  in  their  thanks,  but  no  substantial  token  of  their 
appreciation  was  deposited  with  us. 

There  was  one  thing  that  we  found  we  were  running  short  of,  and 
that  was  salve  ;  and  we  saw,  perhaps  with  some  tokens  of  satisfaction, 
that  when  that  was  ended,  our  career  of  doctoring  would  also  terminate. 

After  breakfast,  Smith  yoked  up  his  team,  and  moved  our  tent  and 
worldly  goods  to  the  new  house  which  we  had  purchased  the  day  before. 
The  man  from  whom  we  had  bought  it  was  all  packed  up  and  ready 
to  start  for  Melbourne  that  very  day,  and  when  he  found  that  Smith  was 
going  on  the  same  journey,  he  engaged  a  passage,  and  expressed, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  273 

in  heartfelt  thanks,  his  joy  at  the  prospect  of  his  soon  leaving  Ballarat 
forever. 

"  I  'ope,"  he  said,  in  cockney  dialect,  "  that  I  never  shall  be  obliged 
to  earn  my  living  in  a  country  vare  the  spiders  are  as  big  as  a  'at,  and  as 
savage  as  a  bull  dog  —  vare  snakes  crawl  into  bed  vith  yer,  and  drive 
yer  out —  and  vare  the  inhabitants  had  rather  tell  a  lie  than  the  truth. 
I'm  going  'ome  to  Hingland,  and  those  vot  vant  gold  may  come  'ere 
and  dig  it  if  they  please,  for  all  I  care." 

Our  parting  with  the  honest  fellow  who  had  been  our  companion  for 
so  many  days,  and  who  had  shared  with  us  so  many  adventures,  was  of  a 
sorrowful  nature,  and  it  seemed  as  though  all  that  we  held  dear  on  the 
island  was  lost  to  us.  Even  Smith  tried  hard  to  conceal  his  grief,  and 
I  saw  moisture  in  his  eyes  as  he  turned  towards  his  cattle,  after  receiv- 
ing our  instructions  for  the  last  time,  and  started  on  his  long  journey. 

The  team  was  just  disappearing  from  view,  when  his  passenger,  who, 
owing  to  his  rheumatism  and  a  light  freight,  was  allowed  to  ride,  strug- 
gled to  his  feet,  and  gave  us  a  parting  salutation. 

"  Look  out  for  the  snakes,"  he  yelled ;  "  they  is  apt  to  enter  the 
'ouse  during  the  night  and  if  you  value  your  dog  you'd  better  tie  him 
on  to  the  roof,  or  he'll  be  swal " 

The  balance  of  the  wretch's  remark  was  lost  in  the  distance,  but  we 
knew  its  meaning,  and  almost  wished  the  same  might  befall  the  late 
proprietor  of  the  building,  before  he  reached  Melbourne. 

Our  feelings  were  not  very  lively  during  the  day,  yet  we  went  to 
work  and  made  many  improvements  in  our  future  home,  and  even  got 
hold  of  a  few  boards,  —  remnants  of  boxes,  —  which  we  nailed  on  the 
roof ;  and  by  purchase  and  favor,  were  enabled  to  complete  it  in  the 
course  of  a  week,  so  that  by  spreading  tarred  sail  cloth  upon  the  boards, 
we  flattered  ourselves  that  we  should  be  comparatively  protected  from 
the  heavy  rain  storms  which  comprise  the  winter  months. 

We  cleaned  out  our  store,  and  arranged  the  few  articles  which  we 
owned,  and  got  ready  for  commencing  business  when  Smith  returned. 
Then  we  began  painting  a  huge  sign  on  strong  sail  cloth,  and  acting  on 
the  inspector's  suggestion,  called  our  place  the  "  International  Store." 

By  night  time  we  were  thoroughly  tired,  and  were  ready  to  thank 
fortune  that  our  usual  number  of  patients  was  not  present  to  demand 
our  professional  aid.  The  inspector  dropped  in  to  see  us  for  a  short 
time,  after  supper ;  but  he  did  not  stop  long,  as  a  large  meeting  of  the 
miners  was  to  take  place  that  night,  and  he  expected  quite  a  stir  would 
be  made  in  regard  to  the  mining  tax.  We  were  therefore  left  alone  to 
pass  the  night,  and  after  an  inspection  of  the  horses,  and  finding  that 
they  were  doing  well,  we  "  turned  in,"  as  the  sailors  say,  and  slept  soundly 
for  three  or  four  hours,  when  I  was  awakened  by  a  low  growl  from  Ro- 
ver, who  was  lying  at  my  feet. 

I  started  at  the  sound,  and  listened,  but  could  discover  no  cause  for 
alffrm.  Still,  I  saw  that  the  hound  was  restless,  and  through  the  dark- 
ness observed  that  his  eyes  burned  like  coals  of  fire,  and  that  he  ap- 
peared to  be  watching  for  further  signs  of  danger. 

Thinking  that  the  noise  of  some  brawler  had  disturbed  him,  I  again 
lay  down ;  but  as  I  did  so  the  dog  uttered  another  low  growl,  and 
crept  near  my  face,  as  though  fearful  of  something  that  was  invisible  to 


274  LIFE   m   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

my  eyes.  I  patted  his  neck,  and  to  my  surprise  I  found  he  was  trem- 
bling as  I  had  never  known  him  before.  He  crouched  close  to  me,  and 
seemed  almost  inclined  to  desert  me ;  but  I  soon  calmed  him,  although, 
for  the  life  of  rat;,  I  could  not  understand  why  he  should  appear  so 
frightened. 

For  a  few  minutes  I  sat  upright  and  listened  attentively,  but  not  a 
sound  rewarded  me  for  my  patience.  I  heard  Fred  breathing  heavily  a 
few  feet  from  me,  but  I  disliked  to  awaken  him,  as  I  knew  that  he  was 
very  tired  when  he  went  to  sleep,  and  as  yet  I  had  seen  nothing  that 
warranted  me  in  disturbing  him.  I  was  just  about  to  speak  to  the  dog 
in  an  angry  tone,  when  he  suddenly  uttered  a  sharp  yelp,  and  I  heard  a 
slight  rustling  within  a  few  feet  of  me. 

It  was  a  peculiar  sound,  and  startled  me.  It  was  not  like  the  ksavy 
or  light  tread  of  man,  but  it  seemed  as  though  some  substance  was  be- 
ing drawn  across  the  floor  at  a  cautious  rate.  Again  it  stopped,  and  all 
was  still ;  I  held  the  dog  firmly  by  the  collar,  but  he  trembled  so  vio- 
lently that  I  began  to  partake  of  his  fear,  and  no  longer  delayed  in 
awakening  Fred. 

I  reached  over,  and  placed  my  hand  upon  my  comrade's  face,  and  the 
touch  awoke  him  instantly. 

"  Hist ! "  I  whispered ;  "  don't  speak  above  your  breath  for  your  life. 
There  is  some  person  in  the  room  !  " 

I  could  feel  my  friend  place  his  hand  upon  his  trusty  revolver,  and  I 
knew  that  he  was  prepared  for  action.  I  shifted  my  position  so  that  I 
could  get  beside  him,  and  then,  armed  in  a  similar  manner,  I  awaited 
further  developments. 

"  What  has  disturbed  you  ?  "  he  asked,  in  a  whisper  that  would  have 
been  inarticulate  two  paces  from  us. 

"  I  can't  imagine.  Even  Rover  has  taken  fright,  and  for  the  first 
time ;  see  how  he  trembles,"  I  responded. 

"  Get  your  matches  all  ready,  and  when  we  wish  a  light  we  will  have 
one  without  delay.  Hark !  What  was  that  ?  " 

We  both  listened  attentively.  Not  ten  feet  from  us,  we  could  hear  a 
movement  that  now  sounded  as  though  a  man  was  crawling  upon  his 
stomach.  Carefully  he  appeared  to  work  his  way  along,  stopping  every 
few  seconds,  as  though  uncertain  whether  to  advance  or  recede ;  and  it 
seemed  as  though  we  could  hear  our  night  visitor  breathe  during  his 
pauses. 

We  did  not  wish  to  use  our  pistols,  for  we  did  not  know  but  that  the 
former  proprietor  of  the  store  was  in  the  habit  of  giving  lodgings  to 
miners,  who  were  not  acquainted  with  the  change  of  ownership ;  but  we 
made  up  our  minds  that  we  would  guard  against  such  interruption  of 
our  slumbers  in  future. 

"  We  had  better  ask  what  he  wants,"  whispered  Fred,  "  and  then  we 
will  light  a  candle  and  examine  him." 

"  Go  ahead ;  your  lungs  are  the  strongest,"  I  answered,  in  an  audible 
tone. 

At  the  sound  of  my  voice,  the  slow,  slimy  movement  upon  the  floor 
ceased,  and  the  visitor  appeared  to  be  listening. 

"  Who  goes  there  ?  "  demanded  Fred,  with  a  voice  slightly  tremulous. 

It  appeared  to  me  that  I  could  hear  a  slight  breathing  near,  but  I  was 


A   GOLD    HUNTEK'S    ADVENTURES.  27b 

not  sure.  The  slow  moving  or  creeping;  across  the  floor  had  ceased ; 
we  listened  for  a  repetition  of  it. 

"  Are  you  a  friend  or  foe  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

There  was  no  response  for  a  moment,  and  then  the  slow,  cautious 
movement  began  again. 

"  Strike  a  light,"  whispered  Fred,  "  and  let  us  see  what  this  means." 

Among  the  effects  which  we  had  found  in  the  store  was  a  large  lamp 
for  burning  alcohol ;  this  Fred  had  cleansed  and  trimmed  the  day 
before,  and  filled  with  spirits  of  turpentine,  for  the  purpose  of  using  it 
in  cooking.  I  knew  where  it  was  placed ;  so  I  crept  carefully  along  on 
my  hands  and  knees,  and  suddenly  lighted  it  with  a  lucifer.  As  the  huge 
wick  took  fire,  I  hastily  glanced  over  my  shoulder,  for  fear  that  an 
assassin  should  strike  a  blow  before  I  could  be  on  my  guard. 

A  startling  yell  from  Fred  caused  me  to  spring  to  my  feet,  and  as  I 
did  so,  a  long,  dark  object  flashed  before  my  eyes,  and  narrowly  missed 
my  head.  The  next  instant  my  yell  of  terror  was  added  to  Fred's,  for 
in  the  middle  of -the  floor,  with  waving  tail,  and  eyes  that  blazed  like 
coals  of  fire,  was  a  monstrous  snake  of  a  jet  black  hue;  the  huge 
mouth  of  the  reptile  was  thrown  open  to  its  widest  extent,  and  was 
armed  with  fangs  an  inch  in  length ! 

For  a  short  time  after  my  cry  of  terror,  I  remained  silent,  not  daring 
to  move,  for  fear  that  the  reptile,  who  appeared  to  be  debating  which 
of  us  to  attack  first,  should  make  a  spring,  and  encircle  me  in  his 
dreadful  folds,  and  crush  out  my  life  before  I  could  utter  a  prayer. 

Even  to  this  day  I  can  remember  how  I  trembled,  and  how  weak  my 
knee  joints  appeared  to  grow;  and  even  now,  I  fancy  I  can  see  the 
slimy,  gleaming  monster  examine  first  me,  and  then  the  flickering  flame 
of  the  lamp,  as  though  only  astonishment  at  the  illumination  kept  him 
at  a  distance. 

I  did  not  for  a  moment  lose  sight  of  that  powerful,  waving  tail,  or  the 
glowing  eyes,  although  I  thought  I  would  give  all  the  world  to  be  miles 
from  the  spot. 

I  had  heard  of  the  monstrous  size  that  black  snakes  acquired  in  Aus- 
tralia, but  I  had  regarded  the  stories  as  travellers'  yarns,  and  only  got 
up  to  intimidate  new  comers.  Now  that  I  was  satisfied  of  the  truth  of 
the  accounts,  I  could  have  wished  that  an  earthquake  would  swallow 
the  reptile,  so  that  it  but  left  me  secure. 

I  glanced  hastily  towards  Fred.  He  was  seated  on  his  bed,  as  star- 
tled and  surprised"  as  myself,  but  I  thought  that  I  saw  his  hand  move 
slowly  towards  his  revolver,  and  I  prayed  that  his  eyes  would  not 
deceive  him  when  he  fired. 

Rover  had  disappeared,  but  I  could  hear  his  loud  bay  outside  of  the 
building,  and  I  hoped  that  it  would  attract  attention,  and  that  assistance 
would  reach  us  before  it  was  too  late. 

Still  that  fearful  and  muscular  tail  waved  and  played  in  the  air,  as 
though  undecided  where  to  strike. 

For  a  moment  I  removed  my  eyes  from  the  bright  orbs  before  me, 
and  to  my  surprise,  I  saw  a  quantity  of  old  canvas,  stowed  in  a  corner 
where  we  had  left  it  the  day  before,  begin  to  move.  The  snake  was 
apparently  attracted  by  the  same  object,  and  moved  its  body  slightly  to 
get  u  better  view. 


276  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

I  thought,  with  horror,  that  perhaps  it  was  the  mate  of  the  reptile, 
and  that  Fred  and  myself  would  furnish  a  meal  for  each.  Still,  I 
watched  the  canvas  and  the  movements  of  the  snake  closely.  The 
former  was  gradually  and  carefully  unrolled,  and  then,  to  my  surprise, 
I  saw  the  head  of  a  man  thrust  cautiously  out,  as  though  to  discover  the 
cause  of  the  recent  noise,  and  why  a  lamp  was  burning  at  that  hour  of 
the  night. 

The  snake  saw  the  man's  head  as  quick  as  myself —  at  least,  I  judged 
that  it  did  by  its  motions ;  for  the  huge  mouth  expanded  wider  than  be- 
fore, and  a  long,  forked  tongue  darted  back  and  forth,  as  though  long- 
ing for  something  to  gorge.  The  tail  of  the  reptile  also  waved  more 
gently,  as  though  uncertain  where  to  strike. 

To  my  surprise,  the  man  who  was  concealed  in  the  canvas  appeared 
to  pay  no  attention  to  our  hideous  visitor,  for  he  pushed  aside  the  cloth 
that  covered  him,  and  seemed  desirous  of  either  investigating  the  con- 
tents of  our  money-pouches,  or  else  making  his  escape  from  the 
building. 

He  was  an  ugly-looking  fellow,  as  seen  by  the  flickering  of  our  lamp, 
and  had  I  been  unarmed,  I  should  have  cared  but  little  about  meeting 
him  in  the  dark ;  under  the  present  circumstances  I  almost  welcomed 
him  as  a  friend,  and  would  willingly  have  given  him  a  few  hundred 
pounds,  if,  when  he  left  us,  he  could  carry  our  shiny  visitor  along  with 
him. 

We  watched  both  the  man  and  the  snake  with  an  unflagging  atten- 
tion. The  former,  to  my  surprise,  did  not  appear  to  observe  the  dan- 
ger that  he  was  in,  and  I  could  only  account  for  it  when  I  saw  that  his 
eyes  were  watching  my  movements,  as  though  fearful  that  a  well-directed 
shot  was  to  punish  him  for  his  intrusion. 

The  fellow  was  well  armed,  I  could  perceive,  for  a  pair  of  pistols  was 
stuck  in  his  belt,  and  a  long,  glittering  knife  reposed  near  them.  Once 
I  saw  him  make  a  movement  with  one  of  his  hands  towards  his  belt,  as 
though  anxious  to  try  the  chances  of  a  shot  in  my  direction,  but  he 
apparently  altered  his  mind,  and  arose  to  his  feet. 

I  hastily  glanced  towards  the  snake ;  the  movement  of  its  long  tail 
ceased,  and  the  reptile  coiled  itself  up  as  though  to  escape  observation, 
but  the  fire  of  its  eyes  burned  as  brightly  as  ever,  and  the  long  fangs 
were  exhibited,  as  though  determined  to  bite  something  before  long. 

Still  the  stranger  did  not  appear  to  observe  the  dangerous  position 
that  he  was  in,  for  he  seemed  too  much  occupied  with  scrutinizing  Fred 
and  myself  to  attend  to  objects  in  his  immediate  vicinity.  Our  silence 
must  have  struck  him  with  wonder,  for  after  a  while  he  spoke. 

"  Darn  it ! "  he  exclaimed,  pettishly,  "  why  don't  some  of  you  hail  a 
feller  ?  or  are  you  all  struck  with  a  Spanish  mildew  ?  " 

We  returned  no  answer^. 

The  snake  appeared  to  be  as  much  interested  a&  ourselves,  and  hardly 
a  motion  of  his  black,  glistening  skin  could  I  observe ;  but  his  eyes 
seemed  to  emit  sparks  of  fire,  so  brilliantly  did  they  blaze. 

"  You  can't  hail  a  convoy,  hey  ?  "  demanded  the  stranger,  in  a  con- 
temptuous tone ;  "  has  my  appearance  put  a  stopper  on  your  tongues, 
or  what  is  the  matter  ?  " 

We  still  remained  silent,  awaiting  the  finale  of  so  singular  a  meeting- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  277 

"  You  can  talk  glib  enough  when  you  get  with  old  Brown,  and  othei 
police  fellows,  after  having  shot  down  the  best  man  in  the  mines  —  you 
know  who  I  mean  —  and  I  tell  you  that  he  is  a  better  man  than  either 
of  you  two  lubbers,  squatting  there,  with  faces  whiter  than  a  ship's 
mam  royal !  You  know  the  feller  I  mean  —  Pete  Burley ;  he  never 
trembled  when  a  feller  hailed  him." 

We  let  the  ruffian  —  for  his  last  words  convinced  me  that  he  had  vis- 
ited us  for  no  good  —  go  on. 

The  snake  had,  inch  by  inch,  moved  its  location,  and  was  partly  con- 
cealed from  the  sight  of  Burley's  friend  by  a  barrel.  The  light,  also, 
was  not  shed  over  that  portion  of  the  floor,  and  while  every  movement 
of  the  monster  was  distinctly  revealed  to  me,  the  ruffian  could  not,  with- 
out stepping  towards  us,  observe  it. 

'"  I  s'pose  you  fellers  want  to  know  why  I  am  here,"  the  ruffian 
asked,  with  a  sneer. 

I  tried  to  reply,  but  I  could  not ;  my  eyes  were  fastened  upon  the 
glowing  orbs  of  the  snake,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  if  I  spoke,  he 
would  spring  towards  me. 

A  I'll  tell  ye  why  I  am  here,  and  how  I  got  in.  I  want  to  revenge 
the  injury  which  you  have  inflicted  upon  my  friend  Burley,  and  I  also 
want  to  get  a  few  pounds  to  pay  me  for  the  trouble  I  have  taken  in  his 
behalf;  so  just  heave  ahead  and  shell  out  the  shiners,  and  then  we'll 
spin  a  yarn  'bout  other  affairs.  Interest  first,  and  then  satisfaction." 

I  heard  every  word  that  the  villain  uttered,  but  if  he  had  drawn  a 
pistol,  and  offered  to  have  shot  me  where  I  stood,  I  could  not  have 
moved  a  hand  in  my  behalf.  I  struggled  to  overcome  the  feeling,  but 
it  was  in  vain  ;  the  glistening,  restless  eyes  of  the  snake  were  on  me, 
and  seemed  to  dance  with  triumph  at  their  thraldom.  The  tail  was 
motionless  now,  as  though  awaiting  the  result  of  the  conversation. 

I  wondered  that  Fred  did  not  come  to  my  relief;  but  the  longer  that 
I  looked,  the  less  I  thought  on  the  subject,  and  after  a  while  I  began 
to  really  enjoy  my  situation,  and  to  feel  surprised  that  I  had  considered 
the  monster  so  terrible.  I  felt  a  strange  desire  to  move  forward,  and 
fondle  the  snake,  and  the  eyes  that  at  first  seemed  so  hideous  now 
looked  like  glittering  stones  of  inestimable  value.  The  black,  slimy 
skin  appeared  to  be  of  burnished  gold,  and  I  thought  that  if  I  could 
but  touch  it,  I  should  be  enriched  forever. 

Even  in  my  stupor  I  could  hear  the  loud  barking  of  Rover,  on  the 
outside  of  the  building,  and  it  passed  through  ray  mind,  like  an  electric 
shock,  that  he  was  uttering  a  howl  for  my  death.  But,  like  a  flash,  the 
bitter  feeling  that  I  experienced  passed  away,  and  I  no  longer  regretted 
that  I  was  to  die  ;  in  fact,  I  felt  rather  rejoiced  that  I  was  so  soon  to  end 
my  troubles,  and  it  appeared  that  I  had  got  but  a  step  to  move  forward, 
and  I  should  be  surrounded  with  all  the  pleasures  of  paradise. 

"  Why,  what  is  the  matter  with  you  two  lubbers  ?  "  I  heard  the  ruf- 
fian ask,  the  few  minutes'  silence  that  had  prevailed  having  startled 
him  ;  "  darn  yer  eyes,  can't  one  of  ye  speak,  and  say  that  you'll  come 
down  with  the  shiners  ?  " 

I  could  hear  the  loud  breathing  of  Fred,  and  I  thought  that  he  was 
trying  to  asiswer,  but  if  he  did  attempt  it,  the  effort  was  a  failure,  and 
the  words  died  in  his  throat  unuttered. 

24 


278  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

I  do  not  know  how  long  I  stood  thus  silent  and  motionless,  but  It 
seemed  to  me  hours  ;  and  each  moment  I  could  feel  that  I  was  growing 
weaker  and  weaker,  and  more  strongly  urged  forward  in  the  direction 
of  the  snake.  And  then  the  tail  of  the  monster,  which  had  lain  dor- 
mant for  some  time,  began  to  exhibit  signs  of  life,  and  to  form  graceful 
curves  in  the  air,  as  though  enjoying  a  mighty  triumph,  or  beckoning 
other  monsters  to  come  forward  and  witness  the  result  of  an  interview 
•with  the  lords  of  the  creation. 

"  Blast  your  picturs  !  "  exclaimed  the  ruffian,  and  I  heard  him  move 
as  though  he  intended  to  come  towards  us. 

I  could  not  withdraw  my  gaze  from  the  snake,  and  if  I  should  live  a 
thousand  years,  I  never  could  hope  to  witness  such  a  gorgeous  display 
as  the  eyes  of  the  monster  exhibited  when  the  sound  of  footsteps  dis- 
turbed the  silence  of  the  room.  Showers  of  gold,  silver,  and  precious 
etones,  all  mingled  together,  and  exhibited  by  gas  light,  would  be  but  a 
poor  comparison,  when  contrasted  with  the  splendor  that  I  thought  I 
observed  in  the  serpent's  eyes. 

I  heard  the  ruffian  take  one,  two,  three  steps  towards  us,  and  I  hea.rd 
him  utter  an  oath  at  our  apparent  indifference,  and  then,  like  a  flash  of 
lightning,  I  saw  the  tail  of  the  snake  gleam  through  the  air,  and  encir- 
cle, coil  after  coil,  the  stout  body  of  the  midnight  robber ! 

I  heard  a  sudden  exclamation  of  horror  ;  a  fearful  imprecation  escaped 
the  lips  of  the  ruffian,  and  then  the  wonderful  spell,  which  had  bound 
me  for  I  know  not  how  long,  was  dissipated,  and  weak  and  trembling, 
I  staggered  back,  and  sank  upon  the  floor,  too  much  exhausted  to 
escape  from  the  building,  and  too  much  overcome  with  horror,  at  the 
struggle  going  on  before  me,  to  offer  aid. 


CHAPTER    XL. 

DEATH  OF  THE  BURGLAR  BY  THE  SNAKE. 

THE  struggle  that  was  going  on  in  our  room  did  not  prevent  me  -^-as 
I  lay  upon,  the  floor,  too  exhausted  and  faint  to  assist  the  ruffian  who 
called  himself  Pete  Burley's  friend  —  from  glancing  towards  Fred,  to 
see  how  he  fared.  He  appeared  to  be  in  the  same  condition  as  myself, 
and  was  lying  upon  his  side,  almost  motionless ;  but  his  eyes  were  riv- 
eted upon  the  horrible  contortions  of  the  snake,  as  the  ruffian,  a  power- 
fully built  man,  strove  to  tear  off  the  coils  which  bound  him  with  fet- 
ters that  were  like  steel. 

The  man's  cries  and  oaths  were  fierce,  but  uttered  in  a  gasping  tone, 
as  though  his  very  life  was  being  pressed  out.  Three  coils  were  around 
him,  and  each  moment  I  thought  that  I  could  see  them  gradually  tighten, 
but  still  the  resistance  of  the  victim  was  none  the  less  powerful. 

He  grasped  the  snake  around  the  body,  and  strove,  with  his  powerful 
hands,  to  make  it  yield  its  death  hug ;  but  his  efforts  seemed  to  have 


A  GOLD  IIUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  27S 

BO  more  effect  than  if  he  had  clinched  a  bar  of  iron,  or  a  young  sapling. 
Around  they  went  —  the  snake  with  his  head  upon  the  floor,  his  eyes 
flashing  fire,  and  his  mouth  expanding,  and  tongue  darting  back  and 
forth,  and  seeming  to  enjoy  the  night's  adventure  as  one  that  was  unex- 
pected as  well  as  gratifying. 

I  saw  the  ruffian  make  desperate  attempts  to  reach  his  knife,  which 
was  in  his  belt ;  but  the  coils  around  him  prevented,  and  in  their  ex- 
tremity they  turned  and  staggered  around  the  store,  upsetting  barrels 
and  boxes,  yet  all  the  time  I  saw  that  the  reptile  had  the  advantage, 
and  could,  with  a  slight  exertion  of  strength,  drive  his  antagonist  whith- 
er he  pleased. 

I  was  as  much  fascinated  with  the  fight,  as  I  had  been  with  the  eyes 
of  the  snake,  and  did  not  move  hand  or  foot  to  assist  the  robber.  Even 
if  a  shot  would  have  put  an  end  to  the  combat,  I  did  not  dare  to  fire  it, 
for  fear  of  killing  the  man ;  and  as  for  approaching  to  use  our  knives, 
the  bare  thought  was  enough  to  cause  a  shudder,  for  the  snake  managed 
to  keep  his  head  towards  us,  and  with  expanded  mouth  and  glistening 
fangs,  appeared  to  warn  us  that  the  fight  was  a  fair  one,  and  that  he 
would  brook  no  interference. 

At  length  I  saw  the  struggling  wretch  grasp  the  tail  of  the  reptile 
with  one  hand,  and  seek  to  unwind  the  folds  that  bound  him.  As  well 
might  he  have  attempted  to  bend  or  loosen  bars  of  iron,  for  with  a 
slight  effort  the  snake  freed  that  portion  of  his  body,  and  raising  his 
head,  hissed,  as  though  with  scorn,  at  the  effort  of  the  poor  mortal. 

The  ruffian  was  not  daunted,  although  a  fierce  imprecation  escaped 
his  lips,  as  the  animal  raised  his  head,  and  seemed  disposed  to  accom- 
plish the  destruction  of  his  antagonist  without  further  delay. 

Again  did  he  struggle  to  get  at  his  knife,  and  this  time,  owing  to  a 
slight  relaxation  of  the  coils  around  his  body,  he  was  successful.  I 
saw  the  glittering  steel  flourished  in  the  air,  and  I  saw  by  the  sudden 
contraction  of  the  serpent's  folds,  that  it  was  aware  that  a  battle  of  life 
and  death  was  now  to  take  place  between  them. 

"  Die,  d you  —  die,"  yelled  the  man,  cutting  with  his  knife  at 

various  parts  of  the  snake's  body. 

I  saw  the  hot  blood  spirt  from  the  wounds,  and  cover  the  floor,  and  I 
saw  that  the  snake's  eyes  grew  more  brilliant  than  ever,  and  that  he 
•was  gradually  bringing  his  head  on  a  level  with  the  face  of  his  antago- 
nist, as  though  to  bite  and  disfigure  his  countenance. 

Again  the  keen  knife  descended,  and  this  time  struck  deep,  for  the 
wounded  animal,  with  a  convulsive  spring,  overturned  the  ruffian,  and 
together  they  rolled  upon  the  floor. 

I  could  hear  the  hard  breathing  of  the  man,  and  I  could  tell  every 
time  that  his  knife  struck  home,  by  a  peculiar  hiss  that  escaped  the 
snake.  It  was  like  the  sudden  escape  of  steam. 

"  We  must  now  lend  some  assistance  to  the  poor  wretch,"  said  Fred, 
suddenly  starting  to  his  feet,  knife  in  hand.  "  Do  you  hold  the  light, 
so  that  I  can  see  where  to  strike." 

"  Help  me  or  I  die,"  yelled  the  ruffian,  v;hose  strength  began  to 
fail ;  and  he  called  none  too  soon,  for  in  spite  of  his  desperate  efforts 
with  his  knife,  the  monster  had  struck  one  blow,  with  his  fangs,  upon 
lus  face,  and  was  about  to  repeat  it,  aa  we  drew  near,  light  in  hand. 


280  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

The  snake  raised  its  head,  and  shook  it  menacingly,  as  we  approached, 
The  huge  mouth  opened,  and  the  quivering  tongue  darted  hack  and 
forth,  as  though  warning  us  not  to  interfere  with  what  did  not  concern 
us ;  but  in  spite  of  its  threatening  attitude,  Fred  directed  a  blow  at  its 
head,  and  the  keen  steel  made  a  large  wound  near  the  reptile's  neck. 

The  hot  blood  gushed  from  the  wound  in  torrents ;  a  few  drops  fell 
upon  my  hand,  and  burned  the  flesh  as  though  seared  with  a  heated 
iron. 

I  saw  that  the  folds  of  the  serpent  were  gradually  relaxing,  as  though 
tired  of  the  unequal  contest,  and  the  sight  gave  us  renewed  courage. 
Again  and  again  did  Fred  flesh  his  steel,  and  each  blow  that  was  struck 
told  upon  the  life  of  the  monster,  and  at  last,  with  a  convulsive  shud- 
der, the  tail  was  uncoiled,  straightened  out,  and  with  a  long-drawn  sigh 
the  snake  expired. 

We  did  not  delay  a  moment,  but  went  to  the  assistance  of  the 
wounded  man.  He  was  covered  with  blood  and  slime,  and  a  frightful 
wound  was  upon  his  face,  where  the  fangs  of  the  reptile  had  struck. 
He  was  breathing,  but  very  faintly;  so  we  lost  not*,  moment  in  placing 
to  his  mouth  a  cup  of  wine  that  we  fortunately  had  saved  from  our  sup- 
ply obtained  at  Melbourne.  The  liquor  seemed  to  revive  him,  for  he 
opened  his  eyes,  and  made  a  desperate  effort  to  speak. 

"  How  fares  it  with  you?"  asked  Fred. 

"  The  d d  snake  has  made  a  finish  of  me,  I  believe,"  he  gasped, 

placing  one  hand  upon  his  side,  as  though  the  effort  to  speak  had 
caused  excruciating  pain  in  that  region  of  his  body.  "  Blast  his  pic- 
tur,  how  he  hugged  me ! " 

"  Take  another  drink  of  wine,"  returned  Fred,  "  and  then  rest  until 
morning,  and  we  will  see  what  can  be  done  for  you." 

"  By  morning,  mates,  I  shall  be  at  rest  —  never  fear.  A  man  can't 
have  his  heart  squeezed  into  his  mouth,  and  hope  to  live.  But  I'm 
darn  glad  that  I  killed  the  black  scoundrel.  He'll  never  purcel  another 
sailor  with  his  bloody  tail." 

"  Let  us  make  an  examination,  and  see  how  much  you  are  wounded," 
I  said,  proceeding  to  strip  off  his  shirt. 

"  Avast  there,  shipmate,"  he  cried,  in  a  more  feeble  voice  ;  "  I'm  go- 
ing fast,  so  don't  disturb  me." 

'  But  there  may  be  hope  —  we  will  run  for  a  physician." 

'  Of  what  use  would  the  old  sawbones  be  ?  Haven't  I  already  been 
tortured  enough  ?  Besides,  I've  no  money  to  pay  for  a  visit." 

'  We  will  attend  to  that  part  of  the  duty,"  rejoined  Fred. 

1  You  will  ?  "  demanded  the  wounded  man,  in  astonishment. 

'  To  be  sure." 

1  Well,  all  I've  got  to  say  is,  I'm  sorry  that  I  attempted  to  revenge 
old  Burley's  wrongs,  and  if  I  could  live  he  might  fight  for  himself — I 
wouldn't." 

"  Did  the  man  you  call  Burley  hire  you  to  redress  his  fancied  wrongs  ?  " 
Fred  asked. 

"  He  told  me  that  you  both  had  money,  and  that  if  I  was  a  mind  to, 
I  could  make  myself  rich,  and  pay  you  up  for  his  wound  in  the  hip. 

"  I'm  going,"  he  gasped,  at  length,  "  and  I  feel  sorry  for  my  past 
crimes.  Do  you  believe  that  there  is  a  hell  where  sinners  burn  fern  rer 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  281 

and  ever  ?     Forgive  me.     I  should  have  murdered  you  both  had  it  not 

been  for  that  d d  snake.     I  crept  under  the  canvas  while  you  were 

at  supper,  and  while  waiting  for  you  to  retire,  I  fell  asleep.  I  am  glad 
that  I  didn't  kill .  D the  sn " 

There  was  a  gasping  in  the  man's  throat,  and  with  a  slight  struggle 
his  breath  departed,  and  his  soul  flew  up  to  God  to  be  judged,  and 
treated  according  to  the  crimes  which  were  recorded  against  his  name. 

"  What's  to  be  done  ?  "  asked  Fred,  when  he  found  that  the  robber's 
heart  ceased  to  beat. 

"  We  can  do  nothing  until  daylight.  Let  us  go  back  to  bed  and  try 
and  sleep." 

"  And  wake  up  and  find  a  snake  for  a  bedfellow  ?  No,  I  feel  that  I 
shall  not  sleep  again  for  a  month.  I  am  almost  ready  to  declare  that  I 
will  not  stop  another  day  at  Ballarat,  or  in  Australia.  We  have  met 
with  nothing  but  dangers  since  our  landing,  and  it  seems  that  on  each 
occasion  our  lives  have  been  spared  as  by  a  miracle." 

"  I  can  feel  only  too  grateful  that  they  are  spared,  without  question- 
ing the  means,"  I  replied.  "  Whether  a  gracious  Providence,  or  our 
shrewdness,  has  prevented  us  from  being  food  for  worms,  is  a  subject 
we  will  not  discuss." 

"  But  I  feel  tired  of  this  kind  of  life,"  Fred  said,  as  he  seated  himself 
upon  his  bed  and  looked  around  the  floor,  covered  with  blood,  and  the 
bodies  of  the  huge  snake  and  the  dead  man.  "A  few  weeks  ago  there 
was  nothing  that  I  liked  so  wejl  as  an  adventure,  but  now  I  am  surfeited, 
and  would  fain  enjoy  a  respite.  A  few  weeks  of  inactivity  would  not 
come  amiss,  for  ever  since  we  have  been  on  the  island  we  have  seen 
nothing,  heard  of  nothing,  but  blood.  I  am  sick  of  it." 

"  Well  ?  "  I  inquired,  anxiously. 

.  "  I  will  adhere  to  the  vow  that  I  took  before  leaving  California.  We 
swore  then  never  to  desert  each  other,  either  in  sickness  or  in  health. 
Until  you  are  content  to  leave  Australia,  I  remain.  That  is  settled 
upon." 

We  shook  hands,  and  bound  the  bargain,  and  as  we  did  so,  the  light 
that  had  wavered  and  flickered,  and  revealed  the  desperate  fight  be- 
tween the  robber  and  the  snake,  suddenly  died  out,  and  left  us  in  dark- 
ness. 

And  then  we  heard  gentle  steps  upon  the  floor,  and  a  snuffing,  as 
though  some  animal  was  pawing  over  the  bodies,  and  while  we  were 
listening  to  discover  who  our  new  visitor  was,  I  felt  something  cold 
touch  my  hand,  and  I  started  in  alarm ;  but  my  fears  quickly  van- 
ished, for  I  found  that  Rover  had  recovered  from  his  fright,  and  had 
come  back  in  search  of  his  master.  The  poor  dog !  I  could  not  blame 
him  for  deserting  us,  considering  the  character  of  our  late  visitor. 

The  brute  curled  down  beside  us,  and  sat  and  listened  to  our  conver- 
sation through  the  night,  but  during  that  period  his  ears  were  raised  as 
though  waiting  a  repetition  of  the  sound  that  had  alarmed  him  houra 
before. 

"  I  saw  you  move  your  hand  towards  your  revolver,"  I  said,  addressing 
Fred ;  "  why  did  you  not  use  it  before  the  snake  attacked  the  poor 
fellow?" 

"  Because,  while  looking  at  the  monster,  a  feeling  came  over  me  that 

24* 


282  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

I  cannot  at  this  moment  account  for.  I  had  regarded  the  snake  with 
the  utmost  dread  and  abhorrence,  until  all  at  once  I  thought  that  I  did 
not  appear  to  look  upon  him  with  the  same  disgust,  and  the  longer  that 
I  gazed,  the  more  fascinated  I  became,  and  I  could  not  have  harmed  the 
reptile,  had  my  life  depended  upon  my  actions." 

It  was  singular,  but  his  feelings  were  the  same  that  I  had  experi- 
enced, and  I  refer  the  matter  to  scientific  gentlemen,  and  desire  them  to 
solve  the  question.  Can  a  black  snake,  by  the  aid  of  lamp  light,  fasci- 
nate two  men,  separated  a  distance  of  three  yards,  so  that  they  lose  all 
mastery  over  their  actions,  and  are  impelled,  by  a  power  that  appears  un- 
controllable, to  approach  an  object  that  they  most  dread  on  earth  ? 

It  seems  a  strange  story,  yet  it  is  a  true  one.  I  will  give  the  dimen- 
sions of  the  reptile,  so  that  the  public  may  know  that  it  was  no  puny 
monster.  Its  length  was  exactly  thirteen  feet,  five  inches  and  a  quarter, 
and  its  circumference  was  thirteen  inches  and  a  half.  The  snake  was  of 
the  Diamond  species,  and  grows  quite  large  in  Australia.  I  have  heard 
of  even  larger  ones  being  destroyed,  but  I  thank  fortune  that  I  never 
met  them  during  my  residence.  Their  bites  are  not  of  a  poisonous  na- 
ture, but  their  fangs  are  so  large  and  strong  that  they  inflict  an  awk- 
ward wound ;  and  in  one  case,  when  a  miner  was  bitten,  all  efforts  to 
stop  the  flow  of  blood  were  futile,  and  the  poor  fellow  bled  to  death. 

This  occurred  at  Ballarat,  soon  after  we  located  in  that  cheerful  place, 
and  Fred  and  myself  were  both  sent  for  to  investigate  the  case.  We 
judged  that  the  fangs  of  the  snake  had  struck  an  artery,  and  this  sup- 
position, I  have,  since  my  return  to  this  country,  found  to  be  correct. 

There  is  quite  a  number  of  species  of  the  serpent  tribe  in  Australia, 
whose  bite  is  death ;  but  there  is  one  kind,  of  a  bright  orange  color, 
with  a  dark  ring  around  the  neck,  that  is  very  venomous.  I  once  saw 
a  miner  bitten  by  one,  and  in  defiance  of  all  exertions  that  were  made 
to  save  his  life,  the  poor  fellow  died  in  less  than  an  hour.  We  cauter- 
ized the  wound  with  a  hot  iron,  and  at  the  same  time  compelled  him  to 
swallow  huge  draughts  of  raw  whiskey  ;  but  to  no  purpose.  In  twenty 
minutes  after  he  was  bitten,  the  miner  began  to  swell — 'in  half  an  hour 
he  could  not  swallow  another  drop  of  liquor,  although  what  he  had 
taken  apparently  had  no  effect  upon  him.  In  three  quarters  of  an  hour 
he  was  speechless,  and  in  fifty-five  minutes  he  was  dead.  That  was 
quick  work  for  the  poison,  and  proves  that  the  snakes  of  Australia  are 
more  venomous  than  the  rattlesnake  of  America.  Luckily,  the  orange 
colored  snakes  are  not  numerous,  and  I  only  saw  three  during  my  resi- 
dence on  the  island,  and  I  suffer  no  compunctions  of  conscience  when  I 
acknowledge  that  I  assisted  to  kill  them. 

But  the  saddest  part  of  the  story  connected  with  the  miner's  death 
remains  to  be  told.  After  he  was  dead,  no  one  would  go  near  him,  or 
assist  to  give  the  body  a  decent  burial.  Fred  offered  a  handsome  sum 
to  any  one  who  would  do  so,  but  all  declined,  until  an  American,  whose 
heart  was  not  contaminated  by  bad  influence,  gathered  pieces  of  boards 
and  made  a  coffin,  and  then  assisted  us  to  dig  a  grave  on  the  hill-side, 
where  we  deposited  the  remains  of  the  unfortunate  man,  to  take  his 
last  rest. 

Fred  and  I  sat  in  the  dark,  conversing  in  a  low  tone,  and  starting  at 
every  sound,  expecting  to  hear  the  slimy  crawling  of  another  snakej 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  285 

but  in  this  we  were  disappointed,  and  happily  so.  As  soon  as  day- 
light appeared,  we  started  towards  the  hut  of  the  inspector,  situated  at 
no  great  distance  from  our  so-called  store.  Mr.  Brown  was  asleep 
when  we  called,  and  it  was  with  some  difficulty  that  we  aroused  him. 

"  Hullo ! "  he  exclaimed,  at  length,  raising  his  head  from  his  hard 
couch,  and  rubbing  his  eyes ;  "  what's  the  matter  ?  The  store  hasn't 
burned  down,  has  it,  and  destroyed  all  the  stock  in  trade  ?  " 

"  Worse  than  that,"  returned  Fred. 

"  Then  a  great  misfortune  must  have  occurred.  What  is  it  ?  If  I 
can  assist  in  any  thing,  I'll  get  up ;  if  not,  I'm  going  to  sleep  an  hour  or 
two  longer.  The  miners  had  a  meeting  last  evening,  and  what  with  bad 
rum  and  long  resolutions,  they  kept  me  pretty  busy  until  an  hour  since." 

"  Then  make  up  your  mind  that  you'll  have  no  more  sleep  until  our 
business  is  finished.  Come,  get  up  and  take  breakfast  with  us,"  Fred 
rejoined. 

"  That  invitation  is  sufficient  to  make  a  hungry  man  forget  sleep  for 
{  week.  I'm  with  you." 

The  inspector  gave  himself  a  shake,  and  was  dressed  and  ready  to 
accompany  us.  He  left  word  with  one  of  his  men,  who  was  on  duty, 
where  he  could  be  found  in  case  he  was  wanted,  and  then  declared  that 
he  was  ready. 

As  we  walked  along,  we  told  him  of  the  visit  that  we  had  received 
the  night  before,  and  he  listened  without  any  expression  of  astonish- 
ment. When  we  reached  the  store  things  remained  as  we  had  left  them, 
with  blood  scattered  over  the  floor,  and  on  the  overturned  boxes  and 
barrels,  while  nearly  side  by  side  were  the  bodies  of  the  snake  and  the 
robber. 

Mr.  Brown  stooped  down  and  examined  the  face  of  the  corpse  for  a 
few  minutes  attentively. 

"  I  knew  that  fellow  would  come  to  somr  bad  end,"  the  inspector  said, 
"  for  he  was  a  friend  of  Burley's,  and  many  a  robbery  have  they  commit- 
ted together,  that  never  came  to  light." 

"  You  might  have  cautioned  us  against  him,"  remarked  Fred. 

"  So  I  might,  had  I  but  known  he  was  in  Ballarat.  I  have  not  seen 
or  heard  of  the  fellow  before  for  two  months,  and  I  thought  that  he 
was  either  shot  or  hanged,  as  he  certainly  should  have  been  a  year  ago. 
He  must  have  arrived  here  yesterday  afternoon,  and  Burley  told  him 
that  you  had  money,  and  that  he  could  make  a  good  thing  in  avenging 
his  injuries  and  stealing  your  gold.  I  am  glad  to  say  that  he  was 
caught  in  his  own  trap,  and  I  shall  always  cherish  the  name  of  a  dia- 
mond snake  for  the  good  that  one  of  them  has  done  in  ridding  us  of  a 
ruffian  who  would  have,  robbed  his  mother,  and  beat  her  in  the  bargain." 

"But  the  snake — what  do  you  think  of  that?"  we  asked. 

"  I  have  seen  larger  ones,  though  I  will  quiet  your  fears  by  saying 
not  in  this  part  of  Australia.  They  are  not  so  dangerous  as  they  look, 
and  seldi.  n  attack  a  man  unless  frightened  into  the  encounter.  A  few 
miles  from  Ballarat  is  a  colony  of  the  same  kind  of  reptiles,  and  it's 
something  of  a  curiosity  to  see  the  monsters  squirming  about  during  a 
pleasant  forenoon." 

"  Have  you  seen  them  often  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  O,  yes,  I  have  seen  them  a  dozen  times,  perhaps." 


284  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  We  have  nothing  of  importance  to  attend  to,  for  a  few  days,  antf 
would  like  to  visit  the  colony.  Will  you  go  with  us  ?  " 

"  Willingly,"  replied  the  inspector.     "  Appoint  your  day." 

"  Say  to-morrow  forenoon.  Our  horses  will  feel  better  for  the  jaunt, 
and  so  shall  we,"  Fred  said. 

"  To-morrow  forenoon  we  will  go  ;  and  now,  before  we  take  breakfast, 
let  us  get  rid  of  these  encumbrances." 

He  pointed  to  the  bodies  on  the  floor,  and  while  we  were  wondering 
what  we  should  do  with  them,  the  inspector  called  a  policeman,  and 
directed  him  to  find  a  cart  and  carry  them  off,  and  for  all  that  we  know 
to  the  contrary,  they  were  both  buried  in  the  same  grave.  At  any  rate, 
the  skin  of  the  snake,  which  we  had  requested  as  a  trophy,  was  returned 
to  us,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  quantity  of  arsenic,  we  were  enabled  to  pre- 
serve it,  and  send  it  to  Murden  as  a  sample  of  one  of  the  staple  arti- 
cles of  the  mines. 

As  soon  as  the  bodies  were  removed,  we  went  to  work  and  cleaned 
our  store,  and  then  prepared  breakfast,  and  I  am  happy  to  be  able  to 
record  it,  that  the  horrors  of  the  night  had  no  sensible  effect  upon  our 
appetites. 


CHAPTER    XLI. 

VISIT  TO  SNAKES'  PARADISE. 

WE  spent  the  day  in  idleness,  for  the  adventures  of  the  preceding 
night  were  too  harrowing  to  allow  our  minds  to  become  settled  on  any 
kind  of  work.  It  is  true  that  we  had  many  questions  to  answer,  and  that 
numerous  visitors  thronged  our  store  from  sunrise  until  dark  ;  but  after 
repeating  our  story  to  our  friend  Charley,  he  took  upon  himself  the  im- 
portant situation  of  narrator  of  the  snake's  doings,  ana  by  that  means 
we  were  entirely  relieved  of  a  disagreeable  duty. 

Our  California  friend  —  never  a  great  stickler  for  truth  —  embellished 
his  version  of  the  affair  in  such  glowing  colors,  and  set  forth  the  cour- 
age that  we  had  displayed  in  the  fight  in  such  a  guise  that  we  really 
began  to  think  that  our  conduct  was  not  so  very  tame,  after  all,  and 
that  we  were  worthy  of  the  congratulations  showered  upon  ue  by  the 
admiring  miners,  who  vowed  that  when  our  stock  of  goods  was  in,  we 
were  the  men  for  their  money. 

At  length,  however,  the  last  visitor  had  taken  his  departure,  with  the 
exception  of  Charley.  He  hung  around,  as  though  he  had  some  inv> 
portant  duty  yet  unperformed,  but  what  it  was  we  were  at  a  loss  to 
know  until  he  disclosed  it. 

"  We  did  pretty  well,  didn't  we  ?  "  he  asked,  taking  a  seat  by  our 
rickety  supper  table. 

"  In  getting  the  crowd  off?  Yes,  we  feel  much  obliged  to  you,"  Fred 
rejoined. 

"  O,  tain't  that.    I  mean  T)out  making  the  fellers  believe  all  I  told  urn." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  285 

"  Why,  I  must  say  that  I  think  you  disregarded  the  truth  slightly,  in 
your  account  of  the  adventures." 

"  O,  I  know  that  I  did  ;  but  don't  you  see  that  it  was  all  'cos  I  wanted 
to  make  ye  popular  with  the  masses,  and  one  of  these  days  you'll  get 
elevated  to  pay  for  it.  I  knew  that  you  fellers  was  frightened  to  death 
when  you  seed  the  snake,  but  of  course  I  wasn't  going  to  say  so,  'cos 
if  I  had,  it  would  have  sp'ilt  all.  O,  no ;  I  know'd  better  than  all  that, 
by  a  long  chalk.  Putty  good  coffee  this,  ain't  it  ?  " 

We  were  silent  with  astonishment  and  admiration  at  his  matchless 
impudence. 

"  Perhaps  you  will  be  good  enough  to  let  us  know  how  you  knew  we 
were  frightened  ?  "  Fred  asked,  coolly. 

"Certainly  —  'cos  I  met  one  of  the  same  darned  things,  and  I  run 
like  the  devil.  Fact,  although  you  may  not  believe  it.  I  don't  fight 
snakes,  if  I  can  get  clear  of  um." 

The  man's  answer  was  so  characteristic  of  human  nature,  that  we 
could  but  smile  at  the  honest  expression,  and  were  not  disposed  to  quar- 
rel with  him  for  giving  vent  to  the  same  feeling  that  would  have  actu- 
ated us  in  another  encounter. 

"  I  s'pose  you  won't  mind  coming  down  an  ounce  for  the  service  I've 
rendered  you  to-day,"  Charley  said,  after  a  pause. 

"  For  what  service  ?  "  I  demanded,  in  astonishment. 

"  O,  for  making  you  popular,  that's  all,"  he  repeated. 

"  Look  here,  my  friend,"  Fred  said;  "  it  seems  to  me  that  you  think 
we  are  two  log-rolling  politicians,  anxious  to  turn  every  thing  of  an 
exciting  nature  to  an  advantage.  In  this  you .  are  disappointed.  We 
are  here  to  get  money,  and  not  to  get  office." 

"  Well,  ain't  I  here  to  make  money,  too  ?  so  where's  the  difference  be- 
tween us  ?  You  open  a  store  ;  I  sell  rum,  and  starve  boarders,  and  elec- 
tioneer, so  that  you  can  have  a  great  run  of  custom,  and  yet  you  ain't 
•willing  to  pay  a  man  a  fair  sum  for  his  work.  Wall,  if  I  ain't  almost 
riddy  to  forswear  my  kintry  and  turn  Turk.  It's  too  aggravating  —  it  is." 

Our  friend  looked  as  though  he  was  a  martyr  to  friendship,  yet  I  saw 
that  he  was  only  acting  in  a  systematic  manner,  to  excite  our  sympa- 
thies, and  procure  the  reward  that  he  anticipated. 

"  Here  is  the  money,"  Fred  said,  after  a  moment's  hesitancy,  handing 
a  Spanish  doubloon  to  the  cute  Yankee,  who  clutched  at  it  like  a  hungry 
shark. 

"  All  right,"  he  replied,  pocketing  the  gold  with  a  chuckle. 

"  And  now,  before  you  go,  we  wish  to  say  one  word,"  Fred  remarked, 
calmly,  yet  firmly.  "  Ever  since  we  have  been  at  Ballarat,  you  have 
contrived  a  number  of  ways  to  swindle  us  of  our  money.  What  you 
have  received  we  don't  wish  back  into  our  pockets ;  but  we  do  give  you 
warning  that  hereafter,  if  you  interfere  in  our  affairs,  we  shall  take  the 
liberty  of  administering  a  sound  kicking  to  that  portion  of  your  anato- 
my made  to  be  kicked.  We  hope  that  you  understand  us  with  distinct- 
ness, and  that  we  shall  not  be  called  upon  to  put  into  execution  our 
threat.  Good  day." 

The  fellow  sneaked  from  the  store  like  a  petty  thief  caught  in  the 
act,  and  during  our  residence  at  the  mines,  he  always  declared  that  he 
didn't  think  much  of  aristocrats  taking  the  bread  out  of  the  mouths  of 


286  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

honest  workmen,  and  that  for  his  part,  he  should  like  to  know  from 
what  part  of  New  England  we  came. 

We  spent  the  day,  as  I  said  before,  in  idleness,  yet  we  did  not  forget 
that  we  had  an  appointment  with  the  inspector,  the  next  morning. 
Our  horses  were  in  fine  condition  and  anxious  for  a  run,  and  as  we 
rubbed  them  down  and  fed  them  the  night  before  we  were  to  start, 
they  appeared  to  know  that  a  journey  was  contemplated,  and  whin- 
nied with  joy. 

As  there  was  to  be  a  monster  meeting  of  the  miners,  that  night,  to 
consider  what  action  should  be  taken  in  regard  to  the  mining  tax,  we 
determined  to  be  present  —  not  for  the  purpose  of  taking  any  part  in 
the  deliberations  of  the  people  —  but  to  see  how  such  matters  were 
conducted  in  Australia. 

We  therefore  left  Rover  to  attend  to  the  horses,  and  prevent  their 
being  stolen  while  absent,  and  about  eight  o'clock  we  joined  the  throng 
of  miners  flocking  towards  the  place  designated  for  the  meeting. 

It  was  an  out-door  affair,  and  about  one  thousand  people  wfcre  pres- 
ent, and  a  rougher  looking  set  of  men  I  never  saw  in  my  life.  All 
nations  were  there.  Even  a  number  of  Chinamen,  who  couldn't  un- 
derstand ten  words  of  English,  and  knew  not  what  they  shouted  for, 
were  in  the  crowd,  wooden  shoes,  pig-tails  and  all.  Manillamen,  with 
long  black  hair,  white  teeth,  and  dark  skins,  and  murderous  looking 
knives  by  their  sides,  were  present,  and  jabbered  in  the  Mestisa  tongue, 
which  no  one  understood  but  themselves.  Then  there  were  Lascars, 
Arabs,  and  other  countrymen,  known  by  their  peculiar  dress  and  talk, 
and  loud  above  the  tumult  could  be  heard  the  oaths  uttered  in  good  old 
Saxon,  or  else  with  a  brogue  that  showed  that  the  Gem  of  the  Ocean 
had  its  representatives,  who,  as  usual,  were  ready  for  a  drink  or  a  fight, 
but  preferred  the  latter. 

The  chairman  of  the  meeting  was  a  Scotchman,  who  occupied  a  con- 
spicuous position  on  a  bank  of  earth,  overlooking  the  audience,  and 
who,  fortunately  being  blessed  with  strong  lungs,  shouted,  "  Order,  or- 
der," whenever  the  miners  grew  too  quarrelsome,  or  had  more  than  two 
fights  going  on  at  the  same  time. 

An  Irishman,  whose  clothes  might  have  been  bought  at  a  second 
hand  dealer's  for  a  very  moderate  sum  —  for  they  were  rent  in  various 
places,  and  no  attempt  had  been  made  to  patch  them  —  was  the  first 
speaker,  and  he  howled  in  the  most  approved  manner,  and  even  our 
political  friends  might  have  taken  a  lesson  from  him.  He  had  not 
spoken  two  minutes  before  he  denounced  England  as  the  worst  nation 
upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  considered  Englishmen  as  lions  and 
brutes,  while  Irishmen  were  every  thing  that  was  amiable  and  intel- 
ligent. 

He  was  about  to  declare  that  an  Irishman  could  lick  a  dozen  Britons, 
when  an  indignant  Englishman  planted  a  blow  upon  his  nose  that 
knocked  him  headlong  from  the  box  on  which  he  was  standing. 

The  chairman  called  order,  but  did  not  appear  surprised  at  the  turn 
which  things  had  taken. 

The  next  speaker  was  a  Scotch  miner,  who  declared  that  he  was  no 
slave,  and  was  not  afraid  to  let  the  Governor  General  of  Australia 
know  it.  He  thought  that  if  there  was  an  Eden  in  this  world,  that 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  287 

Scotland  would  have  to  be  visited  to  find  it.  He  declared  that  he  had 
rather  live  in  his  native  country,  and  subsist  upon  oatmeal  porridge, 
than  remain  in  Australia  and  dig  gold,  and  that  the  reason  he  paid  a 
mining  tax,  was  because  he  wanted  to  encourage  the  English  to  con- 
tinue their  outrages. 

The  next  speaker  was  our  late  friend  Charley.  He  alluded  to  the 
American  Eagle,  touched  on  Bunker  Hill,  eulogized  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  admired  the  Revolution,  and  then  artfully  proceeded  to 
depicture  the  prosperity  that  Australia  would  be  likely  to  enjoy,  if 
separated  from  the  mother  country,  and  become  a  republic.  Then,  he 
said,  taxation  would  be  equal,  and  money  would  not  be  wrung  from  the 
hard-working  miners  to  support  governors  and  other  officials  in  luxury. 
While  Mr.  Charley  was  shouting  with  all  his  might,  and  trying  to  in- 
fuse a  little  of  his  own  warmth  into  his  hearers,  a  little,  decrepit  old 
man,  with  long,  gray  hair  and  shabby  clothes,  edged  towards  us,  as 
though  to  enter  into  conversation. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  but  the  man  is  right,"  the  old  man  said,  after 
listening  a  few  minutes  in  silence.  His  dialect  was  broad  Yorkshire, 
and  we  mentally  concluded  that  he  belonged  in  that  part  of  England. 

"  There's-  a  great  dale  in  havin'  independence,  and  all  that.  What 
d'ye  think  about  it  ?  " 

The  interrogation  was  addressed  so  pointedly  that  there  was  no 
chance  to  escape  without  an  answer ;  but  we  had  lived  too  long  in  for- 
eign countries  to  commit  ourselves  on  any  question  that  was  likely  to 
cause  us  trouble. 

"  We  have  not  given  the  subject  a  thought  to-day.  When  we  have 
made  up  our  minds,  we  will  let  you  know,"  returned  Fred. 

"  Well,  that  is  singular,"  the  old  man  returned  ;  "  I  always  supposed 
that  ye  'Mericans  was  riddy  to  declare  that  yer  own  country  was  the 
best.  But  don't  ye  think  that  Australia  would  make  a  great  addition  to 
the  States  ?  " 

"  We  don't  care  to  talk  on  the  subject,"  rejoined  Fred,  shortly,  seeing 
that  a  number  of  miners  began  to  gather  around,  to  listen  to  the  dis- 
cussion. 

"  That  is  capital,"  whispered  a  voice  that  we  knew ;  "  I  am  glad  to  see 
that  you  take  no  interest  in  the  knave's  fancies." 

We  felt  a  strong  pressure  on  our  arms,  as  though  the  speaker  would 
have  added  other  tokens  of  his  approval,  had  he  dared,  and  before  we 
could  recover  from  our  surprise,  the  little  old  man  was  edging  his  way 
iuto  the  thickest  of  the  crowd. 

"  Did  you  suspect  him  ?  "  whispered  Fred. 

"  No,  he  altered  his  voice  too  much.  We  owe  Mr.  Brown  a  trick 
for  the  one  he  has  just  played  on  us." 

In  fact,  the  little  old  man  with  the  Yorkshire  accent  was  no  other 
than  Mr.  Inspector  Brown,  who  was  disguised  so  perfectly,  that  we 
should  not  have  recognized  him,  even  in  broad  daylight. 

He  was  mingling  with  the  crowd,  and  "  spotting  "  the  most  turbulent, 
for  the  purpose  of  revising  to  grant  them  a  license,  when  next  they  ap- 
plied. He  went  upon  the  principle  that  a  few  agitators  were  sufficient 
to  corrupt  the  morals  of  all  the  miners  in  Ballarat,  and  to  get  them  to 
leave  for  other  parts  was  Mr.  Brown's  whole  study. 


288  LITE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

We  did  not  wait  to  hear  more  of  Charley's  harangue,  for  we  were 
too  tired  to  enjoy  his  artful  attempts  to  excite  the  miners  in  opposition 
to  the  government. 

The  night  passed  off  without  any  incident  worthy  of  notice,  and  by 
daylight  we  were  astir,  and  preparing  for  our  expedition. 

Shortly  after  sunrise  the  inspector  joined  us,  mounted  on  a  very  fair 
horse,  but  not  equal  to  the  nags  that  we  owned. 

We  were  off  without  delay  —  leaving  Rover  to  tend  the  store  —  al- 
though we  did  not  forget  to  examine  our  revolvers  before  we  started, 
for  the  inspector  hinted  that  there  might  be  such  a  thing  as  meeting  a 
bushranger  who  would  feel  disposed  to  borrow  our  horses,  or  take  our 
Jives,  just  as  his  fancy  seemed  to  lead  him. 

"How  did  the  meeting  terminate,  last  night?"  I  asked,  after  we  had 
got  clear  of  the  town,  and  were  ascending  a  high  hill,  at  a  slow  pace. 

"  O,  after  your  precious  countryman  got  through  with  his  great  an- 
nexation speech,  there  was  quite  a  brisk  fight  between  half-a-dozen  of 
the  men  present,  and  then  the  meeting  broke  up  in  a  row.  No  arrests 
were  made,  for  if  I  had  offered  to  take  any  one  into  custody,  I  should 
have  been  ill-treated,  and  raised  a  tumult  that  could  not  have  easily 
been  suppressed.  I  bide  my  time,  and  think  of  the  day  when  govern- 
ment will  have  a  force  here  sufficient  to  resist  all  attacks." 

We  laughed  at  Mr.  Brown's  tirade  against  our  countryman,  and  then 
joked  him  on  the  cleverness  of  his  disguise,  and  promised  to  pay  him 
in  his  own  coin.  He  dared  us  to  the  experiment,  and  we  mentally 
promised  that  we  would  keep  our  word. 

For  almost  two  hours  we  continued  our  journey,  sometimes  passing 
through  deep  valleys,  which,  in  winter  months,  were  green  with  ver- 
dure, but  now  were  dry  and  parched  for  the  want  of  moisture ;  and 
sometimes  ascending  high  hills,  from  the  summits  of  which  we  could 
command  a  view  of  the  country  for  many  miles  in  extent. 

Not  a  soul  had  we  met  since  leaving  the  borders  of  the  town,  and 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  animals,  game  appeared  to  be  very 
scarce. 

"  How  much  farther  have  we  to  go  for  a  sight  of  the  '  Snakes'  Para- 
dise '  ?  "  Fred  inquired. 

"  Only  about  a  mile.  At  the  foot  of  the  hill  the  den  is  located,  unless 
the  reptiles  have  changed  their  quarters  since  I  was  here  last." 

The  inspector  pointed  with  his  whi]f  to  the  spot  indicated,  and  for  a 
few  minutes  we  drew  rein  and  admired  the  scenery. 

At  our  feet  was  a  deep  valley,  which,  in  the  winter  season,  received 
the  washings  of  the  mountains  that  completely  surrounded  it,  and  the 
soil  evidently  retained  the  water  for  some  time,  for  we  could  see  where 
it  had  settled  or  evaporated,  and  we  asked  ourselves  the  question,  — 

"  Did  the  snakes  take  up  their  quarters  in  the  valley  for  the  purpose 
of  being  near  fresh  water  for  about  nine  months  in  the  year  ?  " 

Mr.  Brown  only  shook  his  head,  and  said  that  he  was  not  versed  in 
"  snakeology,"  but  thought  that  if  the  reptiles  remained  in  the  valley, 
it  was  a  sign  that  they  liked  to  take  a  drink  occasionally,  and  proposed 
that  we  should  descend. 

We  assented,  but  before  we  did  so,  we  took  another  survey  of  the 
scene  before  us.  As  I  said  before,  the  valley  was  surrounded  by  hills, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.     •  289 

and  the  only  outlet  was  by  means  of  a  ragged  ravine,  through  which 
the  water  had  forced  its  way,  and  extended  to  another  plain  about  half 
a  mile  distant.  The  hills  opposite  to  us  were  nearly  perpendicular,  and 
their  summit  could  only  be  gained  by  immense  exertion  on  the  part  of 
a  person  on  foot.  The  only  places  where  horses  could  escape,  or  leave 
the  valley,  was  by  means  of  the  ravine,  or  the  path  we  were  about  to 
descend. 

I  have  been  thus  particular  in  describing  the  locality  of  Snakes'  Par- 
adise, as  we  named  it,  because  we  met  with  an  incident  there,  which  I 
shall  relate  in  another  chapter. 

We  were  obliged  to  dismount  from  our  animals,  when  half-way  down 
the  mountain,  for  we  found  that  the  trail  was  very  insecure,  and  that  a 
proper  regard  for  our  necks  demanded  a  descent  on  foot.  The  horses, 
freed  from  our  encumbrance,  got  along  very  well,  and  much  faster  than 
when  guided  by  reins ;  but  we  found  that,  as  we  neared  the  foot  of  the 
hill,  the  animals  manifested  considerable  reluctance  to  proceeding  far- 
ther, and  that  some  energy  was  required  to  prevent  their  retracing  their 
steps  up  the  ascent. 

At  length,  however,  we  reached  even  ground,  and  again  mounted  our 
restive  animals,  and  led  by  the  inspector,  approached  a  mound  of 
earth,  about  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  high,  and  eight  or  ten  feet  in  cir- 
cumference. It  was  in  the  form  of  a  pyramid,  and  resembled  the 
work  of  man  more  than  nature,  and  I  turned  to  the  inspector  for  an 
explanation. 

"  What  motive  could  a  man  have  for  forming  earth  in  that  shape  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"  That  was  never  built  by  human  beings,  but  by  insects,  more  indus- 
trious than  the  lords  of  creation.  That  pyramid  of  earth  was  once  the 
home  of  millions  of  black  ants,  and  by  them  alone  was  it  raised." 

I  had  heard  of  the  wonderful  industry  of  the  ants  of  Australia,  but 
this  was  the  first  time  that  I  ever  saw  their  works.  I  felt  curious  to 
examine  one  of  their  homes,  and  touched  my  horse  for  the  purpose  of 
riding  nearer.  To  my  surprise  the  animal  refused  to  move  in  the  direc- 
tion that  I  wished,  and  the  more  I  urged,  the  less  inclined  he  was 
to  obey.  I  was  not  disposed  to  give  up  the  contest,  and  was  making 
preparations  to  continue  with  more  vigor,  when  Mr.  Brown  stopped  me. 

"  It's  useless,"  he  said,  "  to  try  and  get  the  horses  nearer  the  pyramid. 
They  scent  danger  before  we  ace  aware  of  its  presence.  If  you  wish  to 
inspect  the  place  you  must  dismount." 

"  But  why  should  the  animals  be  afraid  of  ants  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  They  are  not  afraid  of  ants,"  replied  the  inspector,  dryly,  "  but  they 
are  afraid  of  snakes." 

"  But  we  can  see  no  snakes,  although  you  told  us  that  their  den  was 
near  the  foot  of  the  mountain." 

"  What  does  that  look  like  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown,  pointing  to  a  dark 
object  that  was  slowly  creeping  from  an  opening  in  the  pyramid. 

We  saw  at  once  that  the  object  was  a  snake,  such  as  we  had  encoun- 
tered at  the  store,  and  we  watched  his  languid  movements  with  some 
curiosity.  The  reptile  had  no  sooner  drawn  his  body  from  the  mound 
than  another  snake  of  the  same  species  poked  his  head  out,  and  after 
surveying  us  for  a  few  seconds  with  an  appearance  of  considerable 

25 


290  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

curiosity,  he,  too,  quitted  the  pyramid,  and  stretched  his  long  body  in 
the  hot  sand,  as  though  it  was  grateful  to  his  slimy  skin. 

Another  and  another  followed  in  slow  succession,  until  we  counted  no 
less  than  twenty  black  snakes,  none  of  them  less  than  thirteen  feet 
long,  and  from  ten  to  fifteen  inches  in  circumference.  They  appeared 
to  be  as  playful  as  puppies,  and  rolled  over  and  over  each  other  in  their 
gambols ;  but  at  the  least  movement  on  our  part  their  sport  ceased,  and 
they  seemed  to  form  themselves  in  hostile  array  as  though  to  repel  an 
attack.  Then  their  mouths  opened  and  their  huge  fangs  were  exposed, 
glistening  in  the  sun,  as  though  anxious  to  try  their  strength  upon  our 
bodies. 

It  was  with  some  difficulty  that  we  could  get  our  horses  to  face  the 
monsters,  and  even  with  all  our  exertions  the  animals  would  suddenly 
start,  as  though  anxious  to  quit  so  loathsome  a  sight. 

"  l)o  ants  and  snakes  live  peaceably  together  in  Australia  ?  "  I  asked 
of  the  inspector. 

"  By  no  means.  They  are  continually  at  war,  but  the  insects  struggle 
with  desperate  valor  to  maintain  their  homestead  against  their  assail- 
ants ;  but  in  the  end  they  have  to  retire  and  build  another  pyramid, 
where  they  live  until  a  fresh  colony  of  snakes  appear  and  drive  them 
forth  wanderers  once  more.  The  fight,  however,  lasts  nearly  a  week 
before  the  insects  acknowledge  defeat,  and  if,  during  that  time,  the 
snakes  wound  each  other  in  trying  to  free  their  bodies  of  the  ants,  it  is 
a  great  triumph  for  the  latter,  for  they  fasten  upon  the  wound,  and  all 
the  twisting  and  squirming  of  the  reptiles  cannot  dislodge  them.  For 
days  they  fatten  upon  their  victim,  until  at  length  the  slight  wound  be- 
comes a  sore  of  great  magnitude,  and  never  heals.  Mortification  at 
length  ensues,  and  the  death  of  the  snake  is  then  certain.  You  can  see 
that  if  the  insects  are  weak  and  insignificant,  nature  teaches  them  a 
method  of  avenging  their  wrongs,  and  they  are  not  slow  to  adopt  it." 

As  we  found  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  our  horses  to  approach  the 
nest  of  reptiles,  we  got  the  inspector  to  hold  them  while  Fred  and  my- 
self advanced,  revolvers  in  hand,  to  get  a  nearer  view  of  the  squirming 
monsters.  They  instantly  arrayed  themselves  in  a  compact  mass,  and 
with  flashing  eyes  and  erect  heads  watched  our  motions.  Every  few 
seconds  they  would  utter  a  hiss,  that  sounded  like  an  expression  of 
displeasure  in  a  theatre  during  some  bad  piece  of  acting.  We  advanced 
to  within  ten  rods  of  them,  and  then  halted  and  surveyed  them  at 
leisure. 

"  I  should  like  to  try  the  effects  of  a  shot,"  Fred  said,  glancing  at  the 
snakes  and  then  at  his  revolver. 

"  Fire  away,"  I  replied,  as  anxious  for  the  fun  as  himself. 

In  spite  of  a  warning  cry  from  Mr.  Brown,  Fred  discharged  his 
revolver,  and  the  ball  struck  in  the  mass  of  squirming  bodies.  I  saw 
one  huge  monster  tear  himself  loose  from  the  others,  and  wind  his  body 
into  knots,  and  beat  the  ground  with  rage  with  his  tapered  tail,  while 
his  hot  blood  dyed  the  ground  as  it  gushed  forth  during  his  contor- 
tions. 

"  Try  another,"  said  Fred,  enjoying  his  own  shot. 

I  also  fired,  and  the  same  result  followed.  The  wounded  snake  either 
struggled,  or  else  was  forced  from  the  mass,  and  the  same  bold  front 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  AD  VENTURES.  291 

was  kept  up  by  the  others.  The  hissing,  if  possible,  was  a  little  louder, 
and  the  eyes  of  those  uninjured  flashed  brighter,  but  the  mass  did  not 
move  forward,  or  recede  from  our  attack ;  and  it  was  not  until  we  had 
each  discharged  five  barrels  of  our  revolvers  that  a  movement,  as 
though  determined  to  revenge  their  loss,  was  made. 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

FLIGHT  FROM  THE  SNAKES. — ATTACKED  BY  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 

SLOWLY,  but  in  a  compact  form,  did  the  snakes  creep  forward,  hiss- 
ing, and  expanding  their  huge  mouths,  and  darting  out  their  forked 
tongues,  which  quivered  like  a  million  of  grasshoppers  strung  upon 
steel  wires,  and  exposed  to  a  strong  breeze. 

"Come  back,  you ."  The  rest  of  the  sentence  was  inarticulate, 

but  I  think  it  sounded  like  "  fools." 

We  glanced  at  the  inspector,  and  found  that  he  was  in  full  retreat 
with  the  horses,  evidently  being  disposed  to  be  on  the  safe  side. 

"  Let  us  give  them  one  more  shot,  and  be  off,"  said  Fred. 

He  was  about  to  carry  his  words  into  effect,  when  a  thought  suddenly 
struck  me,  and  I  lowered  my  revolver. 

"  Fred,"  I  said,  "  did  you  put  your  powder  flask  in  your  pock- 
et?" 

"  No,  for  I  supposed  that  you  did,"  he  replied. 

"  Then  let  me  advise  you  to  reserve  your  fire,  for  we  have  but  one 
shot  each,  and  it  is  a  long  way  to  camp." 

I  had  hardly  delivered  the  caution,  when  we  found  that  it  was  full 
time  to  beat  a  retreat.  The  snakes,  still  showing  signs  of  anger,  had 
crept  to"  within  ten  yards  of  us,  and  I  thought,  from  a  hasty  observa- 
tion, that  they  were  preparing  to  separate,  and  make  a  spring. 

"  Now,  then,  for  a  run  ! "  cried  Fred  ;  and  we  turned  our  backs  upon 
our  enemies,  and  started  towards  the  horses  as  fast  as  our  legs  could 
carry  us. 

I  glanced  over  my  shoulder  to  see  what  action  the  snakes  were  tak- 
ing, and  to  my  horror  I  found  that  they  had  separated,  and  were  pursu- 
ing us  with  inconceivable  rapidity.  Their  huge  heads  were  raised  about 
eighteen  inches  from  the  ground,  and  their  wide  mouths  were  expanded 
as  though  grinning  at  our  flight. 

"  Run  faster,"  yelled  the  inspector,  who  was  watching  the  novel  race, 
seated  on  his  horse. 

We  tried  to  obey,  but  found  that  we  were  putting  our  best  ener- 
gies to  the  work,  and  therefore  could  not  increase  our  pace.  It  seemed 
to  me  that  I  was  shod  with  lead,  my  feet  felt  so  heavy. 

"Run,  run,  run!"  yelled  the  inspector,  endeavoring  to  urge  the  horses 
towards  us ;  but  the  brutes  resisted  with  all  their  might,  and  he  was 
obliged  to  relinquish  the  attempt. 


292  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

I  again  looked  over  my  shoulder,  and  saw  that  we  did  not  increase 
the  distance  between  us  and  our  loathsome  foes,  but  I  felt  a  little  hope 
at  the  thought  of  their  not  gaining  on  us.  Ten  rods  more,  and  we 
should  be  within  range  of  the  inspector's  revolver,  and  perhaps  he  could 
check  the  snakes'  pursuit. 

Even  while  these  thoughts  passed  through  my  brain,  I  saw  one  of 
the  most  active  of  our  pursuers  suddenly  stop,  raise  one  half  of  his 
long  body  from  the  ground,  in  an  upright  direction,  and  then  spring 
forward,  at  least  twenty  feet,  and  far  in  advance  of  his  competitors. 
Two  more  such  springs,  and  we  would  be  enfolded  in  his  embrace. 
Again  he  raised  his  black,  shining  form,  and  was  about  to  repeat  the 
attempt,  when  we  heard  the  sharp  crack  of  Mr.  Brown's  revolver. 

To  my  joy,  I  saw  that  the  inspector's  aim  was  true,  for  the  reptile, 
just  as  he  was  about  to  repeat  his  spring,  was  struck  by  the  ball,  and 
rolled  over  and  over,  lashing  the  ground  with  his  tail,  and  causing  his 
companions  to  suddenly  stop,  as  though  desirous  of  seeing  what  the 
matter  was. 

It  is  very  certain  that  Fred  and  myself  did  not  stop  to  learn  what 
conclusion  the  snakes  came  to ;  in  less  than  a  minute  after  the  shot  was 
fired,  we  were  beside  our  horses  and  mounted. 

"  Well,  of  all  the  fellows  for  "getting  into  scrapes,  you  two  are  the 
worst ! "  cried  the  inspector,  with  an  air  of  vexation ;  "  didn't  you  know 
that  those  cussed  black  devils  could  run  faster  than  a  man  ?  " 

"  This  is  the  first  that  we  ever  heard  about  it,"  rejoined  Fred,  com- 
pletely at  his  ease. 

"  Well,  now  that  I  have  told  you,  let  us  be  getting  clear  of  the  clan, 
for  there  is  no  knowing  how  soon  the  varmints  may  recommence  another 
pursuit,"  and  the  inspector  turned  his  horse's  head,  as  though  he  was 
determined  to  remain  no  longer  in  such  a  dangerous  neighborhood. 

"  Don't  be  in  such  a  hurry,"  said  Fred  ;  "  we  have  an  inclination  to- 
wards natural  history,  and  now  is  a  good  time  to  take  lessons.  I  want 
to  see  if  the  snakes  will  follow  a  man  on  horseback  as  readily  as  when 
he  is  on  foot." 

"  Are  you  determined  to  get  choked  to  death  by  those  dark  scamps  ?  " 
demanded  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  stare  of  amazement. 

"  By  no  means ;  we  want  to  prevent  others  from  suffering  such  a 
death,  and  therefore  feel  that  we  have  a  mission  for  killing  all  that  we 
can  with  safety.  There's  ten  or  twelve  of  them  left.  Lend  me  your 
revolver,  for  mine  has  but  one  charge  in  it." 

Fred  held  out  his  hand  to  receive  the  weapon,  and  Mr.  Brown,  hardly 
knowing  whether  he  was  joking  or  not,  complied  with  his  request. 

The  snakes  were  holding  a  consultation  over  the  body  of  the  last  one 
killed,  and  therefore  paid  but  little  attention  to  Fred,  as  he  urged  his 
unwilling  horse  within  shooting  distance.  I  remained  by  the  side  of 
Mr.  Brown,  and  watched  his  operations. 

At  the  first  discharge  of  his  revolver  the  consultation  was  broken  up, 
and  after  hissing  their  displeasure,  the  reptiles  commenced  slowly 
retreating  to  their  den ;  but  every  few  seconds  they  would  stop,  face 
him,  and  then  another  discharge  would  start  them  into  full  flight. 

As  they  neared  the  pyramid  —  what  there  was  left  of  them  —  their 
speed  increased,  until  it  seemed  to  be  a  race  as  to  which  should  get 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  293 

under  cover  first.  But  the  most  surprising  circumstance  was  the  unin- 
jured ones  refusing  to  allow  a  maimed  one  to  enter,  and  every  time  that 
it  persisted  in  its  attempt,  the  others  fought  him  desperately. 

That  was  something  that  I  could  not  account  for ;  but  Mr.  Brown 
said  that  the  reptiles  were  only  imitating  human  beings  in  their  treat- 
ment of  a  comrade,  and  that  as  long  as  a  snake  was  well,  and  able  to 
fight,  the  main  body  were  willing  to  use  him  ;  but  after  he  was  wound- 
ed, and  wanted  shelter,  there  was  a  conspiracy  to  kick  him  out  of  their 
comfortable  quarters. 

Fred  returned  with  but  one  barrel  of  the  revolver  loaded,  and  that 
he  saved  because  the  inspector  was  in  the  same  condition  as  ourselves, 
having  left  his  powder  and  ball  at  Ballarat. 

"  Now,  then,  let  us  return,"  Mr.  Brown  said ;  "  you  have  shed  blood 
.  enough  for  one  day,  I  hope." 

The  words  had  hardly  passed  his  lips,  when,  upon  the  top  of  the 
mountain  that  we  had  descended  two  hours  before,  I  saw  the  forms  of 
five  or  six  men  stealing  along  the  trail,  as  though  desirous  of  gaining  the 
cover  of  a  number  of  trees,  for  the  purpose  of  watching  our  movements. 

I  pointed  them  out  to  the  inspector,  and  he  stopped  and  examined 
them  through  a  pocket  spy-glass  which  he  usually  carried  when  he  left 
town. 

"  Well,  are  they  friends  or  foes  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

The  inspector  made  no  reply  until  the  men  were  lost  to  view  beneath 
the  branches  of  the  trees. 

"  Are  you  sure,"  he  asked,  "  that  you  left  your  powder  and  lead  at 
Ballarat?" 

"  Quite  sure  —  why  do  you  ask  ?  " 

"  Because,  unfortunately,  there  are  six  as  great  rascals  as  ever  went 
unhung  on  the  hill,  and  they  mean  mischief,  I'll  swear." 

The  inspector  put  up  his  glass,  and  examined  his  nearly- emptied 
revolver  with  a  rueful  look. 

"  If  the  blasted  snakes  had  not  wasted  our  powder  there  would  be 
some  show  for  us,"  he  continued,  "  because,  luckily,  the  scamps  are 
armed  with  pistols  only." 

"  But  we  have  three  shots,"  cried  Fred,  his  blood  beginning  to  dance 
through  his  veins  at  the  prospect  of  a  struggle ;  "  I  will  guarantee  that 
every  discharge  brings  down  a  bird,  and  as  for  the  remainder,  why,  we 
•will  meet  them  single-handed." 

"  I  like  to  hear  you  talk  in  that  strain,  but  the  odds  are  against 
us.  We  have  a  long  hill  to  ascend,  and  should  have  to  leave  our  horses 
behind,  and  that  I  can't  think  of.  The  bushrangers,  I  suppose,  desire 
the  animals  for  the  purpose  of  escaping  to  some  other  portion  of  the 
country,  and  even  at  the  risk  of  running  from  a  fight,  we  must  disap- 
point them.  No,  no ;  it  would  be  madness  attacking  six  men  with  emp- 
ty revolvers,  when  they  have  the  choice  of  ground." 

The  inspector  returned  his  revolver  to  his  belt,  and  once  more  exam- 
ined the  spot  where  the  robbers  had  gone  into  ambush. 

"  Yes,  they  are  watching  our  every  motion,  and  I  can  see  one  fellow 
standing  near  the  trunk  of  the  first  tree  on  our  right  examining  his  pis- 
tols attentively.  Now  he  looks  towards  us,  and  points  with  his  hand  in 
the  direction  of  the  ravine.  It  is  our  only  chance." 

25* 


294  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

He  closed  the  glass  abruptly  and  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  calling  upon 
us  to  follow  him  without  a  moment's  delay.  We  suspected  Mr.  Brown's 
intentions,  but  did  not  consider  the  danger  so  imminent  as  he  imagined. 
We  therefore  galloped  along  at  a  moderate  pace,  and  allowed  the 
inspector  to  take  the  lead. 

"  Faster,  faster,"  he  shouted,  looking  over  his  shoulder  to  see  if  we 
kept  up  with  him. 

"  What  is  your  hurry  ?  "  cried  Fred,  with  a  provoking  degree  of  cool- 
ness. 

"Because  there  is  need  of  it,"  Mr.  Brown  answered,  reining  his 
animal  in  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  us  to  get  alongside  of  him. 
"Those  bushrangers  have  noted  the  road  we  have  taken,  and  will 
seek  to  cut  off  our  retreat.  Our  only  safety  now  lies  in  getting  through 
the  ravine  before  they  can  gain  a  position  to  fire  at  us.  Ah,  I  thought 
so.  Look  there." 

The  inspector  pointed  to  the  hill  top,  and  there  we  saw  all  six  of  the 
robbers  running  at  a  rapid  rate  towards  the  edge  of  the  ravine.  The 
latter  was  about  six  feet  deep,  and  it  was  easy  to  see  the  advantage  such 
a  positioa would  give  them;  for  while  they  could  fire  at  us  with  awful  ac- 
curacy, we  could  not  return  a  shot  with  any  hope  of  success. 

"  We  are  with  you,"  cried  Fred,  striking  his  horse  with  his  spurs,  and 
forward  we  all  went  at  a  killing  pace. 

The  bushrangers  saw  that  they  were  discovered,  and  raised  a  shout 
of  triumph,  as  though  certain  that  we  were  within  their  toils.  I  heard 
the  inspector  utter  a  bitter  curse  at  his  stupidity  in  leaving  his  powder 
and  bullets  behind,  and  that  was  the  only  answer  to  the  challenge. 

The  ravine  was  about  thirty  feet  wide,  and  like  all  places  where  a 
large  body  of  water  has  forced  its  way,  was  rugged,  and  difficult  for 
horses  to  tread.  Huge  rocks  and  deep  gullies  were  met  at  every  step, 
and  the  utmost  caution  was  requisite  to  prevent  our  animals  from 
breaking  their  legs,  or  refusing  to  move  forward  at  a  pace  faster 
than  a  walk. 

For  the  first  few  minutes  after  entering  the  passage  we  anticipated  a 
discharge  over  our  heads  every  moment ;  but  finding  that  the  bush- 
rangers did  not  take  advantage  of  our  situation,  and  that  we  were  un- 
molested, we  had  time  to  wonder  at  their  forbearance,  and  to  suggest 
to  Mr.  Brown  that  perhaps  we  were  more  frightened  than  hurt. 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it,"  he  rejoined.  "  I  tell  you  that  the  scamps  have  not 
given  up  the  chase  so  easy,  and  that  all  our  trouble  is  to  come  at  the 
outlet  of  the  ravine.  The  only  reason  we  have  escaped  so  far,  is  because 
•we  were  too  quick  to  enable  them  to  reach  the  edge  of  the  bluff  at  the 
entrance.  We  shall  hear  from  the  devils,  never  fear,  and  before  long, 
I  am  thinking. 

"  Press  on,"  cried  the  inspector,  as  the  outlet  of  the  ravine  came  in 
view ;  "  we  may  defeat -the  devils  yet." 

Unlucky  words,  for  hardly  had  he  uttered  them  when  a  sharp  crack 
from  the  top  of  the  cliff  was  heard,  and  a  ball  whizzed  within  a  few 
inches  of  my  face,  and  struck  the  nag  upon  which  the  inspector  was 
mounted.  The  animal  plunged  forward  for  a  few  steps,  and  then  sud- 
denly rearing,  fell  back  heavily,  crushing  the  left  leg  of  Mr.  Brown,  and 
jamming  it  between  the  saddle  and  the  earth. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  295 

"  On,"  cried  the  wounded  man,  faintly ;  "  save  yourselves,  if  possible, 
and  leave  me." 

"  You  must  have  a  poor  opinion  of  Americans  if  you  expect  us  to  do 
that,"  cried  Fred,  with  as  much  coolness  as  I  ever  saw  him  exhibit  in 
my  life. 

And  even  while  my  friend  was  speaking,  to  my  great  admiration  he 
dismounted,  letting  his  horse  go  wherever  it  desired  to  wander  —  for  he 
knew  that  no  shot  would  be  aimed  at  that  which  the  bushrangers  most 
desired  —  and  rushed  to  aid  the  fallen  inspector. 

I  could  do  no  less  than  follow  his  example,  although  I  confess  that  I 
considered  my  time  as  having  nearly  arrived,  when  I  got  off  my  horse, 
and  even  when  attempting  to  roll  the  dying  animal  from  the  body  of 
the  inspector,  I  wondered  why  the  deuse  the  bushrangers  did  not  pick  us 
off  without  mercy.  We  were  certainly  in  their  power  ;  but  I  afterwards 
understood  that  five  of  the  bushrangers  were,  at  that  particular  mo- 
ment, engaged  in  damning  the  sixth,  who  had,  by  his  aim,  killed  a  horse 
instead  of  a  man.  Although  I  don't  approve  of  swearing,  yet  I  must 
confess  that  after  this  I  must  consider  that  there  is  some  virtue  in  oaths, 
for  they  saved  not  only  my  life,  but  my  friend's. 

Luckily  for  Mr.  Brown,  the  horse  died  very  quickly,  and  did  not 
struggle,  or  the  body  of  the  inspector  would  have  been  ground  to  pow- 
der, and  Ballarat  would  have  required  the  services  of  another  police 
commissioner.  We  rolled  the  animal  off,  and  then  quickly  lifted  the 
wounded  man  in  our  arms,  and  carried  him  for  shelter  under  the  bank, 
where  the  villains  overhead  could  not  get  sight  of  us. 

"  How  fares  it  with  you  ?  "  asked  Fred,  making  an  examination  of  the 
injured  limb. 

"  Bad  enough,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  sigh.  "  I  don't  think  that 
any  bones  are  broken,  but  the  flesh  is  awfully  bruised." 

"  That  is  true  enough,"  answered  Fred,  tearing  his  handkerchief  into 
strips,  and  binding  up  the  bleeding  limb  with  as  much  coolness  as  a 
professional  surgeon ;  "  the  flesh  is  mangled,  but  it  will  heal  in  less 
time  than  a  broken  limb,  and  I  must  congratulate  you  on  your  lucky 
escape." 

"Lucky  escape?"  repeated  the  inspector,  bitterly;  "you  talk  as 
though  we  were  not  surrounded  by  six  bloodthirsty  scamps,  who  will 
greatly  rejoice  to  make  a  prisoner  of  me.  Why  did  you  not  escape 
when  my  horse  fell  ?  You  could  have  done  so." 

"  We  grant  that ;  yet  we  Americans  have  peculiar  notions  regarding 
some  things,  and  we  are  apt  to  call  a  man  a  coward  who  deserts  a 
friend  in  distress.  We  sink  or  swim  in  the  same  boat,  to-day." 

The  inspector  faintly  squeezed  our  hands,  and  a  gratified  expression 
beamed  upon  his  face,  yet  his  pain  was  too  great  to  allow  him  to  reply ; 
and  Fred  and  myself  began  to  consult  how  we  could  bring  into  play 
the  early  lessons  which  we  had  learned  while  mining  in  California,  and 
surrounded  by  tribes  of  hostile  Indians. 

We  were  no  longer  bound  to  regard  the  advice  of  the  inspector,  even 
if  he  had  been  disposed  to  offer  it,  which  he  was  not,  and  after  a  slight 
deliberation  we  came  to  a  conclusion,  and  resolved  to  act  upon  it.  For 
this  purpose  we  removed  Mr.  Brown  to  a  place  of  greater  security,  and 
after  informing  him  that  we  should  not  be  far  off,  and  that  he  was  to 


296  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

remain  silent  until  our  return,  we  crept  along  under  the  bank  for  some 
distance,  stopping  every  few  minutes  for  the  purpose  of  listening,  yet 
making  no  noise  by  our  movements. 

The  ravine,  as  I  said  before,  led  between  two  high  hills,  and  each 
bank  was  perpendicular,  and  covered,  at  the  edges,  with  small  gum 
trees.  There  was  only  one  place  on  the  left  bank,  where  the  bushran- 
gers were  stationed,  that  could  be  descended,  and  unless  the  ruffians 
made  an  attempt  to  reach  us  by  that  single  place,  they  would  be  com- 
pelled to  go  a  mile  or  two  to  descend  the  hill,  and  then  enter  the  ravine 
at  the  outlet.  By  attempting  to  surprise  us  by  entering  the  ravine  the 
way  that  we  did,  the  distance  would  be  greater  and  more  difficult.  We 
therefore  reasoned  that  the  bushrangers,  after  waiting  an  hour  or  more, 
and  finding  that  we  made  no  stir,  would  attempt  to  secure  the  two 
horses  that  were  quietly  grazing  nearly  opposite  the  place  where  the 
bank  was  most  shelving,  and  that  they  would  seek  for  the  quickest  way 
of  accomplishing  their  object.  We  therefore  resolved  to  station  our- 
selves near  the  animals,  and  see  what  would  happen. 

By  good  fortune  we  found  a  large  ridge  of  earth,  formed  like  a  shelf, 
about  four  feet  wide,  which  the  water  had  gullied  out  when  rushing 
through  the  ravine,  during  the  winter  months  —  and  under  this  we  sta- 
tioned ourselves,  and  waited  patiently,  well  aware  that  we  were  secure 
from  observation  from  our  enemies,  unless  some  of  them  happened  to 
be  on  the  opposite  bank,  which  we  did  not  expect. 

Half  an  hour  passed,  and  there  were  no  signs  of  the  enemy.  Our 
horses  had  approached  us  once  or  twice,  but  as  we  paid  no  attention 
to  them,  they  had  wandered  off,  and  were  standing  in  the  shade  of  the 
west  bank  for  the  purpose  of  getting  rid  of  some  of  the  insects  which 
were  hovering  in  the  air,  and  biting  with  a  sharpness  that  proved  they 
had  been  without  food  for  many  days. 

We  were  almost  in  despair  of  our  plan  succeeding,  when  we  heard  a 
crashing  overhead,  as  though  a  number  of  heavy-footed  men  were 
stepping  upon  dried  branches,  and  did  not  care  who  heard  them.  Sud- 
denly there  was  a  silence,  as  though  the  party  had  halted  to  view 
the  very  place  we  anticipated  they  would  look  at,  and  then  a  voice  ex- 
claimed :  — 

"  D it,  what  can  you  say  to  that  place,  I'd  like  to  know  ?  " 

"  Ah,  Bill,  I've  got  nothin'  to  offer  agin  that  place,  'cos  it's  suthin  like. 
A  man  can  get  down  there  without  trouble." 

"  Well,  then,  down  you  go,  and  lead  the  horses  out  of  the  ravine, 
and  wait  for  us,"  cried  a  man  who  appeared  to  have  some  authority 
with  the  bushrangers. 

"  But  I  want  somebody  to  go  with  me,  don't  I  ?  S'pose  the  fellers 
should  make  a  jump  at  me  ?  "  cried  the  man,  who  was  evidently  the 
slave  of  the  gang. 

"  But  they  won't  make  a  jump  at  you,  'cos  they  are  at  the  other  end 
of  the  ravine,  looking  after  Brown.  Get  hold  of  the  horses,  and  then 
we  shall  have  um  at  our  mercy." 

"  All  right,  Bill ;  I'll  go,  'cos  I  killed  the  hoss,  when  I  meant  to  kill 

one  of  those  d -d  Yankee  chaps.  I  thought  that  I  had  him  sure, 

but  my  pistols  didn't  carry  straight." 

It  seemed  that  the  party  knew  us,  and  had  followed  us  ever  since  we 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  291) 

had  left  Ballarat,  for  the  purpose  of  robbing  us  of  our  horses,  and 
probably  murdering  us,  into  the  bargain. 

We  heard  the  bushranger  selected  for  the  purpose,  commence  de- 
scending slowly,  for  the  task  was  one  of  considerable  difficulty,  and  re- 
quired some  caution.  His  comrades  stood  upon  the  bank  and  joked 
him  for  being  so  long,  and  at  length  we  concluded  that  they  had  stretched 
themselves  upon  the  grass  to  wait  until  he  had  performed  his  work  ;  for 
their  voices  became  nearly  inaudible,  although  we  could  hear  the  fellow 
who  was  approaching  us  grunt  and  swear  at  the  obstacles  which  he  had 
to  overcome. 

Fred's  brow  grew  black  as  he  unsheathed  his  long  knife,  and  passed  a 
finger  across  the  blade  to  test  its  keenness. 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?  "  I  asked,  fearful  of  his  reply. 

"  Preserve  our  lives  at  the  expense  of  the  scoundrels,"  he  answered, 
in  a  whisper.  "  Leave  the  blow  to  me,  but  stand  ready  to  grasp  the 
fellow  by  the  throat,  and  remember  that  a  cry  will  destroy  us." 

I  made  no  further  remonstrance  against  the  course  that  Fred  had 
marked  out,  but  I  inwardly  dreaded  to  think  that  it  was  necessary  to 
shed  more  human  blood  for  the  sake  of  preserving  our  lives. 

Nearer  and  nearer  did  the  bushranger  draw,  and  we  could  hear  him 
mutter  an  oath  at  the  difficult  task  that  was  assigned  him.  By  the  di- 
rection of  the  sound,  we  calculated  that  he  would  land  directly  in  front 
of  us ;  and  we  were  not  mistaken,  for  he  jumped  to  clear  the  shelf  un- 
der which  we  were  hid,  and  when  he  struck  the  earth,  it  was  within  a 
foot  of  us. 

Before  he  discovered  us  —  for  his  back  was  towards  me  —  I  flew  at  him, 
grasped  him  firmly  around  the  throat,  and  then  fell  backwards,  drawing 
my  prisoner  with  me.  He  struggled  desperately  for  a  moment,  but  I 
saw  a  knife  gleam  before  my  eyes,  and  I  felt  a  convulsive  shudder  run 
through  the  frame  of  my  prisoner,  and  then  his  resistance  ceased. 

I  rolled  him  from  me,  and  allowed  the  body  to  remain  face  down.  I 
could  not  encounter  the  ghastly  face  of  the  dead.  It  seemed  to  me 
like  murder. 

Fred  noticed  the  expression  of  my  face,  and  must  have  surmised  my 
feeli.ngs,  for  he  grasped  my  arm,  and  whispered  hoarsely,  — 

"  Remember  that  it  is  to  save  our  own  lives,  and  the  life  of  Mr. 
Brown,  that  we  resort  to  the  knife.  I  would  give  all  the  geld  that  1  am 
worth,  or  hope  to  get,  for  a  chance  to  escape  such  a  massacre,  but  it  is 
impossible.  Another  victim  will  descend,  and  he  must  share  his  fate, 
a&d  then " 

He  ceased  speaking,  for  just  then  a  voice  called  out,  and  wanted 
to  know  where  their  companion,  who  had  descended  to  get  the 
horses,  was. 

"  You,  Jim,"  called  out  the  fellow  who  appeared  to  be  in  authority. 

Of  course  there  was  no  response. 

"  D him,  he  has  gone  to  sleep,  I'll  bet  a  nugget.  Go  down, 

Sam,  and  wake  him  with  a  kick  of  your  boots." 

The  man  addressed  as  Sam  grumbled  some  at  the  order,  but  we 
could  hear  that  he  was  obeying  the  command,  for  the  dirt  rolled  down 
the  bank  and  fell  at  our  feet,  and  the  oaths  and  exclamations  uttered 
Vy  the  gang  hurried  him  in  his  descent. 


298  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  The  same  operation  is  to  be  repeated,"  Fred  whispered  :  "  use 
all  of  your  strength,  for  this  fellow  is  a  dangerous  customer,  I'm  con- 
vinced." 

He  had  hardly  finished  speaking,  when  a  stout,  burly  fellow  slid  down 
in  front  of  us,  and  as  he  did  so,  he  got  a  glimpse  of  our  forms. 

He  was  about  to  utter  an  exclamation,  when  my  hands  were  around 
his  throat,  compressing  his  windpipe  with  a  strength  that  seemed  mar- 
vellous to  me.  There  was  a  slight  struggle,  unseen  from  the  top  of  the 
bank,  owing  to  the  friendly  shelf,  and  then  I  saw  Fred  make  a  motion 
with  his  arm,  and  almost  immediately  I  felt  that  I  held  a  corpse  in 
my  hands. 

I  let  the  body  fall  to  the  ground,  and  as  I  did  so,  Fred  tore  the 
slouched  hat  from  the  wretch's  head,  placed  it  upon  his  own,  and  then 
thrusting  his  head  out  so  that  those  upon  the  bank  could  see  the  hat, 
but  not  my  friend's  face,  and  assuming,  as  nearly  as  possible,  the  voice 
of  the  dead,  shouted  :  — 

"  Ah,  Bill,  come  down  here  and  see  what  we've  got." 

"  Hullo  ! "  cried  Bill,  "  what's  up  ?  can't  you  tell  ?  D me  if  I 

don't  believe  they  have  found  a  gold  mine,  down  there.  Let's  go  and 
see,  boys." 

"  Now  is  our  time,"  cried  Fred,  quietly  removing  the  pistols  which  the 
dead  men  carried  in  their  belts.  "  When  they  have  descended  half 
way,  we  must  take  them." 

We  listened  attentively,  and  when  we  thought  that  our  time  had  ar- 
rived, we  stepped  out  from  our  place  of  concealment,  and  before  the 
bushrangers  could  overcome  their  surprise  at  our  sudden  appearance, 
we  gave  the  two  nearest  the  contents  of  our  revolvers. 

They  relaxed  their  hold  upon  the  bushes  that  grew  sparsely  upon 
the  hill  side,  and  rolling  over  and  over,  fell  into  the  ravine,  badly 
wounded. 

"  Surrender,  villains,"  yelled  Fred,  in  a  voice  of  thunder,  pointing  his 
empty  pistol  at  the  two  remaining  robbers  —  an  example  that  I  was  not 
slow  to  follow.  "  Make  but  an  attempt  to  use  your  weapons,  and  we'll 
blow  you  through  and  through.  Throw  down  your  pistols  and  knives, 
and  then  yield  peaceably,  or  it  will  be  worse  for  you." 

For  a  me  nent  the  villains*  gazed  at  us  in  sullen  silence,  and  then  re- 
luctantly COL  >lied  with  our  demand.  With  an  imprecation  that  would 
sound  fearfully  in  print,  the  bushrangers  commenced  their  descent,  and 
while  they  were  doing  so,  we  quickly  exchanged  our  empty  revolvers 
for  the^  loaded  pistols,  and  then  prepared  to  receive  them  with  proper 
attention. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  29$ 

CHAPTER    XLIII. 

TMUMPHANT  ENTRY  INTO  BALLARAT,  WITH  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 

WE  did  not  allow  our  attention  to  be  drawn  from  the  bushrangers, 
even  for  a  second,  while  they  were  descending,  and  the  scamps  knew  it, 
for  they  cowered,  as  though  expecting  to  be  shot  every  moment,  and 
one  of  them  muttered  something  about  his  being  honest,  and  never 
engaged  in  a  robbery;  while  one  of  the  wounded  ruffians,  who  was 
groaning  piteously  in  the  ravine,  prayed  that  his  life  might  be  saved,  as 
he  had  many  important  revelations  to  make,  which  the  police  would 
like  to  hear. 

We  had  taken  the  precaution  to  disarm  the  wounded  men,  before 
they  fairly  recovered  from  their  surprise,  so  that  they  were  powerless  to 
inflict  harm ;  and  after  the  two  bushrangers  who  were  uninjured  stood 
before  us,  obedient  to  our  will,  we  began  to  ask  ourselves  what  we  should 
take  to  secure  them  with. 

Luckily,  upon  one  of  the  horses  was  a  halter  of  considerable  length, 
which  we  had  used  when  we  staked  the  animals  for  feeding  nights,  and 
we  determined  to  secure  them  with  this,  and  then  carry  them  to  Bal- 
larat  in  triumph. 

Fred  stood  guard  over  the  ruffians,  while  I  got  the  rope,  and  carried 
our  resolution  into  effect.  Bill,  the  leader  of  the  gang,  who  was  one  of 
the  uninjured,  uttered  a  number  of  angry  oaths,  as  I  bound  his  limbs ; 
but  the  cocked  pistols  which  Fred  held  were  too  much  for  him  to  at- 
tempt to  brave,  and  he  submitted  without  a  struggle. 

Even  while  tying  the  rope,  I  used  due  precautions  to  prevent  their 
hands  from  getting  at  the  knots ;  and  although  the  scamps  winced  a 
little,  as  the  cord  sunk  into  their  flesh,  I  did  not  pay  that  attention  to 
their  comfort  that  I  should,  had  they  been  other  than  bushrangers. 

After  lashing  them  together,  and  then  making  them  lie  down  upon 
their  backs,  from  which  position  they  could  not  move  without  help,  we 
turned  our  attention  to  the  two  wounded  men,  who  were  groaning  pit- 
eously. 

One  of  them  had  received  a  ball  near  the  hip,  which  had  shattered 
the  bones  in  that  region,  and  prevented  his  standing  upon  his  feet,  even 
for  a  second. 

The  other  was  wounded  in  the  back,  near  the  spine,  and  could  not 
move  without  great  exertion.  We  could  not  relieve  their  pains,  or  even 
furnish  them  with  a  drink  of  water,  for  which  they  begged  piteously ; 
but  we  promised  that  they  should  be  removed  to  Ballarat,  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  that  their  wants  should  there  be  attended  to. 

We  then  led  our  horses  to  the  spot  where  the  inspector  was  lying, 
and  was  glad  to  find  that  he  was  quite  cheerful,  in  spite  of  his  intense 
suffering. 

We  briefly  explained  to  him  what  we  had  done,  but  it  was  some  time 
before  he  would  really  believe  that  we  were  giving  a  true  account  of  our 
proceedings.  It  seemed  so  extraordinary  that  two  men  could  accom> 


300  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

plish  so  much,  by  the  aid  of  a  little  strategy,  that  he  was  lost  in  won- 
der, and  declared  that  to  us  alone  did  he  owe  his  life. 

"  Only  wait  until  I  get  back  to  Ballarat  and  tell  the  police  force  that 
two  Americans  have  saved  my  life,  and  refused  to  leave  me,  even  when 
their  own  was  in  danger,  and  you  shall  see  the  manner  in  which  they 
will  treat  you  and  your  countrymen.  I'll  never  complain  again  that 
Americans  are  troublesome  at  the  mines,  and  if  I  had  the  power,  not 
one  of  them  should  be  called  upon  for  the  payment  of  a  tax." 

Mr.  Brown  never  forgot  us,  and  even  now,  I  am  in  the  habit  of  re- 
ceiving letters  from  him  from  Australia,  and  in  each  one  there  is  an  al- 
lusion to  the  ravine  scenes.  But  I  am  again  getting  before  my  story. 

"  We  have  but  little  time  to  spare,"  said  Fred ;  "  we  must  reach 
Ballarat  before  sundown,  and  send  out  a  party  to  look  after  the  wants 
of  the  wounded  bushrangers ;  now,  if  you  think  that  you  can  ride  to 
the  mines,  we  will  start  immediately.  Even  if  the  pain  of  moving  is 
great,  let  me  advise  you  to  endure  it  for  much  depends  upon  your  firm- 
ness." 

The  inspector  understood  the  meaning  of  Fred's  words  too  well  to 
hesitate  about  which  course  he  should  pursue.  He  knew  that  his  wounds 
were  dangerous,  and  that  they  would  mortify  in  a  short  time,  unless 
dressed  and  cleansed ;  for  already  a  crowd  of  flies  were  hovering  in  the 
air  about  his  head,  and  ready  to  plague  his  life  out,  the  instant  we  with- 
drew a  short  distance. 

"  I  think  that  I  can  ride  to  Ballarat,"  the  inspector  said,  after  feeling 
of  his  leg,  and  finding  that  the  bleeding  had  nearly  ceased ;  "  at  any 
rate,  I  cannot  remain  here  through  half  of  the  night.  Lift  me  on  to 
one  of  the  horses,  and  let  me  see  how  I  can  navigate." 

We  raised  him  gently  in  our  arms,  and  placed  him  in  my  saddle,  and 
to  our  great  satisfaction,  we  found  that  after  the  first  paroxysm  of  pain 
was  over,  he  could  get  along  very  well  We  led  the  animal  upon 
which  he  was  mounted  slowly  along  the  ravine,  until  we  reached  our 
prisoners,  who  were  lying  in  the  same  position  as  when  we  left  them. 

Upon  the  inspector's  thinking  that  it  would  be  better  to  take  the 
two  uninjured  men  with  us,  we  cut  a  portion  of  their  bonds,  but  still  al- 
lowed their  arms  to  be  confined,  and  after  a  hasty  examination  of  the 
wounds  of  the  two  bushrangers,  we  promised  them  speedy  assistance, 
and  then  started  on  our  return  to  Ballarat. 

Our  prisoners  marched  in  advance  of  us,  in  gloomy  silence,  for  a  short 
distance,  but  I  could  observe  that  the  leader,  or  the  man  who  was  called 
"Bill,"  cast  anxious  glances  at  the  inspector,  as  though  desirous  of 
speaking,  yet  fearing  that  his  remarks  would  not  be  received  with  much 
cordiality.  At  length  he  mustered  sufficient  nerve  to  exclaim,  — 

"  It  is  long  since  we  have  met,  Mr.  Brown." 

"  I  know  that,  Bill ;  yet  you  have  managed  to  keep  your  name  alive, 
so  that  you  see  I  have  not  forgotten  you." 

"  I  never  was  a  favorite  of  yours,  even  while  at  the  hulks,"  replied 
the  bushranger,  with  a  gloomy  scowl. 

"  It  was  your  own  fault,  Bill.  I  would  hare  treated  you  in  the  man- 
ner that  the  others  were  treated,  had  you  but  given  me  the  chance. 
Was  not  your  conduct  of  the  most  stubborn  and  rebellious  nature? 
Pid  you  not  endeavor  to  excite  to  mutiny  the  prisoners  of  your  ward, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  301 

and  when  you  were  detected,  how  could  you  hope  for  mercy  at  the  hands 
of  the  prison  commissioners  ?  " 

"  But  you  flogged  me  —  flogged  me  until  my  back  was  marked  and 
bruised,  and  even  now  the  scars  are  visible.  You  tied  me  up  like  a 
dog ;  you  would  not  hear  me,  although  I  begged  with  tears  for  death, 
rather  than  have  the  cat  touch  my  back.  I  then  felt  like  a  man.  After 
the  flogging  I  was  a  brute,  and  ready  to  avenge  my  wrongs  upon  all 
who  crossed  my  path." 

The  outlaw  stopped  while  delivering  his  remarks,  which  were  uttered 
with  vehement  passion,  and  we  were  obliged  to  compel  him  to  move  on, 
so  carried  away  was  he  with  his  subject. 

"  The  flogging  which  was  administered  to  you  caused  you  to  murder 
a  miner  and  his  wife,  who  were  journeying  towards  Melbourne,  rejoiced 
to  think  that  they  were  worth  a  few  hundred  pounds,"  continued  Mr. 
Brown,  sarcastically. 

"  It's  a  lie,"  muttered  the  fellow,  with  a  downcast  look. 

"  You  know  that  you  murdered  both,  while  sleeping.  Coward  that 
you  are,  you  feared  to  meet  the  miner  awake." 

"  It's  a  lie ! "  returned  the  fellow,  with  a  glance  towards  the  inspector 
that  would  have  annihilated  him  if  it  had  been  possible ;  "  I  met  them 
when  awake,  and " 

He  ceased  suddenly,  and  continued  to  walk  forward  at  a  rapid 
rate. 

The  inspector  glanced  at  us  in  a  meaning  manner,  as  though  desirous 
that  we  should  remember  all  that  was  said. 

"  Your  brother  pal,  who  was  with  you  at  the  time,  and  who  is  now 
working  out  a  sentence  on  the  roads,  tells  me  that  you  crept  up  to  the 
miner  and  wife,  and  struck  the  former  first ;  and  that  after  the  deed 
was  completed,  you  refused  to  share  the  gold  dust." 

"  That's  another  lie ! "  cried  the  fellow,  stamping  his  foot  with  pas- 
sion ;  "  I  gave  him  his  share  for  silencing  the  woman,  while  I  dealt  with 
the  man.  He  knows  it,  and  he  also  knows  that  he  spent  the  dust  in 
three  days  at  Melbourne,  where  we  were  in  disguise,  and  stopped  at  old 
mother  Holey's." 

A  gratified  expression  beamed  upon  the  inspector's  face,  and  I  doubt 
if  he  remembered  the  pain  with  which  he  was  afflicted,  for  the  murder 
that  he  had  thus  suddenly  brought  to  light  was  one  that  had  puzzled 
him  for  a  long  time,  and  a  reward  of  two  hundred  pounds  was  due 
to  whoever  revealed  the  mystery.  He  had  indulged  in  a  little  fic- 
tion to  make  Bill  confess  the  crime,  and  he  had  succeeded  beyond  his 
utmost  expectations. 

For  a  long  time  after  Bill  had  revealed  his  knowledge  of  one  of  the 
most  brutal  murders  that  ever  occurred  in  Australia,  our  prisoner  re- 
fused to  talk,  although  Mr.  Brown  provoked  him  to  reveal  other  mat- 
ters that  he  was  anxious  of  knowing. 

The  bushranger  appeared  to  recollect  that  in  a  moment  of  passion  he 
had  disclosed  more  than  he  should  have  done,  and  therefore  refused  to 
converse ;  but  at  length  Mr.  Brown  led  him  to  talk  of  the  days 
when  he  was  a  prisoner  at  the  hulks,  and  when  the  inspector  was  an 
overseer  or  turnkey  at  the  same  institution. 

"  How  many  years  have  passed,  Bill,  since  you  crossed  the  water  ?  " 

26 


302  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

inquired  the  inspector ;  meaning,  in  a  polite  way,  to  find  out  the  exact 
time  he  had  been  transported. 

"  It's  over  six,  I  think ;  let  me  see ;  it's  two  years  next  month  since 
I  left  my  quarters  at  the  hulks  and  started  in  search  of  fortune,  and  at 
times  a  hard  one  it  has  been,"  returned  the  prisoner. 

"  I've  no  doubt  of  it.  Had  you  but  remained  faithful  and  obedient, 
your  time  would  have  nearly  expired,  now,  I  think,"  continued  the 
inspector,  in  a  friendly  tone ;  but  I  could  see  that  he  was  only  leading 
the  bushranger  along  for  the  purpose  of  extracting  information. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  fellow,  bitterly,  "  my  time  would  have  arrived,  and 
I  would  have  been  discharged  from  the  accursed  hulks,  but  not  by  hu- 
man hands.  Death  would  have  claimed  me  long  before  this  ;  and  death 
would  have  been  preferable  to  the  life  that  I  led." 

"  But  there  were  others  who  were  confined  with  more  serious  charges 
against  them  than  yourself,  and  yet  you  know  that  many  of  them  were 
pardoned,  or  obtained  tickets  of  leave,  and  are  now  doing  well." 

"  Yes,  because  they  became  slaves  to  your  will,  and  played  the  spy 
upon  those  who  dared  to  remonstrate  against  the  food  and  the  treat- 
ment which  they  received.  I  was  one  of  their  victims,  and  well  I  paid 
for  my  independence." 

"  You  did,  indeed,"  muttered  the  inspector,  but  Bill  did  not  hear 
him. 

"  I  went  to  the  hulks  determined  to  serve  out  my  time  like  a  man ; 
but  a  few  weeks'  residence  convinced  me  that,  unless  I  became  a  slave, 
and  trembled  at  the  officer's  nod,  I  should  be  broken  in  body  and  spirit. 
Then  I  laid  my  plans  for  an  insurrection  of  the  convicts,  and  had  I  not 
trusted  to  your  minion,  Ned,  you  would  not  have  been  driving  me  to 
certain  death  at  the  present  time." 

"  Well,  what  would  you  have  done  ?  "  asked  the  inspector,  quietly* 

"  There  were  eight  hundred  of  us,  all  desperate  men,  and  reckless  of 
life.  We  should  have  murdered  our  officers,  and  then,  before  an  alarm 
could  have  reached  the  soldiers,  we  should  have  attacked  their  quar- 
ters, and  those  who  would  not  have  joined  us  must  have  perished  with- 
out mercy.  Afterwards  we  intended  to  sack  Melbourne,  collect  all  the 
gold  that  we  could,  and  seek  for  asylums  upon  some  of  the  islands  in 
tlie  broad  Pacific.  Such  was  our  programme,  and  it  would  not  have 
failed,  I  am  convinced ;  but  your  spies  destroyed  our  hopes,  and  brought 
me  to  punishment  and  shame." 

The  bushranger  strode  on  as  though  he  was  at  the  head  of  an  army, 
and  his  dark  features  were  lighted  up  at  the  thought  of  the  carnage 
which  he  and  his  companions  intended  to  inflict. 

"  Your  plot  could  not  have  succeeded,"  the  inspector  said,  after  a 
moment's  pause,  "  because  every  citizen  in  Melbourne  would  have 
armed  himself,  and  hunted  you  to  the  death.  But  we  will  not  discuss 
the  subject.  You  failed  in  your  design,  and  were  punished  as  you 
deserved  to  be.  Were  I  in  the  same  position  that  I  then  held,  and 
should  another  attempt  be  made  to  revolt,  I  should  recommend,  not 
the  lash,  but  death  to  all  who  were  engaged." 

"  Better  death  a  hundred  times,  than  a  hundred  lashes,"  cried  the 
bushranger,  with  a  fearful  oath.  "  But  I  have  revenged  mysolf  for  the 
flogging,  and  for  every  lash  I  have  made  some  one  pay  dear." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  303 

"  Bah !  that  is  all  talk ! "  cried  the  inspector,  in  a  careless  way ;  but  1 
saw  that  he  was  trembling  with  anxiety  to  learn  a  correct  history  of  the 
prisoner's  outrages. 

"  Is  it  all  talk  ?  "  repeated  Bill,  with  a  sneer.  "  It  was  talk,  I  sup- 
pose, when  we  robbed  the  escort  of  thirty  thousand  pounds.  It  was 
talk,  I  suppose,  when  we  picked  off  six  of  the  soldiers,  and  drove  the 
rest,  like  frightened  curs,  from  the  treasure.  It  is  talk,  when  I  tell  you 
that  we  have  been  in  the  vicinity  of  Ballarat  for  two  months  past,  and 
have  watched  for  you  night  and  day,  arid  never  got  a  chance  to  strike 
until  to-day.  Talk,  is  it  ?  Well,  we  have  talked  to  some  purpose,  and 
even  if  I  am  a  prisoner,  I  feel  satisfied." 

"  But  you  could  not  have  spent  your  share  of  the  plunder,"  said  Mr. 
Brown,  in  a  soothing,  conciliating  tone. 

The  bushranger  stopped,  and  looked  full  in  the  face  of  the  inspector, 
and  a  glow  of  triumph  overspread  his  face  as  he  answered,  — 

"  I  understand  your  question,  but  it  will  not  do.  When  I  die,  I  carry 
all  knowledge  of  the  place  where  the  dust  is  buried  to  the  grave,  and 
you  shall  never  see  a  grain  of  it.  I  have  you  there,  and  will  enjoy  my 
triumph." 

"  But  perhaps  a  disclosure  may  obtain  your  pardon  ;  and  surely,  for 
your  life  you  would  give  up  the  gold,"  the  inspector  said,  still  main- 
taining a  cheerful  deportment. 

''  The  trick  is  stale,  and  will  not  answer,"  the  ruffian  returned,  with  a 
hoarse  laugh ;  "  you  may  load  me  with  chains,  and  starve  me  to  death, 
but  I'll  never  divulge  the  secret ! " 

As  though  he  did  not  wish  to  converse  further  upon  the  subject,  the 
bushranger  turned  his  back  upon  us,  and  maintained  a  stoical  silence 
until  we  reached  Ballarat. 

"  I  have  overcome  more  remonstrance  than  you  will  offer,  my  friend," 
the  inspector  muttered,  in  a  low  tone ;  "  the  gold  that  you  have  buried 
shall  yet  be  brought  to  light." 

"  Were  you  in  earnest  in  promising  a  pardon  ? "  I  asked  of  Mr. 
Brown. 

"  In  promising,  yes ;  in  expecting  to  get  it  granted,  I  tell  you  frankly, 
no.  We  have  to  resort  to  many  ways  to  accomplish  our  ends,  and 
promises  work  well ;  and  why  should  we  scruple  to  use  them  ?  The 
£old  that  fellow  has  buried  somewhere  near  here  will  help  enrich  three 
honest  men  —  meaning  us  —  and  would  it  not  be  a  shame  to  let  the 
fellow  die  without  divulging  ?  " 

"  But  I  supposed  that  property  recovered  from  bushrangers  went  to 
government,  unless  the  rightful  owners  claimed  it." 

"  So  it  does,  when  the  owner  can  prove  that  the  geld  dust  belongs  to 
him.  Rather  a  difficult  thing,  you  will  imagine ;  and  to  prevent  dis- 
pute, we  generally  take  care  of  it.  Depend  upon  it,  that  fellow  will 
make  a  confession  to  me,  a  few  days  before  his  execution,  and  with  the 
hope  of  receiving  a  pardon.  After  his  death,  I  shall  know  whether  he 
has  lied  or  not.  If  he  sticks  to  the  truth,  as  one  would  naturally  sup- 
pose he  would,  just  before  his  death,  we  may  calculate  upon  having 
done  a  good  day's  work." 

We  contrasted  the  inspector's  idea  of  right  and  wrong  with  Murden's, 
bis  brother  officer,  and  found  that  there  was  but  little  difference  between 


304  IJFE    IN    AUSTKALIA,    OK 

them.  Both  were  determined  to  make  money  when  it  was  possible,  and 
were,  sometimes,  not  overscrupulous  in  their  transactions. 

It  was  the  effect  of  a  system  which  belonged  exclusively  to  Austra- 
lia, and  the  jealousy  of  a  government  that  did  not  recognize  talent 
unless  backed  by  influence.  The  police  were  not  looked  upon  as  men 
of  character  and  trust ;  and  they  retaliated  by  making  money  as  fast  aa 
possible,  so  that  they  could  leave  the  force,  and  enter  into  business 
more  in  accordance  with  the  feelings  of  gentlemen. 

We  hinted  to  the  inspector  our  opinion,  and  he  frankly  acknowledged 
that  such  was  the  case,  but  he  offered  a  plea  in  extenuation. 

Mr.  Brown  had  become  so  interested  in  his  subject  that  his  bodily 
pains  were  forgotten.  We  should  have  been  willing  to  have  listened  to 
him  for  hours,  for  his  remarks  showed  a  good  knowledge  of  the  coun- 
try, and  what  it  required  to  make  it  great  and  prosperous ;  but  we  were 
close  to  Ballarat,  and  issuing  from  the  town  we  saw  a  squad  of  mounted 
police,  who  quickened  their  pace  when  they  saw  us. 

"  I  will  wager  an  ounce  of  gold  that  my  men  have  become  alarmed  at 
my  prolonged  absence,  and  are  just  starting  in  search  of  me,"  said  the 
inspector. 

The  surmise  was  correct,  for  Mr.  Brown  had  left  word  that  he  should 
be  back  by  noon,  and  it  was  now  past  three  o'clock 

The  guard  of  police  looked  surprised  when  they  saw  their  chief,  who 
certainly  appeared  somewhat  the  worse  for  his  trip ;  but  their  discipline 
was  too  good  to  permit  them  to  ask  questions,  although  I  could  see  that 
they  were  anxious  to. 

"I  have  met  with  a  slight  accident,  men,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  after 
exchanging  a  word  with  the  sergeant  of  the  corps,  "  and  to  these  two 
gentlemen  am  I  indebted  for  my  life.  Look  at  them  well,  and  remember 
that  they  are  my  friends  for  life,  and  if  you  can  ever  benefit  them  in  any 
way,  you  are  to  do  it.  They  are  Americans,  and  strangers  in  Ballarat, 
and  must  be  protected  in  their  business  if  every  other  firm  is  ruined. 

"  Jackson,"  the  inspector  said,  "  get  a  team,  and  take  six  men  with 
you,  and  proceed  immediately  to  '  Snake  Paradise.'  In  the  ravine  you 
will  find  two  wounded  and  two  dead  bushrangers.  Bury  the  latter,  and 
bring  the  former  to  the  prison,  where  their  injuries  can  be  attended  to. 
Lose  no  time,  but  start  immediately." 

The  corporal  addressed  as  Jackson  stopped  only  long  enough  to 
detail  six  men,  when  he  started  towards  the  town  at  a  brisk  gallop, 
which  raised  a  cloud  of  dust  that  resembled  a  fog  bank. 

"  Two  of  you  take  these  fellows  to  prison  and  double  iron  them,  and 
tell  old  Warner  that  he  had  better  look  after  them  sharp,  for  they  are 
bushrangers  of  some  notoriety." 

"  And  tell  your  keeper  that  I  have  escaped  from  more  secure  jaila 
than  the  one  in  Ballarat,  and  that  Bill  Swinton  still  possesses  the  pluck 
of  a  man." 

"  That  will  do,"  returned  the  inspector,  dryly,  after  the  bushranger 
had  finished.  "  Take  him  away,  and  to  pay  him  for  that  speech,  tell 
Warner  to  put  a  ring  around  his  waist,  in  addition  to  the  double  iron."." 

"  I  still  hope  for  the  time  when  I  can  meet  you  alone,  and  when  no 
interfering  Yankees  will  save  you  from  my  vengeance.  Bill  Swintoo  la 
worth  a  dozen  dead  men,  and  woe " 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  304 

The  remainder  of  the  man's  remarks  was  lost,  for  the  police  hurried 
him  oft'  with  his  companion,  who  appeared  to  be  completely  broken  in 
epirit. 

"  Now,  Sam,  give  this  gentleman  (pointing  to  Fred,  who  had  walked 
nearly  all  the  distance  from  the  ravine)  your  horse,  for  I  am  mounted 
on  his." 

The  man  relinquished  his  animal  without  a  word,  and  we  rode  towards 
the  town,  followed  at  a  short  distance  by  the  squad  of  policemen.  As 
we  passed  along  the  main  thoroughfare  of  Ballarat,  a  crowd  of  people 
assembled  to  greet  us,  for  already  the  news  had  circulated  extensively 
that  a  large  gang  of  bushrangers  had  been  broken  up  through  our 
instrumentality ;  and  the  miners  were  rejoiced  at  the  intelligence,  for 
they  were  more  interested  than  any  other  class  of  people  in  freeing  the 
country  of  robbers,  so  that  escorts  of  gold  dust  could  pass  to  the  large 
cities  without  molestation.  Under  these  circumstances  the  police  were 
cheered,  and  that  was  something  that  had  not  occurred  since  the  strug- 
gle between  the  government  and  the  miners  had  commenced  regarding 
the  mining  tax. 

"  You  see  how  much  we  are  indebted  to  you,"  remarked  the  inspector, 
with  a  grim  smile,  as  we  helped  him  from  his  horse  upon  reaching  his 
quarters.  "  To-morrow  the  knaves  would  cheer  just  as  lustily  if  we 
were  driven  from  the  town.  Good  by  —  don't  fail  to  come  and  see 
me  early  to-morrow  morning." 

And  with  these  parting  words  we  turned  our  horses'  heads  and  started 
for  our  store,  where  we  found  Rover  keeping  guard,  and  every  thing 
safe.  Tired  with  our  day's  jaunt,  we  resisted  several  pressing  invita- 
tions to  attend  the  indignation  meeting  that  was  to  be  holden  thai 
evening  by  the  miners,  and  went  to  bed  early. 


CHAPTER    XLIV. 

THRASHING  A  BULLY. 

WE  slept  long  past  our  usual  hour  for  rising,  and  were  awakened  by 
the  violent  baying  of  Rover,  and  loud  shouts  of  "  Kill  him  !  kill  him  !  " 

The  cries  were  near  our  premises,  and  we  lost  no  time  in  throwing  on 
our  clothes  and  seeking  to  investigate  the  matter.  A  crowd  of  people 
were  hurrying  towards  the  banks  of  the  river,  or  rather  what  was  a  river 
in  the  wet  season,  for  at  the  present  time  there  was  not  water  enough 
in  its  bed  to  quench  the  thirst  of  a  bird,  and  we  joined  them  with- 
out delay. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ? "  I  asked  of  one  excited  individual,  who 
appeared  more  anxious  to  get  in  at  the  death  than  his  companions. 

"  Darned  if  I  know.  I  heard  the  cry  of  '  Kill  him,'  and  I  suppose 
somebody  has  been  stealing  something.  Don't  bother  me  with  ques- 
tions, for  I  want  to  be  in  at  the  death." 

26* 


306  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

Another  wild  shout  from  the  crowd  in  front  hastened  our  movements, 
and  Fred  and  myself  threw  ourselves  into  the  excited  mass,  and  strove 
to  gain  a  place  where  we  could  afford  some  help  to  the  thief,  in  case  the 
confusion  was  occasioned  by  one.  By  struggling  desperately  we  man- 
aged to  get  into  the  centre  of  the  crowd,  and  saw  that  a  young  man  was 
in  the  custody  of  two  miners,  and  that  they  were  disposed  to  take  sum- 
mary vengeance  upon  the  fellow  for  the  alleged  crime  of  stealing  their 
dust,  which  they  had  concealed  in  their  tent.  All  this  was  told  to  us  in 
the  space  of  a  few  seconds'  time,  and  meanwhile  the  air  was  filled  with 
cries  of  "  Kill  him,"  "  Lynch  him,"  "  Hang  him,"  "  Let's  stone  him  to 
death,"  &c. 

The  young  fellow  was  terribly  frightened,  and  was  begging  for  mercy 
in  the  most  piteous  tones,  and  appealing  to  those  by  whom  he 
was  surrounded  to  save  him,  for  he  was  innocent  of  the  crime,  and 
never  stole  a  dollar  in  his  life.  There  was  something  in  the  lad's  face 
that  convinced  me  that  he  spoke  the  truth,  yet  we  did  not  like  to  inter- 
fere and  get  the  wrath  of  the  ruffians  turned  upon  ourselves,  and  yet 
we  did  not  care  to  stand  idly  by  and  witness  the  ill-treatment  of  a  boy, 
who  seemed  unused  to  the  rough  scenes  of  the  mines.  Each  of  his 
captors  had  a  hand  upon  his  collar,  and  even  during  the  excitement  I 
could  not  help  contrasting  the  fineness  of  his  skin  with  the  horny, 
leather-colored  skin  of  his  accusers. 

"  So  help  me  Heaven,  gentlemen,  I  never  stole  any  thing  in  my  life," 
cried  the  lad ;  and  his  voice  was  soft,  and  so  different  from  those  by 
whom  he  was  surrounded,  I  was  convinced  he  belonged  to  some  aristo- 
cratic family,  and  had  strayed  to  Australia  in  search  of  fortune,  perhaps 
to  help  sustain  his  sinking  house. 

"  You  lie,  you  young  whelp ;  you  know  you  lie,"  cried  one  of  the 
miners,  shaking  the  boy  by  the  Collar  so  roughly  that  I  was  fearful  he 
would  dislocate  his  bones. 

"  I  do  not  lie,  gentlemen ;  upon  my  honor,  I  do  not.  Don't  choke 
me  so  hard  —  you  hurt  me,"  cried  the  boy,  putting  a  small  hand  upon 
the  miner's  rough  paws,  as  though  his  slight  strength  was  likely  to 
effect  any  thing  in  the  way  of  obtaining  a  cessation  of  their  cruelty. 

"  I've  had  my  eye  on  you  for  some  time,"  cried  one  of  the  men,  "  and 
I  knew  I  should  get  hold  of  you  at  last.  What  was  you  doing  in  our 
tent  when  we  woke  up  this  morning  ?  Answer  me  that,  will  you  ?  " 

Between  them  both  they  shook  the  boy  so  roughly  that  he  burst  into 
tears,  and  was  incapable  of  uttering  a  word.  This,  instead  of  exciting 
feelings  of  compassion  in  the  breasts  of  the  miners,  caused  them  to 
shout  with  sardonic  laughter,  and  mock  him  by  sobbing  in  imitation. 
It  was  during  the  latter  performance  that  Fred,  followed  by  myself, 
squeezed  into  the  small  circle  and  confronted  the  two  halt^civilized 
brutes. 

"  Don't  hurt  the  lad,"  cried  Fred,  in  a  mild  tone.  "  He  is  nothing 
but  a  boy,  and  if  he  did  take  your  dust  perhaps  he  can  make  some  ex- 
planation that  will  satisfy  you." 

"  Hullo,"  ejaculated  one  of  the  fellows,  with  a  stare,  "  who  in  the 
devil  are  you,  I  should  like  to  know  ?  " 

"  That  is  of  no  consequence,  at  present,"  replied  Fred,  in  a  tone  of 
excessive  mildness.  "  The  question  is  regarding  this  boy.  I  think 


A  GOLD  HTJNTEE'S  ADVENTURES.  30T 

there  must  be  some  mistake  in  your  accusations,  and  if  you  will  give 
him  into  my  charge  I  will  make  up  to  you  all  that  he  has  taken,  pro- 
vided you  can  prove  that  you  have  lost  any  thing." 

"  Hullo,  boys,  here's  a  couple  of  the  young  thief's  pals.  Down  with 
'em  both." 

We  had  expected  such  a  cry,  and  knew  how  to  meet  it.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  looking  frightened,  and  attempting  to  escape  from  the  cir- 
cle, we  remained  perfectly  cool  and  self-possessed,  and  those  who  had 
pressed  forward  to  lay  hands  upon  us  drew  back  and  awaited  further 
developments. 

The  youngster,  who  was  still  retained  by  the  two  miners,  had,  upon 
our  first  interference  in  his  behalf,  trembled  with  hope ;  but  when  he 
heard  the  savage  cries,  his  heart  seemed  to  sink  within  him,  and  he 
appeared  as  though  about  to  faint. 

"  You  are  choking  the  lad  to  death,"  cried  Fred.  "  Don't  you  see 
that  he  can  hardly  breathe  ?  Let  me  take  charge  of  him  until  the  po- 
lice call  for  him." 

"  Do  you  suppose  that  we  are  fools  ?  "  replied  one  of  the  men,  who 
was  disposed  to  be  more  obstinate  than  his  companions.  We  knows 
rogues  when  we  sees  'em." 

"  Then  it's  probable  you  know  your  own  face  when  you  consult  a 
looking-glass,"  Fred  said ;  and  the  bitter  taunt  told  well  with  the 
crowd,  for  they  roared  with  laughter,  and  appeared  to  be  changing  their 
views  regarding  the  guilt  of  the  lad. 

The  ruffian  looked  at  us  for  a  moment,  as  though  almost  determined 
to  rush  upon  us  and  try  his  strength  in  an  encounter ;  but  our  coolness 
confounded  him,  and  he  hesitated,  and  appeared  to  seek  counsel  by 
looking  upon  the  numerous  faces  by  which  he  was  surrounded. 

"  You  ain't  a-going  to  let  a  couple  of  bushrangers  abuse  honest  miners 
who  pays  their  taxes,  and  only  axes  for  what  is  right,  is  you  ?  "  the  fel- 
low said. 

"  No,  no ;  you  shan't  be  hurt,  Tom,"  a  number  of  the  crowd  said,  the 
epithet  of  bushranger  being  sufficient  to  excite  the  worst  prejudices  of 
the  miners ;  and  we  saw  that  already  a  number  of  lowering  brows  were 
bent  upon  us,  and  that  but  a  few  words  were  required  to  cause  the 
whole  pack  to  yelp  in  concert. 

Tom  saw  his  advantage,  and  was  quick  to  follow  it  up  with  another 
blow. 

"  I  knows  that  this  little  devil  [giving  his  prisoner  a  shake]  is  in 
league  with  these  fellows,  and  that  they  sent  him  into  town  for  the  pur- 
pose of  robbing  us  honest  miners,  and  they  intended  to  wait  outside 
until  he  returned.  He  didn't  jine  'em,  and  now  they  want  to  get  him 
out  of  our  hands  so  that  they  can  all  make  their  escape.  Let's  lynch 
all  three." 

"  Lynch  'em !  Lynch  'em ! "  were  the  cries,  and  the  crowd  pressed 
towards  us  to  carry  into  effect  the  words. 

Fred's  hand  involuntarily  sought  his  revolver,  but  I  restrained 
him. 

"  No  firearms,"  I  whispered ;  "  if  we  shed  a  drop  of  their  blood  we 
are  doomed  men.  Keep  cool,  and  trust  to  chance." 

"  Miners  of  Ballarat,  will  you  hear  me  ?  "  I  shouted,  determined  to 


308  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

make  one  more  appeal  to  them,  and  then  try  the  virtues  of  a  revolver, 
for  I  did  not  wish  to  die  unavenged. 

"  No,  no ;  we've  heard  enough !  Down  with  the  bushrangers ! " 
cried  Tom,  yelling  with  exultation,  and  the  crowd  took  up  the  cry  and 
reechoed  it. 

"I  have  a  proposition  to  make,"  cried  Fred,  and  his  loud  voice  was 
heard  above  the  tumult,  and  curiosity  outweighed  the  thirst  for  ven- 
geance. 

"What's  the  proposition?  spit  it  out! "shouted  the  crowd;  "will 
you  come  down  liberal  with  stolen  property  ?  " 

There  was  a  general  roar  of  laughter  at  this  sally,  and  when  it  had 
died  -away,  Fred  said,  — 

"  This  man  [pointing  to  Tom]  says  that  we  are  bushrangers,  which 
we  deny,  and  can  prove  that  we  are  honest  miners,  like  yourselves. 
[Sensation.]  We  do  not  propose  to  bandy  words  with  him,  because  he 
is  a  contemptible  coward,  and  dare  not  impose  upon  any  one  but  a  little 
boy.  That  is  not  characteristic  of  the  miners  of  Ballarat,  for  long  be- 
fore we  reached  this  part  of  the  country,  we  were  told  they  were  foes  to 
tyranny.  [Faint  indications  of  applause.]  We  tell  the  man  who  called 
us  bushrangers  that  he  is  a  liar,  and  that  we  require  satisfaction,  or  an 
abject  apology  from  him  for  the  insult." 

There  were  cries  and  yells  of — 

"That's  right  —  go  in,  old  fellow  —  a  ring,  a  ring  —  let  'em  fight  — 
he's  a  brick,  ain't  he  ?  "  &c. 

Tom  turned  slightly  pale,  and  seemed  confused  with  the  way  that  the 
affair  was  likely  to  work.  The  crowd  saw  it,  and  were  the  more  stren- 
uous for  the  acceptance  of  Fred's  proposition. 

"  You  see,  gentlemen,"  my  friend  exclaimed,  "  the  man  who  calls 
himself  a  miner  of  Ballarat  is  nothing  but  a  coward.  He  never  worked 
in  a  shaft,  or  dug  an  ounce  of  gold  in  his  life.  He  is  nothing  but  a 
'  packer,'  and  dare  not  face  a  man ;  but  can  beat  boys  and  natives,  be- 
cause he  knows  they  cannot  resist  him." 

"  Let  him  fight,  or  we'll  lynch  him,"  yelled  the  crowd ;  and  thousands, 
who  a  few  minutes  before  were  ready  to  crush  us  beneath  their  feet,  sud- 
denly arrayed  themselves  on  our  side,  and  pressed  towards  the  miner 
with  scornful  looks. 

"  I'll  fight  the  feller,"  Tom  said,  after  a  few  minutes'  silence,  "  but  it 
shall  be  in  the  old  English  style,  stand  up  and  knock  down.  I'll  have  no 
pistols,  'cos  I  never  used  'em,  and  don't  think  I  could  hit  a  man,  any  how." 

"  A  fight,  a  fight !  form  a  ring !  "  and  the  proposition  for  a  combat  a 
la  Jistiana  was  received  with  joy  by  every  Englishman  present. 

"  O,  don't,  sir,"  exclaimed  the  youth  who  had  been  the  cause  of  the 
trouble ;  "  don't  expose  yourself  on  my  account." 

"  Don't  be  alarmed,"  returned  Fred  ;  "  I'd  fight  a  dozen  men,  sooner 
than  one  halt  of  your  head  should  be  touched." 

"  Remember,"  Fred  continued,  turning  to  the  crowd,  "  that  if  1  come 
off  best  in  the  fight,  the  boy  goes  with  me." 

"  Yes,  yes  $  we  understand  the  conditions  of  the  fight.  Form  a  ring ; 
stand  back  there ; "  and  the  crowd  shouted,  and  swayed  to  and  fro,  and 
during  the  tumult  we  saw  a  sturdy  fellow  struggling  towards  us,  as 
though  to  get  a  front  view.  The  man,  whose  face  I  thought  I  had 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUUES.  809 

seen  before,  was  not  deterred  by  slight  obstacles,  and  by  dint  of  using  his 
elbows  vigorously,  and  treading  on  his  neighbors'  corns,  he  soon  got 
within  a  few  feet  of  us. 

"  And  it's  sitting  him  a-fighting,  is  it,  ye  spalpeens  ?  "  cried  the  fel- 
low, with  a  Hibernian  accent  that  was  not  to  be  mistaken ;  and  he 
looked  around  the  crowd,  as  though  he  wished  some  one  would  pick  a 
quarrel  with  him,  for  the  sake  of  variety. 

"  And  it's  bushrangers  ye  think  they  is,  do  ye  ?  "  the  Irishman  con- 
tinued, scornfully  ;  "  do  ye  think  ye  would  know  a  thafe  if  ye  seed  one  ? 
Can't  ye  tell  a  rale  gintleman  from  a  snaking  blackguard  ?  " 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Pat  ?  "  the  miners  asked,  good-naturedly,  most 
of  those  present  appearing  to  know  our  new  defender. 

"  Matter,  is  it  ?  "  he  repeated,  scornfully ;  "  I  tells  ye  that  if  a  hair  of 
these  two  gintlemen's  is  hurted,  I'll  lick  the  whole  of  ye,  blackguards 
that  ye  is." 

A  roar  of  laughter  followed  this  speech,  which  excited  the  Irishman's 
indignation  to  its  fullest  extent. 

"  Ye  laugh,  do  ye  ?  It's  little  ye  would  laugh  if  ye  saw  these  two 
gintlemen  dressing  the  cuts  and  sores  of  poor  miners  who  had  divil  a 
ha'penny  to  pay  the  doctor  with.  It's  little  ye  would  laugh  if  ye  had 
seed  this  gintlemaji  standing  up  and  having  a  crack  at  old  Pete  Burley, 
the  bully  of  Ballarat ;  and  by  me  faith,  he  brought  him  down  in  less 
time  than  ye  can  descend  a  shaft  with  the  crank  broken." 

The  allusion  to  the  expeditious  manner  in  which  miners  sometimes 
went  down  a  shaft,  much  against  their  will,  and  at  a  great  loss  to  their 
personal  dignity,  was  received  with  rounds  of  laughter. 

"  You  know  these  men,  then  ?  "  cried  a  fellow  who  had  been  remark- 
ably officious  during  the  disturbance. 

"  Men,  are  they  ?  "  cried  our  indignant  champion,  and  he  raised  one 
of  his  huge  fists  and  dropped  it  with  full  force  upon  the  head  of  the 
speaker,  and  down  he  went,  as  though  shot. 

"  Call  them  gintlemen,  hereafter,  or  by  the  powers,  I  strike  ye,  the 
next  time  I  hit  ye." 

There  was  another  good-natured  laugh  at  the  expense  of  the  fallen 
man,  and  at  the  Irishman's  wit. 

"  Are  these  the  two  Americans  who  have  recently  arrived,  and  who 
were  concerned  in  that  duel  with  Burley  ?  " 

"  Of  coorse  they  is ;  and  haven't  they  been  giving  a  number  of  us 
poor  divils  medicine  and  good  advice  ?  O,  by  the  powers,  let  me  say 
the  man  that  wants  to  hurt  'em,  that's  all ! " 

This  announcement  completely  changed  the  feelings  of  the  crowd,  and 
the  miners  pressed  forward,  shook  our  hands  in  the  most  friendly  man- 
ner, and  we  supposed  that  our  trouble  was  over ;  but  Tom  was  not  dis- 
posed to  give  up  his  prisoner  in  that  manner,  and  perhaps  he  was  the 
more  strongly  inclined  for  a  battle,  because  Fred's  weight  was  much 
less  than  his  own,  and  therefore  he  imagined  that  he  would  have  things 
his  own  way  at  a  game  of  fisticuffs. 

"  I  am  glad  that  the  stranger  is  not  a  bushranger,"  Tom  said,  "  but 
he  must  not  expect  to  make  laws  for  us  poor  miners.  When  we  havo 
dust  stolen  from  us,  we  have  a  right  to  deal  with  the  thief,  and  I  shall 
«laim  my  privilege." 


310  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  That  is  only  just,"  murmured  the  miners. 

"  I  have  already  offered  to  pay  you  for  all  that  the  boy  has  stolen," 
Fred  said,  "  but  if  that  does  not  suit  you,  deliver  him  up  to  the  police, 
and  let  him  have  an  examination." 

"  I  shan't  do  any  thing  of  the  kind.  I  caught  him  in  my  tent  steal- 
ing gold  dust,  and  I  shall  deal  with  him  in  the  regular  way ;  I  shall 
give  him  two  dozen  lashes  across  his  back,  and  then  let  him  run." 

"  Mercy  !  mercy ! "  screamed  the  lad,  clasping  his  hands  imploringly, 
and  endeavoring  to  throw  himself  at  the  feet  of  his  captors.  "  Do  not 
beat  me,  for  Heaven's  sake,  for  I  am  a " 

The  rest  of  the  boy's  remarks  were  lost  in  the  confusion  which  his 
outburst  of  grief  occasioned,  yet  no  one  seemed  disposed  to  inter- 
fere with  the  regular  course  of  things,  as  the  miner  had  custom  to 
sustain  him  in  his  conduct. 

"  I'll  stand  by  my  bargain,"  the  brute  said,  with  a  grim  smile ;  "  if 
the  gentleman  wants  you,  he  can  have  you  on  the  terms  that  he  offered 
—  a  regular  Englishman's  battle,  and  fair  play  to  all." 

"  Your  proposition  is  accepted,"  cried  Fred,  turning  to  Tom,  who  did 
not  receive  the  notice  with  that  alacrity  which  we  expected. 

Fred  threw  off  his  jacket,  and  that  was  the  signal  for  the  formation 
of  a  ring  some  thirty  feet  wide  in  the  centre ;  but  the  desperate  strug- 
gles which  were  made  to  get  within  sight  and  hearing  prevented  the 
space  from  being  very  regular,  and  the  ring  from  being  very  round. 

The  miner  leisurely  stripped  off  his  superfluous  clothing,  and  his 
form  was  large  enough  to  strike  terror  into  the  hearts  of  those  who 
had  not  made  the  art  of  self-defence  a  study  for  years,  as  I  well  knew 
that  Fred  had.  The  man's  arms  were  brawny  and  muscular,  and  longer 
than  Fred's,  and  when  the  two  men  took  their  positions,  I  confess  that 
I  had  some  fear  for  the  safety  of  my  friend.  But  if  I  looked  fearful 
Fred  did  not,  and  no  one  could  have  traced  upon  his  face  the  least 
emotion  or  sign  of  dismay. 

But  with  all  the  ruffian's  physical  force,  he  looked  far  from  confident, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  he  had  possessed  a  sufficient  excuse,  he 
would  have  quitted  the  ring,  and  acknowledged  the  defeat  without  a 
struggle. 

The  Irishman  and  myself  were  Fred's  seconds,  and  the  miner  who 
helped  Tom  hold  the  boy  was  obliged  to  relinquish  his  prize,  and  assist 
his  friend,  no  one  else  volunteering. 

For  a  few  minutes  after  the  men  were  placed,  each  stood  upon  the 
defensive,  and  waited  for  hostilities.  It  was  no  part  of  Fred's  plan  to 
begin  the  battle,  as  he  wanted  to  discover  whether  Tom  possessed  sci- 
ence, as  well  as  vast  strength ;  and  he  was  not  in  this  respect  Iftpt  long 
in  suspense,  for  the  miner  advanced  towards  him,  swinging  his  long 
arms  and  huge  fists  in  the  most  ridiculous  manner,  and  which  caused 
the  Irishman  to  shout,  — 

"  Make  way  for  the  windmill,  there." 

A  roar  of  laughter  greeted  the  Irishman's  sally,  which  caused  Tom 
some  confusion,  and  before  he  could  recover  from  his  bewilderment, 
Fred  had  sprang  within  his  reach,  and  dealt  him  a  blow  that  sent  him 
reeling  to  the  extremity  of  the  ring,  where  he  fell  heavily  upon  tho 
ground. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  311 

* 

"  The  windmill  goes  stern  fust,  and  no  mistake.  Holy  St.  Patrick ! 
but  isn't  he  groggy  ?  " 

The  slang  term  groggy  was  well  understood  by  those  present,  and 
when  Tom  gained  his  feet,  he  was  saluted  with  another  roar  of  laughter, 
that  made  him  foam  with  rage. 

He  rushed  towards  Fred  like  a  mad  bull,  and  had  he  caught  him  in 
his  arms,  Fred  would  have  fared  none  too  well,  for  a  time.  But  my 
friend  darted  one  side,  and  as  his  adversary  rushed  past,  he  delivered 
another  blow  in  the  vicinity  of  the  man's  right  ear,  that  stopped  hi3 
headlong  career,  and  he  dropped  to  mother  earth  once  more,  baffled, 
bewildered,  and  discouraged. 

"  Hullo !  Fighting  here  ?  "  shouted  a  voice,  and  half-a-dozen  police- 
men rushed  into  the  ring,  and  pounced  upon  Fred  and  Tom  before  a 
third  blow  could  be  struck. 

The  assembled  miners  did  not  dare  to  interfere,  for  fear  their  licenses 
would  be  forfeited  by  the  government  commissioner.  Therefore  no 
murmuring  was  heard. 

"  Prize  fighting,  hey  ?  "  cried  the  sergeant  of  the  force.  "  Away  with 
them  to  the  prison." 

"  Had  you  not  better  investigate  first,  Mr.  Sergeant,"  1  said,  touching 
his  arm. 

He.  looked  me  full  in  the  face,  and  I  recognized  the  man  as  one 
•whom  we  had  met  the  day  before,  upon  our  return  from  Snakes'  Para- 
dise. His  bold,  confident  air  instantly  deserted  him,  and  he  was  as 
civil  as  I  could  desire. 

"  O,  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir  —  I  did  not  see  you  before,"  he  saiJ , 
touching  his  cap,  with  a  military  salute.  "  What  can  I  do  to  serve 
you,  sir?" 

"  You  have  my  friend  in  custody.  Of  course,  you  recollect  all  the 
instructions  of  the  inspector." 

"  To  be  sure  I  do,  sir.  I  think  that  there  must  be  some  mistake 
here,  and  will  instantly  set  him  at  liberty  ;  but  the  miner  who  has  dared 
to  strike  him  shall  be  punished." 

"  That  is  unnecessary,  as  he  has  already  been  handled  rather  rough- 
ly," I  said ;  and  in  a  few  words  I  explained  to  the  policemen  the  origin 
of  the  affair. 

"  Ah,  yes,  I  see,  you  were  quite  right  in  what  you  have  done,  and  I 
regret  that  I  didn't  arrive  on  the  ground  before,  to  have  saved  you  this 
annoyance,  llelease  that  gentleman,"  the  sergeant  said,  turning  to  his 
men.  "  He  is  a  friend  of  the  inspector's." 

The  men  obeyed  without  a  word  in  opposition,  and  the  crowd  took 
courage  at  the  sight,  and  attempted  a  feeble  applause. 

"  As  for  you,  sir,"  the  sergeant  said,  turning  to  the  miner,  who  ap- 
peared to  be  completely  cowed  by  the  array  of  force  against  him,  and 
who  expected  nothing  less  than  a  sentence  of  thirty  days'  hard  work  on 
the  roads  for  the  part  that  he  had  taken  in  the  fight,  "you  may 
thank  these  gentlemen  for  their  forbearance  in  not  urging  your  punish- 
ment, which  you  certainly  deserve.  Give  the  boy  in  charge  of  the 
gentlemen,  and,  mark  me,  I  shall  have  an  eye  on  your  future  habits." 

The  poor  lad,  half  crazed  with  delight,  shed  tears  at  his  deliverance, 
and  declared  that  he  would  serve  us  to  the  best  of  his  ability  ;  while  the 


312  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

•* 

fellows  who  had  used  him  so  harshly  sneaked  to  their  tents  without 
uttering  a  word  concerning  their  reputed  robbery. 

We  thanked  the  sergeant  for  his  interference,  and  with  the  lad  walked 
to  our  store  —  but  after  we  were  clear  of  the  crowd  the  boy  appeared 
to  be  in  a  reflective  mood,  and  scarcely  exchanged  a  dozen  words  with 
us ;  and  even  when  we  told  him  that  he  should  live  with  us  for  the 
present,  and  share  our  hard  beds,  his  gratitude  did  not  appear  to  be 
overpowering,  and  he  hung  his  head  as  though  he  was  not  worthy  of 
eo  much  attention. 


CHAPTER     XLV. 

A  YOUNG  GIRL'S  ADVENTURES  IN  SEARCH  OF  HER  LOVER. 

WE  speedily  prepared  a  good  breakfast,  and  invited  our  prottgb  to 
satisfy  his  appetite,  for  he  looked  hungry  and  appeared  hungry ;  but  to 
our  surprise  he  manifested  some  reluctance  to  eating  before  us,  and  not 
all  of  our  rallying  could  overcome  his  diffidence. 

"  Come,  come,  take  hold  and  eat  heartily,"  I  said,  "  and  don't  appear 
like  a  young  girl  in  the  presence  of  her  beau.  Your  modesty  is  all 
wirown  away  in  the  mines  of  Australia." 

"  You  know  me,  then  ?  "  he  asked,  in  a  sad  tone,  and  his  head  was 
t>ent  low  to  hide  his  blushes,  which  covered  his  face  like  a  thick  coating 
yf  rouge. 

"  Know  you  ?  not  we ;  but  that  is  what  we  are  anxious  about,  and 
after  breakfast  you  must  tell  us  what  freak  drove  you  to  this  country, 
and  how  it  happened  that  you  were  in  Tom's  tent  at  such  an  early  hour 
in  the  morning." 

"  I  was  weary,"  he  said,  making  a  desperate  effort  to  appear  at  his 
ease,  "  and  having  no  money,  I  thought  that  I  would  rest  myself  where 
I  should  not  be  called  upon  to  pay  for  lodgings.  When  I  first  went 
there  the  tent  was  unoccupied ;  but  when  I  awoke,  I  found  that  the  men 
had  returned  while  I  was  asleep,  and  then  they  accused  me  of  stealing 
their  gold  dust,  and  would  have  beaten  me  had  you  not  interfered." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  that,  my  lad,"  I  answered,  "  and  I  see  that  Aey 
used  you  rather  roughly,  at  any  rate.  One  of  the  brutes  has  knocked 
off  a  piece  of  skin  from  your  neck." 

"  You  had  better  have  a  little  salve  rubbed  upon  your  bruises,  for 
wounds  in  this  country  have  to  be  attended  to  without  delay,"  Fred  said. 

I  went  to  my  trunk  and  got  all  the  healing  ointment  that  we  pos- 
sessed, and  offered  it  for  his  use  —  but  he  firmly  declined,  and  declared 
that  he  did  not  suffer  from  the  effect  of  his  bruises,  and  that  they  would 
soon  be  well.  I  turned  away  disappointed,  and  inclined  to  be  angry, 
which  the  young  fellow  saw  in  a  moment. 

"  Don't  be  cross  with  me,"  he  said,  in  such  a  soft,  pleading  tone,  and 
he  looked  into  my  face  with  his  gentle  eyes  so  full  of  tears,  that  all  my 
resentment  was  banished  in  a  moment. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  313 

"  I  will  work  for  you  as  hard  as  my  strength  will  allow,  but  please 
don't  be  cross,"  the  boy  repeated ;  "  I  am  very  grateful  for  what  you 
have  done  for  me,  and  know  that  I  shall  never  be  able  to  repay  you ; 
but  don't  be  cross,  will  you  ?  " 

"  No,  no ;  we  will  never  use  a  cross  word  to  you,"  Fred  said,  laying 
his  hand  upon  the  boy's  head  and  patting  his  cheek,  both  of  which  ac- 
tions seemed  to  cause  the  young  fellow  excessive  alarm.  "  You  may 
stay  here  in  the  store  as  long  as  you  please,  and  we  will  pay  you  for 
your  labor.  When  you  wish  to  go,  say  so,  and  we  will  part  company 
without  any  ill-feeling." 

The  boy  seemed  grateful  for  our  kindness,  but  he  did  not  express  it 
in  words ;  and  while  he  and  Fred  were  talking  I  rummaged  my  trunk, 
and  found  a  number  of  articles  of  clothing  that  were  suitable  for  him, 
and  in  which  he  stood  in  great  need,  his  garments  being  somewhat  the 
worse  for  wear. 

"  Strip  off  your  stockings  and  shirt,  and  put  these  on,"  I  said,  hand- 
ing him  a  new  pair  of  socks,  and  a  calico  shirt  too  small  for  me,  but 
which  I  thought  would  answer  his  purpose. 

Again  did  the  tell-tale  blood  mount  in  the  young  fellow's  face,  and  he 
looked  embarrassed  and  perplexed. 

"  I  would  rather  not,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's  pause,  and  I  saw  that 
he  was  trembling  violently. 

"  Nonsense  —  off  with  your  shoes  at  once,"  and  Fred  stooped  down 
to  assist  him,  and  in  spite  of  his  resistance  tore  off  his  ragged  stockings, 
and  was  about  to  replace  them  with  mine,  when  the  boy  began  to  cry 
again. 

We  looked  at  his  grieved  face,  suffused  with  blushes,  and  then  we 
looked  at  the  naked  foot  and  ankle,  and  immediately  arrived  at  our  con- 
clusions ;  and,  strange  to  say,  they  were  of  wonderful  unanimity.  We 
thought  the  exposed  limb  was  too  white  to  belong  to  our  own  sex,  and 
as  our  eyes  met  we  exclaimed,  — 

"  The  devil !     A  woman ! " 

"  Who  would  have  thought  it  ? "  cried  Fred,  with  wonder  depicted 
upon  his  face. 

"  Don't  cry,"  I  said,  addressing  the  girl  in  as  mild  a  tone  as  I  could 
assume ;  but  to  my  astonishment,  the  little  thing  only  cried  the  harder. 

"  You  are  a  smart  man  to  talk  to  women,"  Fred  exclaimed,  pettishly. 
"  That  voice  of  yours  is  enough  to  frighten  a  female  into  convulsions, 
and  your  face  is  not  very  prepossessing,  as  I  suppose  you  are  aware. 
This  is  the  way  you  should  go  to  work." 

To  my  surprise,  the  impudent  puppy  seated  himself  by  the  side  of 
the  girl,  took  one  of  her  unresisting  hands  in  his  own,  and  began  to 
talk  to  her  in  such  a  soothing  manner  that  her  tears  were  dried  up,  as 
if  by  magic ;  and  she  actually  smiled  when  he  told  her  how  comfortable 
she  could  be  in  a  little  bedroom  which  he  promised  to  fit  up  for  her  ex- 
clusive accommodation,  and  where  no  one  would  intrude  upon  her 
moments  of  privacy. 

"  Jack,"  said  Fred,  suddenly  jumping  up  and  laying  his  hand  on  my 
arm,  "  we  must  protect  this  poor  girl  to  the  best  of  our  ability." 

"  I  suppose  that  we  must,"  I  returned,  with  great  philosophy. 

"  She  is  an  innocent  little  thing,"  my  friend  added,  in  a  musing  tone. 

27 


814  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

" Is  she?"  I  asked ;  " pray,  how  do  you  happen  to  know ? " 

"  O,  because  she  is  constantly  blushing  and  crying,"  Fred  answered, 
boldly. 

"  Is  that  the  only  method  by  which  you  judge  ?  "  I  asked,  quite  lost 
in  admiration  at  his  perceptible  powers. 

•'  Of  course  it  is  —  innocence  always  blushes." 

Let  ladies  take  note  that  in  the  estimate  of  some  men  a  blush  is  re- 
garded with  more  veneration  than  a  hundred  protestations  of  purity. 
Where  my  friend  obtained  his  knowledge  of  women  I  am  unable  to  say, 
for  he  was  never  married,  although  many  times  in  love. 

"  What  is  she  doing  here  at  the  mines  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  That  I  have  not  found  out  as  yet,  but  I  will  interrogate  her  on  the 
subject,"  replied  Fred,  with  much  confidence. 

He  began  his  examination  in  such  a  delicate  manner  that,  the  girl 
grew  more  and  more  communicative,  and  revealed  her  history,  which 
was  not  a  common  one. 

Her  name  was  Mary  Ann  Purcel,  and  she  was  the  daughter  of  a 
respectable  cordwainer  of  London.  Her  father,  as  usual  with  men  of 
his  kind  of  business,  had  taken  an  apprentice  to  learn  his  profession, 
but  it  seems  that  the  young  fellow  had  studied  the  beauty  of  the  girl 
more  than  his  duties,  which  gave  greater  satisfaction  to  the  lady  than 
the  parent,  and  a  quarrel  ensued ;  and  Robert  Herrets'  (the  name  of 
the  apprentice)  indentures  were  broken  or  given  up,  and  the  young  fel- 
low was  told  that  he  had  better  seek  his  fortune  in  some  other  quarter 
of  the  globe,  or  at  least  attempt  some  other  business  besides  that  of 
being  a  cordwainer. 

The  lover  did  not  relish  the  summary  manner  that  his  claims  were 
disposed  of,  and  so  intimated  ;  but  he  was  ridiculed  for  seeking  to  ally 
himself  with  a  man  who  could  afford  to  give  his  daughter  five  hundred 
pounds  on  her  wedding  day,  and  yet  keep  up  his  business. 

Robert,  like  all  lovers,  did  not  despair  of  yet  claiming  the  girl  as  his 
wife,  and  to  Mary  he  made  known  his  plans.  She  was  to  remain  single 
for  three  years,  and  to  await  his  orders,  while  he  tried  to  push  his  for- 
tune in  the  mines  of  Australia ;  for  they  had  just  been  opened  to  the 
world,  and  thousands  were  leaving  the  shores  of  England  to  suffer  hard- 
ships, privations,  and  perhaps  death,  to  collect  a  portion  of  the  dross. 
The  girl  readily  consented  to  any  terms  that  he  offered,  and  with  tear- 
ful eyes  kissed  her  lover,  and  wished  him  God  speed  on  his  long  jour- 
ney of  thousands  of  miles  across  the  salt  ocean. 

He  arrived  at  Melbourne  safe  and  well ;  and  to  convince  us  that  her 
story  was  true  she  pulled  from  her  bosom  half  a  dozen  letters  written 
by  Robert  after  he  had  reached  the  island.  In  his  first  he  told  her  of 
his  stormy  passage,  and  the  bad  food  that  he  had  been  compelled  to 
eat  to  save  himself  from  starvation ;  but  he  was  confident  and  hopeful, 
and  told  her  to  remember  her  promise  of  being  his  wife,  and  that  if  he 
should  succeed  in  making  money  he  would  send  for  her,  and  that  they 
could  be  married  the  day  of  her  arrival.  The  next  letter  was  dated  at 
Ballarat,  where  the  lover  had  proceeded  as  soon  as  possible,  and  where 
he  was  hard  at  work  sinking  a  shaft,  with  great  hope  of  taking  out  gold 
by  the  pound. 

The  third  letter  was  still  more  encouraging,  for  he  had  cleared  in 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.        815 

three  months  three  hundred  pound*  above  his  expenses,  and  yet  he 
wrote  that  he  had  not  reached  the  richest  part  of  the  earth  which  he 
was  mining.  The  fourth  letter  was  an  urgent  appeal  for  the  lady  to 
come  to  him  without  delay,  and  he  would  send  a  draft  to  pay  her 
expenses. 

At  this  stage  of  the  correspondence  the  father  of  the  lady  died,  and 
upon  an  investigation  of  his  affairs  it  was  found  that  he  was  insolvent 
long  before  his  death.  Creditors  seized  upon  every  thing,  and  the  mat- 
ter preyed  upon  the  mother  in  such  a  manner  that  she,  too,  died  within 
two  months  after  her  husband.  The  poor  girl  was  nearly  distracted 
with  grief,  and  for  a  long  time  knew  not  which  way  to  turn,  or  whom  to 
confide  in ;  and  during  all  her  troubles  another  letter  from  Australia 
reached  her,  upbraiding  her  for  her  infidelity,  because  she  had  not  written 
as  often  as  Robert  had  desired,  and  because  she  had  not  joined  him.  The 
poor  girl  hesitated  no  longer.  Only  a  portion  of  the  money  which  she  had 
received  from  the  draft  was  left ;  but  with  this  she  paid  for  a  steerage 
passage  to  Melbourne,  arrived  there  safe,  and  with  barely  sufficient 
funds  to  pay  her  board  for  a  week.  She  made  a  number  of  inquiries 
for  Robert,  but  received  slight  attention  at  the  hands  of  those  whom 
she  interrogated,  for  at  Melbourne  steerage  passengers  are  not  looked 
upon  with  that  degree  of  reverence  and  respect  vouchsafed  to  those  who 
arrive  at  our  seaports.  Besides,  there  are  too  many  women  sent  from 
the  old  country,  for  various  misdemeanors,  to  inspire  the  Australians 
with  much  confidence  that  the  stories  which  are  told  are  all  true. 

After  submitting  to  numerous  insults,  for  the  girl's  face  was  handsome, 
and  her  form  was  good,  (who  ever  heard  of  a  girl  with  a  very  plain  face 
being  insulted?)  and  after  shedding  more  tears  than  a  man's  neck  is 
worth,  the  poor  thing,  to  escape  persecution  and  insult,  resolved  to  dis- 
guise herself  in  boy's  clothes,  cut  off  her  long  hair,  and  then  make  the 
best  of  her  way  to  Ballarat,  and  see  if  she  could  not  find  the  man  who 
had  cost  her  so  many  hardships.  She  carried  her  design  into  effect,  and . 
then  spent  the  last  piece  of  coin  that  she  possessed  to  pay  her  passage 
to  Ballarat. 

Undiscovered,  unsuspected,  the  girl  entered  Ballarat  at  a  late  hour  in 
the  night,  and  was  then  told  to  seek  for  lodgings  wherever  she  pleased ; 
and,  half-dead  with  fatigue,  she  strayed  about  the  town,  not  daring  to  ask 
a  question  of  the  fierce-looking  men  whom  she  chanced  to  meet  reeling 
towards  their  tents  after  a  drinking  bout  at  one  of  the  numerous 
saloons  with  which  Ballarat  was  cursed. 

At  length  she  became  so  completely  exhausted  that  she  could  no 
longer  stand,  and  thinking  that  a  tent  which  she  saw  was  unoccupied, 
she  entered  it  and  lay  down  in  one  corner.  Sleep  speedily  made  her. 
forget  all  of  her  miseries,  and  when  she  awoke  she  was  arrested  by  the 
two  miners,  who  had  staggered  home  drunk  during  the  night,  and 
thrown  themselves  upon  their  beds  not  knowing  that  she  was  present. 

While  the  ruffians  were  discussing  what  punishment  should  be  meted 
out  to  her,  the  girl  eluded  their  vigilance  and  fled,  not  knowing  or  car- 
ing where  her  footsteps  led  her,  as  long  as  she  escaped  from  their  horrid 
threats  and  obscene  jests.  The  miners  pursued  with  fierce  oaths  and 
bitter  imprecations,  and  the  road,  luckily  for  Mary,  led  near  our  door, 
and  as  hundreds  joined  in  pursuit,  and  all  raised  the  yells  which  had 


316  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OE 

awakened  us,  we  were  enabled  to  go  to  her  rescue,  and  perhaps  saved 
her  from  a  life  or  death  of  shame. 

Such  was  the  poor  girl's  story,  told  with  a  simplicity  that  carried 
conviction  to  our  hearts,  and  strengthened  our  resolution  to  protect  and 
serve  her  to  the  extent  of  our  ability. 

"  You  will  have  to  remain  with  us  for  a  few  days,"  Fred  said,  after 
Mary  had  concluded  her  history,  "  and  during  that  time  we  think  that  it 
is  far  better  you  should  maintain  your  incognito,  and  appear  as  you 
seem  —  a  boy." 

"  I  have  a  trunk  containing  female  apparel  on  the  cart  that  brought 
me  here,"  she  said ;  as  though  she  had  much  rather  be  dressed  in  the 
habiliments  of  her  own  sex. 

"  There  are  numerous  reasons  why  you  should  maintain  your  present 
attire,  but  I  •  will  not  wound  your  delicacy  by  repeating  them,"  Fred 
said.  "  The  people  of  Ballarat  are  censorious,  and  we  must  give  them 
no  groundwork  for  remarks,"  he  continued. 

The  girl  hung  her  head,  but  seemed  to  appreciate  the  advice  and  del- 
icacy of  Fred.  She  made  no  response. 

"  If  the  person  you  are  in  search  of — Mr.  Robert  Herrets — is  to  be 
found  in  the  mines  of  Ballarat,  you  shall  see  him  before  this  time  to- 
morrow ;  and  even  after  he  has  joined  you,  I  should  recommend  that 
you  impose  upon  the  good  miners  here,  and  not  let  them  think  that 
the  person  we  have  rescued  and  the  newly-made  bride  is  one  and  the 
same  person." 

The  girl  looked  into  Fred's  face  with  an  earnest  gaze,  as  though  she 
would  rather  have  heard  some  one  else  mention  the  idea  of  marriage, 
but  my  friend  did  not  appear  to  notice  it. 

"  He  will,  of  course,  be  rejoiced  to  meet  you,  and  will  sympathize  with 
you  in  your  troubles ;  and  after  your  union  you  will  forget  your  new 
friends." 

.  If  Fred  had  but  seen  the  expressive  look  that  the  girl  gave  him,  and 
then  noted  the  painful  thoughts  that  appeared  to  have  crossed  her  mind, 
he  would  not  have  continued  in  that  strain. 

"  I  can  readily  imagine  the  joy  that  Mr.  Herrets  will  feel  when  he 
knows  that,  for  the  purpose  of  becoming  his  wife,  you  have  braved  the 
dangers  of  the  ocean,  and  struggled  nobly  against  a  thousand  obstacles, 
and  overcome  them  all.  He  will  appreciate  your  love  the  more,  or  he 
will  not  be  human." 

She  appeared  to  listen  without  the  power  of  speech.  I  suspected  the 
cause  of  her  emotion,  but  did  not  dare  to  hint  to  Fred  my  suspicions. 
I  wondered  how  it  would  end,  and  trembled  for  the  fate  of  the  girl  if 
she  should  continue  to  nourish  the  passion  that  I  saw  she  entertained 
for  my  friend.  It  was  marvellous,  and  almost  beyond  belief.  She  had 
known  Fred  but  a  few  hours,  and  yet  already  was  she  inspired  with  a 
feeling  of  love  for  the  man,  that  threatened  to  annihilate  all  traces  of 
her  passion  for  the  apprentice.  I  hardly  believed  it  possible,  and  yet  I 
knew  that  I  could  not  be  mistaken.  Fred  seemed  blind  not  to  per- 
ceive it. 

"  We  will  go  to  the  police  office,  and  request  that  diligent  search  be 
made  for  Mr.  Herrets,"  Fred  said,  and  he  motioned  to  go ;  but  the  girl 
murmured  something  in  a  low  tone,  and  he  stopped. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  31" 

"  You  made  some  request  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  only  said  that — that  perhaps  —  you  were  tired,  and  therefore  had 
. —  had  better  rest  —  before  proceeding  to  the  —  police." 

She  tried  to  look  indifferent,  but  the  effort  was  a  failure. 

"  O,  bless  your  heart,  not  at  all,"  answered  Fred,  cheerily ;  "  we  will 
go  at  once,  and  you  can  read  a  few  books  that  we  own  until  we  come 
back.  Rover  will  take  care  of  you." 

The  hound  stretched  himself  in  the  doorway,  and  showed  his  teeth 
as  though  he  understood  the  order,  and  was  prepared  to  obey  without 
demurring. 

I  saw  a  slight  frown  gather  upon  the  brow  of  the  girl,  and  J  read  her 
thoughts  in  a  moment.  She  was  asking  herself  if  she  would  not  have 
possessed  more  power  had  she  been  dressed  in  female  apparel  and  had 
never  sacrificed  her  hair.  She  passed  her  hand  over  her  short  locks  two 
or  three  times,  and  a  sigh  escaped  her  at  the  ravage  which  the  scissors 
had  effected. 

"  Let  us  go,"  I  said ;  and  I  urged  my  friend  from  a  sight  more  dan- 
gerous to  him  than  a  thousand  pyramids  of  black  snakes,  and  yet  he 
was  unconscious  of  fear. 

We  directed  our  steps  towards  the  residence  of  Mr.  Brown,  the 
inspector,  and  were  readily  admitted  to  his  presence.  He  was  stretched 
upon  his  bed,  but  was  slowly  recovering  from  the  effect  of  his  bruises, 
and  was  quite  cheerful  over  his  bodily  injuries. 

He  extended  such  a  welcome  to  us  as  gratified  our  pride,  yet  did  not 
make  us  feel  as  though  we  were  overpraised.  We  soon  laid  our  busi- 
ness before  him,  and  he  ordered  a  book  containing  a  list  of  the  tax- 
paying  miners  of  Ballarat  to  be  brought,  and  which  he  consulted,  for  a 
few  minutes,  in  silence. 

"  There  is  no  such  name  as  Robert  Herrets  in  the.book,  but  there  is 
a  Robert  Henrets,  and  that  may  be  the  person  you  are  in  pursuit  of.  I 
will  ask  if  any  of  my  men  know  the  latter." 

He  touched  a  bell,  and  the  policeman  who  was  on  duty  at  the  door 
entered. 

"  James,"  inquired  the  inspector,  "  do  you  know  a  miner  here  named 
Robert  Henrets  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  young  fellow  —  sandy  hair  —  blue  eyes  —  scar  over  the 
left  one  —  saves  his  money  —  is  doing  well  —  never  heard  that  he  was 
a  suspicious  character,"  answered  the  officer,  promptly. 

"  Pshaw  ! "  returned  Mr.  Brown,  pettishly ;  "  you  think  that  every 
person  I  ask  about  is  a  rogue ;  you  are  mistaken.  Show  these  gentle- 
men to  the  shaft  that  Henrets  is  sinking,  or  the  mine  that  he  is  work- 
ing, and  attend  to  their  orders." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  know  where  he  is  ;  works  the  old  '  Dugget  mine ; '  smart 
lad  —  makes  money  —  pays  his  tax  regular,  and  never  growls  'cos  he 
has  to." 

"  Then  he  is  the  only  one  at  the  mines,"  returned  the  inspector,  good 
humoredly,  and  we  took  our  leave,  fearful  that  he  would  begin  a  long 
discussion  on  the  merits  and  rights  of  taxation. 

We  had  to  walk  about  a  mile  before  we  reached  the  "  Dugget  mine," 
but  our  tramp  was  beguiled  in  listening  to  the  peculiar  conversation  of 
our  guide,  who  jerked  out  his  sentences  and  words  as  though  he  waa 

27* 


318  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

firing  them  at  a  whole  regiment  of  refractory  miners,  and  wished  to 
make  as  short  work  as  possible  with  them. 

"  You  have  been  at  the  mines  some  time,"  I  said,  drawing  the  man 
into  conversation. 

"Ever  since  they  were  opened  —  one  of  the  first  police  officers  here 

—  hard  times  for  grub,  then,  let  me  tell  you ;  used  to  eat  leather,  or 
any  thing  soft;  horses  all  died  for  the  want  of  water;  gold  plenty  — 
miners  died  with  overwork  —  few  people  here,  then  —  civil  —  treated 
the  police  well,  and  made  us  presents.     Used  to  dig  myself,  sometimes 

—  didn't  like  it,  though  —  hard  work,  very  —  by  and  by  a  lot  of  d d 

furreners  came  here  — got  drunk  and  made  rows  —  used  to  fire  pistols 
at  us  when  we  arrested  'em  —  got  hit  once,  but  didn't  hurt  me  much  — 
the  fellow  gave  me  ten  pounds  to  settle  the  matter  —  he  was  a  Yankee, 
I  think  —  had  a  revolver,  and  used  to  be  desperate  when  he  got  drunk 

—  thank  God,  he  died  one  day,  and  I  saw  him  buried." 

Although  the  subject  was  a  grave  one,  we  could  not  refrain  from 
laughing  at  his  summary  method  of  disposing  of  a  sailor  who  used  to 
be  known  at  Ballarat  as  "  Yankee  Jim,"  and  who  was  a  terror  to  all  po- 
lice officers  when  he  was  drunk.  He  was  represented  as  being  as  strong 
as  half  a  dozen  ordinary  men,  of  the  courage  of  a  lion,  and  perfectly 
reckless  when  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  Even  his  boon  compan- 
ions were  often  obliged  to  flee  for  their  lives  when  one  of  his  cross  fits 
came  on  him  ;  and  if  he  was  thwarted  in  the  most  trifling  particular,  his 
rage  was  unbounded.  He  would  bite  glass  and  chew  it  with  his  teeth, 
lacerating  his  gums  in  a  dreadful  manner ;  and  it  was  at  one  time  re- 
ported that  "  Y'ankee  Jim  "  used  to  diet  on  tumblers  whenever  he  felt 
disposed  to  grow  fleshy. 

The  fellow  was  in  the  United  States  navy  for  many  years,  and  ran 
away  from  a  ship  of  war  that  was  lying  at  Sydney  when  the  gold  mines 
were  first  discovered.  The  dissipated  course  that  he  pursued  soon  ter- 
minated his  life,  and  he  died,  after  a  residence  of  only  three  months  at 
Ballarat,  with  delirium  tremens. 

There  were  numerous  stories  told  of  the  sailor,  and  I  was  at  some 
pains  to  investigate  the  man's  history ;  but  beyond  that  he  was  called 
"  Yankee  Jim,"  and  claimed  Cape  Cod  as  his  birthplace,  found  but  lit- 
tle to  repay  me  for  my  trouble ;  and  perhaps  a  mother  is  now  anxiously 
expecting  a  son,  whose  bones  have  long  since  mouldered  at  Ballarat. 


CHAPTER    XLVI. 

A  MARRIAGE,  AND  AN  ELOPEMENT. 

IN  a  few  minutes  we  reached  the  mine.  As  there  was  no  one  in 
eight,  the  policeman  concluded  to  give  the  signal  at  the  entrance  of  the 
Bhaft  that  the  owner  was  wanted,  and-  as  the  mine  was  not  very  deep,  we 
were  not  kept  waiting  any  length  of  time  for  his  appearance.  The 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  319 

tackle  for  lowering  and  raising  the  miners  was  worked,  and  first  the 
head  and  then  the  body  of  a  man  appeared  in  view. 

"  Here's  two  gentlemen  —  they  want  to  see  you,  Mr.  Henrets,"  the 
officer  said. 

"  My  name  is  Herrets,"  the  miner  said,  "  and  why  you  will  persist  in 
calling  me  Henrets  is  beyond  my  comprehension." 

"  One  name  is  as  good  as  the  other  —  what  is  the  difference  ?  —  both 
begin  with  H  and  end  with  s." 

We  found  that  the  officer's  description  of  the  man  answered  very 
well.  His  hair  was  sandy,  his  eyes  were  blue,  and  his  skin  was  very 
fair  and  beardless.  He  was  about  five  feet  six  inches,  and  not 
very  stout. 

Dressed  as  he  was,  in  mining  clothes,  stained  with  many  a  stratum  of 
earth,  we  could  form  but  a  poor  opinion  of  his  good  looks,  even  had  we 
been  disposed  to  estimate  his  beauty  before  his  understanding. 

"  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  "  he  asked,  addressing  Fred  and  myself,  in 
a  tone  that  was  intended  to  be  excessively  conciliatory. 

"  Before  we  answer  that  question  we  must  ask  one,"  Fred  replied. 
"  Were  you  ever  an  apprentice  to  a  cordwainer  in  London  ?  " 

The  man's  face  flushed  scarlet,  and  he  seemed  extremely  agitated  at 
the  question  —  but  at  length  he  replied,  — 

"  I  was  an  apprentice  to  a  cordwainer,  but  my  indentures  were  given 
up  before  I  left  England,  sir." 

"  And  your  master  had  an  only  daughter,  whose  hand  you  demanded 
in  marriage,"  Fred  continued. 

"  Yes,  but  I  meant  nothing  wrong ;  upon  my  word,  gents,  I  didn't," 
he*exclaimed,  hastily,  evidently  considering  Fred  and  myself  in  some 
way  connected  with  the  law,  as  we  were  under  the  guidance  of  a  police 
officer. 

"  That  remains  to  be  seen,"  returned  Fred,  in  a  mysterious  manner, 
evidently  taking  some  delight  in  frightening  the  simple-minded  young 
man  all  he  could. 

"  O,  I  can  tell  you  all  about  it,"  Herrets  exclaimed  with  eagerness. 

"  That  is  unnecessary,"  Fred  replied.  "  We  know  all,  or  nearly  all ; 
but  what  we  wish  to  discover  is,  why  you  did  not  join  the  lady  at  Mel- 
bourne, as  you  promised  in  your  letter  ?  " 

"  Join  the  lady  at  Melbourne  ?  "  the  young  fellow  repeated,  hardly 
knowing  what  to  say ;  "  why,  J  wrote  to  her  that  if  she  would  como  to 
Australia  I  would  pay  her  expenses,  and  marry  her,  besides.  That  was 
fair,  wasn  t  it  ?  But  she  didn't  write  me  that  she  would  come ;  so  of 
course  I  thought  that  my  hundred  pounds  were  a  dead  loss,  and  that 
the  girl  had  got  another  feller,  which  I  don't  call  exactly  fair ;  do  you  ?  " 

We  did  not  commit  ourselves  by  any  opinion,  as  we  did  not  know 
but  that  some  day  it  would  be  brought  against  us. 

We  formed  an  opinion,  however,  respecting  the  mental  capacity  of 
the  youth,  for  whose  sake  the  poor  girl  had  wandered  so  many  miles ; 
and  I  no  longer  wondered  that  she  saw  a  difference  between  her  lover 
and  Fred. 

"  Then  you  received  no  letter  from  Miss  Purcel,  announcing  that  she 
would  sail  on  such  a  day,  and  requesting  you  to  be  on  the  lookout  for 
her  ?  "  asked  Fred. 


320  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  Of  course  I  didn't,"  responded  the  young  man,  with  commendabk 
eagerness.  "  That  is  just  what  I  am  finding  fault  with." 

"  Then  you  will  be  rejoiced  to  learn  that,  after  great  suffering  anr' 
privation,  Miss  Purcel  has  arrived,  and  is  in  Ballarat,"  Fred  said. 

The  news  almost  deprived  him  of  the  power  of  articulation,  and  for 
a  moment  I  thought  that  he  would  faint,  but  he  didn't.  He  was  too 
eager  to  see  her,  and  welcome  her  to  her  new  home. 

"  Where  is  she  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Not  far  distant,"  Fred  answered. 

"  Take  me  to  her  without  delay,"  he  cried ;  "  I  shall  die  with  joy." 

"  Softly,"  replied  Fred ;  "  there  are  some  things  to  be  explained  be- 
fore we  comply  with  your  request ;  "  and  briefly  he  went  over  the  girl's 
narrative,  as  told  by  herself,  until  he  gave  an  account  of  her  narrow 
escape  from  the  hands  of  the  miners  who  suspected  her  of  stealing 
their  dust. 

The  lover  moaned  piteously  as  he  heard  the  hardships  that  his  mis- 
tress had  suffered;  and  after  we  had  persuaded  him  to  change  his 
clothes  and  remove  the  stains  from  his  skin,  we  let  him  accompany  us  on 
our  return  to  the  store. 

"  You  must  promise  us  one  thing,"  I  said,  as  we  walked  along,  hardly 
able  to  keep  up  with  the  lover's  impetuous  strides,  "  that  you  will  be 
married  this  very  day." 

I  stole  a  look  at  Fred's  face,  but  he  appeared  to  approve  of  the  plan, 
and  I  could  see  no  traces  of  disappointment. 

If  the  girl  is  not  obdurate,  I  thought,  I  shall  save  Fred  many  unhap- 
py days. 

"  O,  I'm  willing  to  agree  to  that,"  replied  the  lover,  with  a  chuckle. 

"  You  have  the  means  to  support  a  wife  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I've  got  money  enough  to  support  her  after  we  are  married.  I've 
waited  too  long  for  her  arrival  to  waste  time  with  silly  delays,"  he 
answered,  earnestly. 

"  And  you  love  her  well  enough  to  overlook  all  of  her  faults,  if  she 
has  any,  and  to  be  a  kind,  affectionate  husband  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"Of  course  I  do,"  ejaculated  Herrets.  "I  ain't  a  particular  man,  by 
any  means ;  and  if  she  will  only  look  out  for  my  tent  while  I  am  absent, 
and  have  my  dinner  ready  when  I  get  home,  we  shall  get  along  as 
happy  as  pigs." 

I  saw  that  Fred  gave  the  man  a  look  of  intense  disgust,  and  perhaps 
he  also  thought  what  chance  of  happiness  a  girl  would  have  with  a  man 
who  compared  his  matrimonial  life  with  a  pigsty. 

"  Your  intended  wife,"  I  said,  "  has  been  well  educated,  and  never 
known  hardships  or  misery  until  she  reached  this  country ;  and  you 
must  carefully  consider  that  she  requires  the  society  of  her  own  sex  to 
pass  her  time  pleasantly  so  far  from  the  land  of  her  birth.  You  cay 
that  you  have  money  enough  to  support  her ;  then  take  my  advice,  and 
remove  to  Melbourne  or  Sydney,  and  enter  into  business,  and  where 
you  can  form  new  associations.  The  mines  of  Ballarat  are  no  place  for 
a  young  wife/' 

"  O,  I  shall  be  company  enough  for  her,"  he  answered,  carelessly, 
and  with  an  oir  that  plainly  betokened  that  he  considered  I  was  med- 
dling with  things  that  did  not  concern  me. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  321 

"  You  fool,"  I  muttered,  "  stay  here  and  you  will  be  wifeless  in  less 
than  a  month.  The  girl  will  never  be  contented  with  such  affection  as 
you  are  disposed  to  give." 

Not  another  word  was  spoken  until  we  reached  the  store,  and  ushered 
Mr.  Herrets  into  the  room  where  the  girl  was  seated.  The  latter  looked 
up,  smiled,  but  did  not  appear  very  enthusiastic  or  particularly  over- 
joyed. 

"  Hullo,  Molly,"  cried  the  lover,  roughly,  rushing  frantically  towards 
her,  and  throwing  his  arms  around  her  neck ;  and  in  spite  of  a  slight 
struggle,  he  succeeded  in  imprinting  half  a  dozen  kisses  upon  her 
cheeks  and  lips. 

We  noted  that  the  interview  was  too  interesting  for  us  to  witness, 
and  we  retired  and  left  them  together. 

"  Poor  girl,"  muttered  Fred,  with  a  sigh  ;  "  what  chance  for  happiness 
does  she  possess  with  a  man  whose  education  has  been  neglected, 
and  whose  manners  have  been  blunted  by  a  lengthy  residence  in  the 
mines  ?  " 

"  He  is  better  than  he  appears,"  I  replied,  "  and  I  have  no  doubt 
that  they  will  soon  understand  each  other's  ways,  and  get  along  quite 
happily.  We  have  no  right  to  interfere." 

"I  think  that  we  have.  She  is  a  proUgee  of  ours,  and  as  such  it  is 
our  duty  to  see  lest  she  comes  to  harm.  I  think  that  I  shall  object  to 
this  marriage." 

Confound  it.  I  feared  as  much  all  the  time,  but  I  was  not  disposed 
to  relinquish  all  hope  of  getting  Fred  from  committing  himself  to  such 
a  course.  I  knew  that  if  my  friend  but  gave  the  least  encouragement 
to  the  girl  she  would  repudiate  her  lover,  and  then  J  could  readily 
foresee  what  would  follow.  Clergymen  were  not  abundant  at  Ballarat, 
and  Fred,  I  knew,  had  no  thought  of  marriage. 

I  reasoned  with  Fred  for  a  long  time,  and  told  him  (God  forgive  me 
for  the  lie)  that  great  affection  existed  between  the  parties,  and  that 
they  were  not  disposed  to  show  it  before  us,  as  we  were  comparatively 
strangers,  and  had  no  right  to  judge  of  their  hearts  or  their  heads ; 
and  at  last  I  so  worked  on  the  mind  "of  my  friend  that  he  readily 
accompanied  me  to  the  police  office,  where  we  were  directed  to  a  cler- 
gyman's, and  with  the  reverend  gentleman  returned  to  the  store,  where 
our  appearance  created  some  surprise  in  the  heart,  at  least,  of  one  of 
the  parties. 

We  insisted  upon  the  girl's  changing  her  clothes  —  the  trunk  which 
she  spoke  ef  having  been  found  and  taken  to  our  place  of  business  ; 
and  while  she  was  doing  so  behind  a  screen  of  sail-cloth,  we  commenced 
making  preparations  for  the  wedding. 

Mary  presented  an  entirely  different  aspect  when  she  appeared, 
dressed  in  her  well-fitting  garments ;  and  although  her  face  and  hands 
were  sunburned,  and  her  manners  were  embarrassed,  we  did  not  fail  to 
compliment  her  on  her  beauty,  and  to  congratulate  her  on  her  near 
approaching  nuptials. 

"  Let  me  speak  with  you  for  a  moment,"  she  said,  turning  to  Fred 
just  before  the  knot  was  tied. 

Fred  stepped  a  few  paces  from  the  group,  and  waited  to  hear  her 
commands. 


322  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  When  I  made  a  promise  to  that  man,"  she  said,  pointing  to  her 
lover,  "  I  thought  that  I  loved  him.  I  was  much  younger  than  I 
am  now,  and  knew  but  little  of  the  world.  Even  when  I  reached  these 
shores,  I  thought  that  my  heart  was  entirely  possessed  by  Mr.  Herrets, 
and  perhaps  I  should  have  continued  to  think  so  had  not  accident 
revealed  to  me  what  real  love  is." 

Fred  looked  astonished  and  remained  silent.  He  did  not  suspect 
the  state  of  her  heart. 

"  It  would  be  unmaidenly,"  she  continued,  with  a  slight  air  of  vexa- 
tion to  think  that  Fred  remained  cool,  "  for  me  to  speak  plainer,  and  if 
you  cannot  solve  my  meaning  I  must  remain  silent." 

"  I  don't  think  that  I  understand  you  distinctly,"  my  friend  said,  his 
face  slightly  flushing  under  a  suspicion  of  her  meaning. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  comprehend  me  ?  "  she  said,  and  her  face  was  cast 
down  while  she  asked  the  question. 

Fred  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  only  for  a  moment.  He  glanced 
towards  me  and  saw  that  I  was  watching  the  struggle  that  was  going  on 
jn  his  mind,  and  his  decision  was  instantly  formed. 

"  We  must  not  pursue  this  subject  further,"  he  said.  "  Believe  me, 
it  is  better  that  we  should  not ;  for  the  sake  of  Mr.  Herrets,  and  your 
own  sake,  do  not  ask  me  more  questions." 

"  One  word,"  she  cried,  hurriedly,  as  Fred  turned  away,  and  it  seemed 
as  though  she  could  no  longer  control  her  emotion ;  "  do  you  wish  me 
to  marry  that  man  ?  "  she  demanded,  with  an  earnestness  that  shov/ed 
how  much  she  had  at  stake. 

"  I  do,"  he  answered ;  and  without  waiting  for  another  question  he 
joined  us. 

The  girl  turned  deadly  pale,  and  for  a  few  seconds  was  silenc;  but 
she  rallied  at  length,  and  signified  that  she  was  ready  to  vow  to  love 
and  cherish  a  man  that  I  knew  she  had  already  commenced  hating  in 
her  heart,  and  looked  upon  as  the  author  of  her  misery.  The  clergy- 
man, who  was  impatient  to  get  his  dinner,  soon  united  the  parties,  and 
we  saluted  the  bride. 

"  Let  me  go,"  she  exclaimed,  as  her  husband  folded  her  in  his  rough 
embrace  and  covered  her  face  with  kisses.  "  Let  me  go,  for  I  stifle  in 
this  place." 

"  Take  your  wife  home,"  I  said,  "  and  be  a  kind  husband  to  her. 
She  will  need  all  your  care  and  attention." 

They  left  the  store,  and  I  breathed  a  sigh  of  gratitude  at  the  result. 
Fred's  face,  however,  looked  black  and  threatening,  as  thougt  he  was 
not  entirely  satisfied  with  his  course. 

"  We  have  played  a  mean  part  in  that  marriage,"  he  said,  at  length, 
"  and  I  don't  feel  that  I  have  acted  justly.  The  girl  detests  her  hus- 
band, and  you  know  it." 

"  Of  course  I  do,"  I  replied,  with  great  nonchalance ;  "  but  that  is 
something  she  will  outgrow  in  a  few  days,  and  if  she  does  not  he  alone 
is  to  blame." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  he  replied,  gloomily. 

"  Neither  am  I,  but  it  will  not  affect  your  position  or  mine. 
We  have  done  the  best  that  we  could,  under  the  circumstances. 
to  keep  her  honest,  and  I  will  ask  you,  in  all  candor,  if  she 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENT-TIKES.  32S 

would  have  been  virtuous  ten  days  from  hence  had  she  lived  under 
this  roof?" 

He  did  not  answer  me,  but  lighted  his  pipe  and  puffed  away  in  silence. 

"  The  girl  liked  you,"  I  continued,  "  and  you  at  length  discovered  it. 
She  is  not  a  suitable  wife  for  you,  and  1  think  too  highly  of  your  honor 
to  suppose  that  you  would  blast  her  prospects  for  life  and  make  her 
your  mistress.  Your  residence  here  is  short,  and  when  you  felt  disposed 
to  return  home,  would  you  desire  to  present  the  girl  to  your  friends  as  a 
specimen  of  Australian  beauty  ?  Come,  Fred,  consider  all  things,  and 
remember  that  you  cannot  accuse  yourself  of  her  ruin,  even  if  she  is 
not  disposed  to  remain  with  her  husband." 

"  You  are  right,"  he  said ;  "  passion  blinded  me  for  a  moment,  but 
now  I  can  see  that  your  advice  is  good.  Let  us  talk  no  more  on  the 
subject,  but  hope  for  her  happiness." 

But  we  did  talk  on  the  subject  frequently  and  earnestly ;  and  as 
Mary's  career  was  much  as  I  supposed  that  it  would  be,  I  will  follow  it 
and  give  the  reader  the  sequel. 

Mr.  Herrets  removed  his  wife  to  his  tent,  and  after  the  first  week  of 
his  marriage  paid  but  little  attention  to  her  comfort  or  her  wants.  A 
coldness  soon  sprang  up  between  them,  and  then  bitter  quarrels  ensued. 
The  husband,  while  grasping  for  gold  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  little 
thought  that  his  neighbor  was  paying  court  to  his  wife,  and  that  she 
received  those  attentions  with  eagerness.  Women  in  Ballarat  com- 
manded a  premium,  for  there  were  but  few,  and  those  principally  of  the 
lowest  class.  A  few  of  the  highest  officers  under  government  had 
their  wives  with  them,  but  the  husbands  guarded  them  with  more  than 
Oriental  jealousy,  and  it  was  a  rare  sight  to  see  them  in  the  street  or  at 
windows.  There  was  little  cause  for  wonder,  then,  that  a  man,  whose 
good  looks  were  a  passport,  should  have  ingratiated  himself  into  the 
affections  of  Mrs.  Herrets,  and  that  one  day  they  should  leave  Ballarat 
in  company.  We  were  in  the  store  one  afternoon,  about  a  month  after 
the  marriage,  when  Mr.  Herrets  rushed  in. 

"  Is  she  here  ?  "  he  demanded,  his  face  looking  like  a  demon's. 

"  Who  here?  "  I  asked,  calmly,  although  I  suspected  his  errand. 

"  My  wife,"  he  shouted.  "  Darn  her,  I  don't  know  where  she  is.  She 
is  playing  some  of  her  pranks,  and  I'll  fix  her  for  it." 

He  rushed  out  of  the  store  frantically,  and  uttered  a  profusion  of 
o  iths  as  he  dashed  through  the  streets,  making  inquiries  of  every  one 
that  he  met  respecting  his  wife.  Some  laughed  at  him,  while  others, 
after  questioning  him  until  they  had  arrived  at  the  facts,  would  gravely 
shake  their  heads,  and  express  an  entire  ignorance  of  the  woman's 
whereabouts.  Herrets  then  made  application  to  the  police  office,  but 
was  curtly  informed  that  the  police  had  something  to  attend  to  besides 
hunting  after  men's  wives. 

Desperate  with  rage,  and  vowing  all  sorts  of  vengeance  upon  the 
frail  woman,  the  baffled  husband  once  more  sought  our  store  and 
implored  our  aid.  He  even  offered  a  considerable  sum  of  money  if  we 
would  unite  with  him  and  make  search  for  her ;  but  we  refused  his 
money,  and  declined  for  a  long  time  to  interfere,  until  at  length  his  im- 
portunities caused  us  to  yield,  and  after  we  extracted  promises  that  he 
would  be  likely  to  keep,  we  concluded  to  help  him. 


324  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OE 

We  sent  the  young  husband  back  to  his  tent,  and  bade  him  make 
arrangements  to  be  gone  at  least  two  days,  and  to  bring  back  with  him 
some  article  of  clothing  that  had  belonged  to  the  runaway.  He  obeyed 
our  instructions,  and  by  the  time  he  had  returned  our  three  horses  were 
saddled  and  ready  for  a  start.  We  lost  no  time  in  getting  under  way, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour  we  were  seven  miles  from  Ballarat,  on  the 
road  to  Melbourne,  the  nearest  city  that  the  runaways  could  reach. 
Sydney  we  considered  as  out  of  the  question,  for  its  distance  of  five 
hundred  miles  was  not  likely  to  attract  travellers  who  were  journeying 
for  speed  and  flying  for  safety. 

We  pushed  on,  stopping  only  long  enough  to  make  inquiries  of  men 
on  the  road,  and  at  length  we  got  on  the  trail  of  the  fugitives.  They 
were  travelling  on  horseback,  like  ourselves,  but  were  mounted  on 
worthless  animals,  that  threatened  to  break  down  at  every  step ;  so  we 
were  told.  The  last  farmer  that  gave  us  information  said  that  he  had 
spoken  to  them,  and  supplied  them  with  bread,  and  that  he  did  not 
think  they  were  more  than  ten  miles  in  advance  of  us. 

This  information  gave  us  renewed  life,  and  we  spurred  on  until  our 
horses  were  in  a  foaming  sweat ;  and  just  as  we  began  to  think  that  the 
runaways  had  diverged  from  the  beaten  path,  we  caught  sight  of  them 
riding  along  as  leisurely,  and  with  as  much  independence,  as  man 
and  wife. 

Herrets  rushed  forward,  and  uttered  oath  after  oath  as  he  caught 
sight  of  his  wife,  while  the  latter  applied  her  riding  whip  to  the  sides  of 
her  steed,  in  the  vain  endeavor  to  escape ;  but  finding  that  we  gained 
on  her  and  her  paramour,  she  suffered  her  horse  to  fall  into  a  walk,  and 
apparently  took  no  further  notice  of  us. 

Not  so  with  her  companion,  whose  name  was  Delvin,  a  young  and  good- 
looking  fellow ;  and  had  we  not  been  present,  he  would  have  laughed 
at  the  demands  of  Herrets,  for  he  was  as  bold  as  a  lion,  and  was  just 
the  kind  of  a  man  that  a  romantic  girl  like  Mary  would  take  a  fancy  to. 

"  Villain ! "  shouted  Herrets,  presenting  an  old  horse  pistol,  that 
looked  as  though  it  had  seen  service  in  the  war  of  Cromwell,  "  stop, 
and  account  to  me  for  the  seduction  of  my  wife,  or  I'll  shoot  you  as 
you  fly ! " 

"  Shoot  and  be  d d ! "  replied  Delvin,  with  a  sneer ;  "  but  remem- 
ber, I  can  use  a  pistol  as  well  as  you."  And  as  he  spoke,  he  drew  from 
his  belt  a  six  inch  revolver,  and  coolly  waited  for  Herrets  to  commence 
hostilities. 

This  the  latter  was  in  no  hurry  to  do,  when  he  saw  that  his  opponent 
was  better  armed  than  himself;  so  he  checked  his  horse,  and  waited  for 
us  to  come  up. 

We  rode  leisurely  towards  the  runaways,  and  did  not  think  it  worth 
our  while  to  make  a  show  of  hostilities,  for  while  we  had  promised  the 
husband  to  assist  him,  we  did  not  consider  that  we  were  bound  to  fight 
his  battles. 

"  Put  up  your  pistol,"  said  Fred,  calmly,  when  we  had  reached  the 
woman  and  her  paramour;  "there  will  be  no  use  for  it  at  present." 

Delvin  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  only  for  a  moment;  then,  with 
an  oath,  he  returned  his  pistol  to  its  case,  and  waited  our  proceedings. 

As  for  the  woman,  she  appeared  the  most  indifferent  person  in  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  825 

group,  and  instead  of  being  overwhelmed  with  shame,  actually  smiled 
at  the  expression  of  misery  depicted  upon  her  husband's  face. 

"  We  shall  have  to  relieve  you  of  your  fair  charge,"  Fred  said, 
addressing  Mr.  Delvin ;  "  civilization  has  hardly  arrived  at  such  a  point 
in  Australia  that  a  man  can  run  off  with  another's  wife,  and  expect  to 
escape  punishment." 

"  The  woman  goes  with  me ! "  cried  Delvin,  fiercely,  and  his  hand 
again  sought  his  pistol ;  but  seeing  that  we  took  no  notice  of  the  move- 
ment, he  withdrew  it  slowly,  and  appeared  undecided  what  to  do. 

"  Of  course,  you  are  not  in  earnest  when  you  speak  thus,"  replied 
Fred,  quite  coolly ;  "  you  must  be  aware,  if  you  enter  Melbourne 
in  company  with  this  man's  wife,  and  we  are  disposed  to  lodge  informa- 
tion against  you,  that  a  long  residence  at  the  hulks  would  be  your 
portion." 

Delvin  remained  silent,  but  he  looked  as  though  he  would  like  to  try 
the  issue  of  the  affair  with  an  exchange  of  shots. 

"  We  have  promised  this  man  to  help  recover  his  wife,  and  we  mean 
to  keep  our  word.  We  have  nothing  against  you,  and  therefore  do  not 
think  it  worth  while  to  risk  our  lives  exchanging  shots  ;'but  Herrets, 
here " 

"  Ah,  then  he  can  meet  me,"  crifd  Delvin,  eagerly. 

"  By  no  means,"  replied  Fred,  with  great  distinctness ;  "  you  have 
injured  him  sufficiently  already,  and  it  appears  to  me  strange  that  the 
world  should  think  a  husband  bound  to  demand  reparation  by  receiving 
the  contents  of  a  pistol,  and  then  consider  that  satisfaction  has  been 
accorded." 

"  Then  you  deny  me  a  chance  to  satisfy  the  husband  of  this  woman  ?  " 
demanded  Delvin,  and  his  looks  showed  how  eagerly  he  would  have 
shot  Herrets  had  he  been  allowed. 

"  Certainly  we  do,  and  we  have  a  piece  of  advice  to  give  you  —  don'i 
return  to  Ballarat  for  a  few  months,  or  you  might  fare  badly.  Th& 
miners  have  a  prejudice  against  people  who  run  off  with  wives  not 
belonging  to  them,  and  but  little  agitation  would  be  necessary  to  serve 
you  as  men  of  your  kind  are  served  in  California." 

"  May  I  ask  how  that  is  ?  "  Delvin  inquired. 

"  They  are  tried  by  Lynch  law,"  was  Fred's  laconic  answer. 

The  seducer  glared  at  us  as  though  he  would  like  to  encounter  each 
individual  singly,  and  I  did  not  know  but  that  he  would  charge  upon 
us,  and  risk  the  odds,  great  as  they  were. 

"  What  have  I  done,  Mary  Ann,  that  you  should  run  off  and  leave 
me  ?  "  cried  Herrets,  speaking  for  the  first  time. 

His  wife  maintained  a  profound  silence. 

"  Didn't  I  do  all  that  I  could  to  make  you  happy  and  comfortable  ?  " 
he  continued. 

"  No,"  she  replied,  with  a  defiant  air,  "  you  did  not.  You  never 
spoke  to  me  kindly,  or  asked  if  I  was  contented.  I  went  to  your  tent 
with  but  little  love  for  you,  and  now  I  have  less.  Did  you  seek  to  gain 
my  affections,  or  to  banish  from  my  mind  the  image  of  a  man  that  I 
felt  I  could  die  for  ?  " 

She  looked  hard  at  Fi-ed,  but  the  latter  avoided  her  glance. 

"  I  may  have  to  go  back  with  you,  but  I  warn  you  that  I  feel  only 

28 


326  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

loathing  and  contempt   for   your  home,  for  you,  and  every  one  it 
Ballarat." 

We  did  not  seek  to  check  her,  for  we  knew  that  her  outburst  of  rage 
would  end  in  tears,  and  we  were  not  mistaken.  She  wept  bitterly,  and 
upbraided  Fred  and  myself  as  the  authors  of  her  misfortunes ;  and 
even  while  she  was  lamenting  her  fate,  we  turned  her  horse's  head  in 
the  direction  of  Ballarat. 

Her  paramour  sat  upon  his  animal  sullen,  and  undecided  what  to  do; 
and  without  stopping  to  exchange  words  with  him,  we  commenced  our 
journey  homeward. 

Even  after  we  were  miles  distant,  we  could  see  him  still  motionless, 
standing  upon  the  broad  prairie,  as  though  he  had  not  determined  upon 
what  course  he  should  pursue.  But  he  never  renewed  his  attempts 
on  the  virtue  of  Mrs.  Herrets,  and  when  next  we  heard  of  him  he  was 
in  the  mines  of  Bathney,  where  he  was  killed  by  the  caving  in  of  a 
shaft. 

As  for  Herrets  and  his  wife,  they  took  our  advice,  and  moved  to  Mel- 
bourne, where  there  was  society  and  enjoyment.  The  husband  went 
into  business  there,  and  became  quite  wealthy ;  and  Mrs.  Herrets  was 
noted  for  her  lively  disposition  and  fondness  of  company.  She  became 
a  patron  of  the  Theatre  lloyal,  and  -gave  many  a  hungry  actor  a  good 
dinner ;  and  once,  when  I  had  run  down  to  Melbourne  from  the  mines, . 
to  transact  a  little  business,  she  sent  me  a  pressing  invitation  to  visit 
the  theatre,  and  witness  her  dibut  in  the  "  Honeymoon,"  she  playing 
"  Juliana,"  for  the  benefit  of  some  actor  who  wished  to  insure  a  good 
house,  and  took  that  method  to  accomplish  it. 

I  accepted  the  invitation,  but  did  not  consider  her  acting  as  likely  to 
redound  to  the  credit  of  the  profession ;  and  that  is  the  end  of  the  his- 
tory, so  far  as  my  knowledge  extends,  of  Mrs.  Herrets  and  husband. 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

COLLECTING  TAXES  OF  THE  MINERS. 

ABOUT  a  week  after  the  inspector  had  received  his  injuries,  he  was 
enabled  to  get  out,  and  one  afternoon  he  sent  word  that  if  we  were  de- 
sirous of  accompanying  him  on  his  tax  collecting  expedition  he  should 
be  happy  of  our  company,  and  that  if  we  were  disposed  to  go  we  had 
better  meet  him  at  his  office,  on  horseback,  at  two  o'clock. 

As  it  was  near  the  hour  when  we  received  the  invitation,  we  lost  no 
time  in  getting  ready,  and  we  were  on  the  spot  promptly. 

About  thirty  policemen  were  drawn  up  in  front  of  the  office,  awaiting 
the  appearance  of  the  inspector,  who  was  examining  the  books  in  which 
were  recorded  the  names  of  the  tax-paying  miners,  checking  those  who 
had  refused  to  pay  at  the  end  of  the  previous  month,  and  placing  a 
cross  against  the  names  of  miners  who  had  worked  out  their  taxes  on 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  327 

the  road,  on  the  ground  that  they  had  not  made  enough  out  of  their 
claims  to  allow  government  the  large  sum  of  thirty-four  shillings  per 
month. 

The  tax  applied  to  all,  and  there  was  no  chance  to  evade  it.  The 
fortunate  and  unfortunate  were  alike  liable  to  the  officers  of  the  crown, 
knowing  no  distinction,  so  they  said ;  but  I  found  before  the  close  of 
the  day  that  that  assertion  was  a  fallacy,  and  that  there  was  a  favorite 
class  at  Ballarat,  and  that  they  were  rarely  troubled  by  the  inspector's 
visits,  and  if  short  of  money  were  seldom  required  to  pay  taxes. 

"  I  am  glad  that  you  have  come,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  hastily  glancing 
from  the  large  books  before  him  to  welcome  us ;  "  we  are  going  through 
with  our  monthly  ceremony,  and  I  thought  you  would  like  to  witness  it. 
It  is  not  an  agreeable  one,  I  confess,  but  duty  compels  me  to  do  many 
things  that  I  disapprove  of." 

"  In  what  quarter  will  your  honor  go  first  ?  "  asked  the  sergeant  of 
the  police  squad,  addressing  the  inspector. 

"  The  Irish  district,"  returned  Mr.  Brown.  "  We  can  then,"  he  con- 
tinued, "  strike  into  the  Chinamen's  quarters,  and  visit  our  folks  on  our 
way  home." 

As  we  rode  up,  a  number  of  Irishmen  were  smoking  their  pipes  at 
the  entrance  of  their  tents  or  huts,  evidently  expecting  us,  for  it  was 
tax-collecting  day,  and  they  knew  very  well  that  government  would  not 
let  the  opportunity  pass  of  adding  to  its  wealth.  No  surprise  was 
manifested,  therefore,  when  our  force  halted,  and  those  within  hearing 
were  requested  to  bring  out  their  gold. 

"  Is  it  there  ye  are,  Mr.  Brown  ? "  cried  an  old  fellow,  who  was 
called  Pat  Regan.  "  It's  wishing  to  see  yer  face  this  many  a  day  I've 
desired,  long  life  to  ye,  and  it's  dead  I  feared  ye  was." 

"  Is  your  tax  ready  ?  "  asked  the  inspector,  shortly,  being  accustomed 
to  the  blarney  of  the  man. 

"  Whist !  What  blackguard  would  be  after  thinking  of  money,  or 
taxes,  or  any  thing  else  when  yer  honor  is  near?  Will  yer  enter  me 
tent  and  partake  of  me  hospitalities  ?  "  demanded  Pat,  with  a  serious 
face,  and  a  show  of  politeness  that  was  refreshing,  knowing  as  I  did 
that  it  was  intended  as  burlesque. 

"  Don't  stand  there  chattering,  but  hand  over  your  month's  taxes," 
replied  Mr.  Brown,  sternly,  not  liking  the  smiles  that  he  saw  on  the 
faces  of  Pat's  friends,  who  were  clustered  around  enjoying  the  conver- 
sation. 

"  Ah,  glory  to  God,  but  it's  lucky  men  we  are  to  have  so  kind-hearted 
an  inspector,  so  that  when  we  is  unfortunate  he  knows  how  to  have 
compassion  on  us.  Lads,"  Pat  continued,  turning  to  the  crowd,  "  don't 
forget  to  mention  Mr.  Brown  in  your  prayers,  'cos  he's  overlooked  the 
trifling  sum  that  I  owe  him." 

This  long  harangue  was  received  with  shouts  of  laughter,  during  the 
continuance  of  which  Mr.  Pat  Regan  stood  before  the  inspector,  with 
hat  in  hand,  and  a  face  as  demure  as  though  no  deviltry  was  at  work 
within  his  heart. 

Mr.  Brown  did  not  reply,  but  made  an  almost  imperceptible  motion 
to  the  sergeant  of  the  force.  The  latter,  and  a  private,  quietly  dis- 
mounted, produced  a  pair  of  handcuffs,  and  before  Mr.  Regan  had 


328  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

recovered  from  his  surprise,  a  sharp  click  was  heard,  and  lie  was  a 
prisoner,  both  wrists  being  confined  by  a  pair  of  stout  steel  bracelets. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Regan,  with  a  show 
of  indignation.  "  I'm  a  subject  of  the  queen,  and  a  free-born  Irishman, 
and  it's  kings  me  ancestors  were  six  hundred  years  ago.  It's  little 
they  thought  that  one  of  the  blood  of  the  Regans  would  be  used  in 
this  way." 

The  inspector  paid  no  attention  to  his  words,  but  occupied  himself 
with  receiving  money  from  a  number  of  miners  who  were  disposed  to 
pay  their  taxes  without  a  murmur,  and  didn't  wish  the  bother  of  a 
dispute. 

"  Move  on,"  said  Mr.  Brown,  at  length,  and  the  cavalcade  started 
with  Pat  Regan  in  the  centre. 

"  Mr.  Brown  —  inspector  dear  —  O  darling,  listen  to  me  for  a  mo- 
ment," cried  out  our  Irish  friend. 

"  Well,  what  is  wanting  ?  "  inquired  our  chief,  halting. 

"  And  what  is  ye  taking  me  off  for  ?  "  asked  Regan,  indignantly. 

"  For  non-payment  of  taxes." 

"  And  who  refused  to  pay  taxes  ?  —  tell  me  that,  Mr.  Brown." 

"  You  declined  paying ;  so  of  course  you  will  have  to  devote  the  next 
three  days  to  work  on  the  road.  Move  on." 

"  Hold  a  minute,  Mr.  Brown,  for  here's  the  money ;  but  it's  little 
good  it  will  do  ye,  mind  what  I  say,  for  to-night  I  shall  write  to  my 
friend  the  governor-general,  and  relate  the  circumstance  of  this  arrest, 
and  me  money  will  be  sent  back  with  many  an  apology,  let  me  tell  ye. 
It's  a  relation  I  am  of  the  governor's,  his  wife  being  a  Regan  on  the 
side  of  me  grandfather ;  and  it's  many  a  time  I've  talked  with  her  lady- 
ship when  we  went  to  school  together  in  the  county  of  Cork." 

This  speech  was  also  received  with  shouts  of  laughter  by  those 
assembled,  and  even  while  Pat  was  paying  over  his  dust  he  continued 
to  grumble  and  threaten ;  and  when  we  got  clear  of  him  he  bade  us 
adieu  with  a  mocking  smile,  perfectly  satisfied  to  think  that  he  had  de- 
layed us  all  that  he  was  able  to,  and  that  if  he  did  ultimately  have  to 
pay  over  the  money,  he  afforded  sport  enough  for  his  companions  to  last 
a  week. 

"  Is  that  a  sample  of  the  difficulties  that  you  have  to  encounter  ?  "  I 
asked  of  the  inspector,  as  we  left  a  portion  of  the  Irish  district  behind 
us,  and  approached  another  quarter,  where  the  inhabitants  did  not  appear 
to  be  doing  so  well  in  their  operations. 

"  If  we  never  encountered  worse  cases  than  that  I  should  be  content- 
ed," Mr.  Brown  replied.  "  I  knew  that  Pat  had  the  money,  for  he  had 
served  me  in  that  manner  half  a  dozen  times ;  but  I  also  knew  that  he 
h:id  a  great  reluctance  against  working  on  the  road,  and  that  to  save 
himself  he  would  even  sell  a  portion  of  his  claim,  if  that  was  necessary. 
He  has  made  money  since  he  has  worked  in  the  mines,  and  I  will  do 
Pat  the  justice  of  saying  that,  with  the  exception  of  celebrating  St. 
Patrick's  Day,  he  knows  how  to  save  it." 

As  he  ceased  speaking,  we  drew  up  before  a  ragged  hut,  at  the 
entrance  of  which  stood  a  stout  Irishwoman,  with  a  terrible  dirty-faced 
child  in  her  arms. 

"  It's  little  ye'll  get  here,"  she  shouted,  shaking  her  huge  fists  at  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  32ft 

inspector,  and  spanking  the  child,  who  set  up  a  roar  of  fright.     "  Go 
on,  an'  the  divil  be  wid  ye,  for  not  a  ha'penny  do  ye  get." 

"  Now  we  shall  hear  lying,"  muttered  the  inspector,  when  he  saw  a 
grin  upon  our  faces.  "  Of  all  the  she  devils  in  the  mines,  she  is  the 
worst." 

"  Tell  Mike  that  we  want  his  license  fee,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  addressing 
the  huge  female,  who  varied  her  time  in  spanking  her  child  and  making 
faces  at  the  police  force. 

"  To  the  divil  wid  ye  and  yer  fees,  ye  lazy  spalpeens.  There's  no 
money  in  the  house,  and  if  there  was  ye  shouldn't  have  it.  Do  ye 
think  that  I  can  pick  up  goold  like  dirt  ?  or  what  do  ye  think  ?  " 

"  Come,  come,  Judy,"  the  inspector  said,  "  we  have  heard  your  com- 
plaints so  often  that  we  don't  believe  them.  Let  me  have  the  thirty- 
four  shillings  without  delay." 

"  Who  do  you  call  Judy  ?  I'm  Mrs.  Michael  O'Flaherty,  and  a  bit- 
ter husband  and  one  more  honest  don't  exist ;  and  that's  more  than  I 
can  say  of  some  women  who's  got  husbands  tied  to  'em.  It's  little  ye 
think  I  know  of  ye ;  so  don't,  if  ye  valey  yer  reputations,  stand  there 
chattering,  but  pass  on  to  thim  that  gets  the  money." 

"  We  are  not  afraid  of  our  reputation,  Judy,"  the  inspector  said, 
"  We  know  that  you  are  bad,  but  we  don't  believe  that  you  can  corrupt 
the  whole  of  the  squad." 

"  O,  ye  murdering  villains,  to  thus  slander  an  honest  female  who  has 
only  her  vartue  to  protect  her."  Then  raising  her  voice  as  though  to 
attract  the  attention  of  some  one  within  the  house,  she  shouted,  in 
satirical  language,  "  It's  little  me  husband  cares  about  me,  or  he'd  niver 
stand  by  and  see  me  treated  thus,  and  I  niver  making  the  least  com- 
plaint in  the  world.  It's  mighty  fine  husbands  there  is  in  the  world 
now,  and  it's  little  use  they  are  to  us  fable  females." 

As  though  to  avenge  her  injuries  on  some  one,  she  gave  the  child  a 
rap  over  a  certain  portion  of  his  anatomy  that  presented  the  broadest 
disk,  and  his  wild  howls  were  heard  for  half  a  mile. 

"  If  there's  law  to  be  had  in  this  country  I'll  have  it,"  Judy  contin- 
ued, growing  more  excited  as  she  recited  her  wrongs.  "  If  ye  want  yer 
tax,  why  don't  ye  come  here  after  it  in  a  dacent  fashion,  and  not  begin 
by  insulting  me  and  me  own,  and  then  frightening  the  child  out  of  its 
wits.  Didn't  yer  mothers  larn  ye  manners  at  all,  and  do  ye  think  we 
can  stand  all  sorts  of  barbarities  ?  " 

Before  the  inspector  could  return  an  answer,  a  stout,  broad-shoul- 
dered fellow  sneaked  to  the  door,  and  his  appearance  was  greeted  with 
laughter. 

"  We  have  unkennelled  the  fox,  have  we  ?  "  the  sergeant  of  the  squad 
said.  "  Hitherto  we  have  had  to  dig  for  him." 

"  Come,  Mike,  where  is  your  tax  ?  "  asked  the  inspector,  in  a  mild  tone. 

"  He's  no  money,  I  tell  ye,"  screamed  the  woman,  shaking  one  of  hev 
huge  fists  at  the  officer  in  a  defiant  manner,  and  glancing  towards  her 
lord,  as  though  warning  him  of  the  consequences  of  gainsaying  her 
word.  "  I've  told  ye  that  he'd  no  money,  and  now  be  off,  and  the  divil 
go  wid  ye." 

"  Pace,  Judy,  dear,"  remonstrated  Mike,  in  a  subdued  tone ;  "  it's 
the  police  who  always  behave  like  rale  gentlemen." 

28* 


330  LIFE   IN   AUSTBALIA,   OE 

"  Hear  him,"  screamed  the  indignant  woman,  "  turn  upon  his  own 
lawful,  married  wife,  and  abuse  her  like  a  baste.  Why  don't  ye  bite  me 
in  two,  ye  little  brat  ?  " 

She  gave  her  child  a  shake  that  made  him  think  there  was  an  earth- 
quake, and  then  supplied  him  with  a  liberal  allowance  of  food  that  kind 
nature  had  wisely  provided  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  children  quiet, 
even  for  a  few  minutes. 

"  Whist,  Judy ;  don't  be  after  trating  the  child  that  way,"  remonstrat- 
ed the  father,  who  appeared  to  have  some  spirit  when  the  welfare  of  his 
heir  was  concerned. 

"  Ah,  go  on  insulting  me  —  don't  spare  reproaches.  I'm  defenceless 
now." 

Woman's  last  resource,  tears,  were  quickly  called  up,  and  under  their 
shadow  Mike  sneaked  towards  us,  as  though  about  to  pay  his  money 
and  have  done  with  the  trouble ;  but  before  he  could  accomplish  his 
good  resolution  the  woman  had  cleared  her  eyes,  and  in  a  voice  that 
started  us,  yelled,  — 

"  Mike,  ye  divil,  come  here  this  instant." 

The  hen-pecked  husband  did  not  dare  to  disobey.  He  cast  an  im- 
ploring, half-sheepish  look  towards  his  wife. 

"  We  have  delayed  long  enough,"  Mr.  Brown  said.  "  Sergeant,  put 
on  the  irons." 

The  sergeant  dismounted  quite  coolly,  and  summoned  six  men  to  his 
assistance.  I  noticed  that  the  officers  did  not  display  any  great  alacrity, 
and  acted  as  though  quite  ashamed  of  the  duty  that  they  were  to  enter  upon. 

"  The  sergeant  means  to  have  assistance  enough,"  Fred  remarked, 
addressing  the  inspector. 

"  You  will  see,"  the  latter  returned ;  and  we  did,  sure  enough ;  for  no 
sooner  did  the  officers  lay  hands  upon  Michael  than  the  woman  dropped 
her  child,  and  with  a  wild  shout  threw  herself  upon  them.  The  first 
poor  devil  whom  she  spotted  lost  a  handful  of  hair  —  but  as  it  was  as 
red  as  fire  it  was  no  great  sacrifice  to  the  owner  —  the  second  had  a 
piece  of  skin  clawed  off  his  nose,  and  the  third  reluctantly  parted  with 
a  piece  of  flesh  weighing  nearly  a  quarter  of  an  ounce,  torn  forcibly 
from  his  cheek.  The  police  endeavored  to  keep  her  at  arms'  length 
without  success  —  she  broke  down  their  defences,  and  clawed  the  hair 
from  their  heads  in  the  most  scientific  manner ;  and  yet  she  had  all  the 
fighting  to  do,  for  Michael  remained  in  the  custody  of  two  officers  with- 
out offering  to  strike  a  blow  for  liberty. 

The  war  was  at  length  fiercely  contested,  for  the  officers,  finding  that 
they  were  likely  to  be  placed  Tiors  du  combat,  made  a  rush  towards  the 
Amazon ;  and  while  two  seized  her  arms,  two  more  grasped  her  legs, 
and  I  am  obliged  to  confess  that  the  police  did  not  display  much  deli- 
cacy in  the  latter  operation.  In  spite  of  her  struggles  —  in  defiance  of 
her  imprecations,  and  calls  for  Mike  to  interfere  in  her  behalf —  she 
was  carried  bodily  towards  the  hut,  and  poised  in  the  air  for  a  moment ; 
and  then,  with  a  "  one,  two,  three,  and  away  she  goes,"  was  thrown 
head  foremost  through  the  door,  and  landed  in  the  middle  of  the  hut 
all  in  a  heap. 

"  You  have  kilt  me  wife,"  moaned  Mike,  who  watched  the  operation 
with  considerable  anxiety  for  his  better  half. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  381 

"  Hang  her,  she's  skinned  me  from  head  to  foot,"  muttered  one  of  the 
officers,  wiping  his  bleeding  face  on  a  handkerchief,  and  showing  his 
wounds  to  the  inspector. 

"  Skinned ! "  echoed  another ;  "  if  she  had  only  taken  skin  I  shouldn't, 
mind  it  much ;  but,  blast  her,  she  has  torn  flesh  and  muscle  from  my 
face." 

"  I'm  sorry  for  your  misfortunes,  but  we  will  have  her  arrested  on  a 
.warrant  to-morrow,  and  fined,"  the  inspector  said.  "  Bring  Mike  along, 
and  set  him  at  work  on  the  roads  for  a  few  days." 

"  Arrah,  now,  Mr.  Inspector,  don't  be  after  doing  that,"  shouted  the 
Irishman ;  but  in  defiance  of  his  cries  he  was  handcuffed  ahd  driven 
along  with  the  rest. 

We  had  got  a  few  yards  from  the  hut  when  Mrs.  Judy  appeared  at 
the  door,  looking  a  little  the  worse  for  her  late  usage.  Her  hair  was 
hanging  over  her  shoulders,  and  her  dress  was  torn  in  a  dozen  places. 
Both  feet  were  bare,  and  none  too  clean;  but  little  she  cared  for  her  ap- 
pearance just  then. 

"  For  the  love  of  St.  Patrick,  Mr.  Inspector,  stop  a  minute,  and  don't 
be  after  carrying  away  Mike,  the  poor,  harmless  divil.  Lave  him  here 
wid  me,  and  we'll  pay  the  tax  without  a  murmur." 

"  Too  late,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  without  turning  his  head,  although  I 
could  see  that  he  was  disposed  to  come  to  terms. 

"  Ough,  don't  say  that,  bless  yer  handsome  fa"ce  and  yer  kind  heart. 
What  could  I  do,  sure,  widout  me  Mike  ?  Lave  him  here  wid  me,  and 
if  the  blackguard  has  been  insulting  ye  I'll  punish  him,  depind  upon  it." 

"  It's  not  of  your  husband  that  we  complain,"  the  inspector  said ;  "  he 
would  act  decently,  and  pay  his  tax,  if  you  would  let  him." 

"Ah, then  —  glory  to  God  —  poor  Mike  is  safe;  and  I  thought  all 
along  that  he  wouldn't  disgrace  his  Judy  so  much  as  to  refuse  what  a 
just  gentleman  like  ye  demands.  Pay  the  officer  the  tax,  and  say  no 
more  about  it.  It's  but  a  trifle." 

The  sergeant  looked  at  Mr.  Brown,  and  the  latter  glanced  at  the  ser- 
geant. There  was  but  little  use  in  making  Mike  work  on  the  road,  if 
he  had  the  money  to  pay  for  his  month's  mining ;  so  a  halt  was  called, 
and  the  woman  quickly  poured  out  dust  enough  from  a  cracked  teacup 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  government,  and  then  Mike  was  restored  to 
the  dirty  arms  of  his  better  half. 

"  I  hope  that  all  the  taxes  collected  do  not  come  as  hard  as  this," 
Fred  said,  addressing  the  inspector. 

"  They  all  pay  out  their  money  with  an  ill  grace ;  but  our  worst  cases, 
with  one  exception,  are  over." 

As  we  passed  through  the  several  districts,  many  of  the  miners  stood 
ready  with  their  gold,  and  after  answering  to  their  names,  paid  their 
taxes  without  a  murmur ;  and  even  while  disputes  were  going  on,  they 
did  not  prevent  the  clerks  who  accompanied  us  from  attending  to  their 
duties. 

All  those  who  did  not  possess  the  cash  were  required  to  follow  in  our 
train,  as  captives,  to  work  out  a  certain  amount  on  the  roads.  Men 
who  had  been  sick,  and  were  incapable  of  raising  ten  shillings,  were 
shown  no  indulgence  whatever ;  and  although  we  often  interceded,  and 
our  wishes  were  granted  in  every  case,  yet  we  felt  that  the  inspector's 


332  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

orders  were  rigid,  and  that  we  were  imposing  upon  good  nature,  to 
make  requests  in  every  instance  where  poverty  compelled  a  miner  to 
decline  paying  his  tax. 

At  length  we  reached  the  Chinese  district,  and  the  Celestials  turned 
out  in  great  numbers  to  receive  us.  Many  handed  the  clerks  the  money 
that  was  due  without  a  word  of  comment,  and  we  experienced  no  trou- 
ble until  we  reached  the  quarters  of  Yam  Kow,  an  old  fellow  whose 
tail  reached  to  the  ground,  and  who  was  reported  to  be  the  most  miserly 
of  all  the  Chinese  at  Ballarat.  That  he  had  money  there  was  no  doubt," 
for  he  was  always  at  work,  or  trading  with  his  countrymen,  and  he  was 
never  known  to  spend  a  shilling  for  clothing  or  food.  What  he  lived 
on  was  unknown,  and«could  only  be  conjectured;  but  it  was  said  that 
Kow  had  been  seen  nights  setting  traps  for  snakes  and  rats,  and  even 
lizards  were  considered  quite  delicate  meat  for  him. 

Traps  of  most  ingenious  and  cunning  device  were  also  set  for  birds, 
and  Kow  had  been  known  to  waste  a  few  grains  of  rice,  for  the  purpose 
of  attracting  them  to  his  fatal  snares. 

The  bodies  of  the  birds  were  sold  by  Kow,  and  if  he  could  find  no 
market,  he  would  hold  on  to  them  until  he  did ;  and  if,  after  all  his 
trouble,  none  of  his  countrymen  were  disposed  to  buy,  the  unhappy 
Chinaman  would  devour  them  himself;  and  even  if  fly-blown  and 
slightly  decomposed,  it  made  no  difference  to  Kow ;  his  greatest  anxiety 
was  on  account  of  not  -being  able  to  get  a  shilling  for  the  body  of  the 
bird  that  he  was  at  length  compelled  to  eat.  With  the  plumage  of  the 
birds  —  and  the  feathers  of  the  birds  of  Australia  are  of  the  most 
gaudy  hue  —  he  made,  during  evenings,  rare  trinketvS,  and  magnificent 
wreaths,  and  sold  them  to  miners  at  a  fair  price,  to  be  taken  home  as 
curiosities.  I  had  a  box  filled  with  such  articles,  and  which  I  valued 
highly ;  but  they  were  lost  on  my  voyage  home,  while  crossing  the 
Isthmus  of  Suez. 

We  found  old  Yam  Kow  seated  before  his  hut,  which  was  made  of 
bits  of  sticks,  pieces  of  boards,  stones,  and  mud,  all  cemented  and  fit- 
ted together  in  the  neatest  manner,  and  what  was  more  wonderful  than 
all,  perfectly  water  tight,  and  as  clean  inside  as  possible. 

The  old  man  was  hard  at  work,  or  pretended  to  be,  on  one  of  his 
wreaths,  and  seemed  not  to  notice  that  we  were  halting  in  front  of  his 
abode. 

" Hullo,  Yam  Kow!"  cried  the  inspector,  " putty  mi  more  money, 
hey  ?  "  which  barbarous  jargon,  it  seems,  is  always  considered  necessary 
to  use  when  talking  with  a  Chinese,  no  matter  whether  the  latter  under- 
stands English  or  not. 

The  true  meaning  of  Mr.  Brown's  interrogation  was,  whether  Yam's 
tax  money  was  ready  or  not. 

'  No  hab,"  returned  the  Chinaman,  without  looking  up. 

'  How,  no  hab  ?  —  putty  mi  more  day.  No  can  see  ?  "-demanded. 
Mr.  Brown. 

'  No  hab,"  repeated  the  old  fellow,  continuing  his  work  industriously. 

'  Why  no  hab  ?  "  the  inspector  asked. 

'  All  go  —  buy  ricey  —  buy  torayan  tan  pon,  and  no  hab." 

'  Then  workey  on  rodey  ten  (holding  up  his  fingers)  day.  Chinaman 
no  good  for  shovel  —  work  more  days  Englishman.  Come." 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.        333 

•'  No  can  come  now.  Pay  money  by  by,"  the  Chinaman  said,  think- 
ing that  his  promise  to  pay  before  long  would  suffice. 

"  Pay  money  now  —  no  pay  money  now,  go  !  "  repeated  the  inspector, 
who  managed  to  make  himself  understood. 

"  No  pay,"  the  old  fellow  said,  and  as  the  sounds  escaped  his  lips,  the 
sergeant  dismounted  from  his  horse  and  approached  him. 

"  Come,"  that  worthy  said,  and  he  laid  his  huge  hand  upon  the  Celes- 
tial, in  close  proximity  to  his  pigtail. 

"  No  go,"  repeated  Yam. 

"  Start  your  stumps,"  cried  the  policeman ;  and  he  lifted  the  China- 
man from  the  ground  by  his  pigtail,  and  almost  held  him  at  arm's  length. 

"  Me  pay !  me  pay ! "  he  roared,  to  the  great  delight  of  the  police, 
and  a  few  of  Yam's  countrymen  who  were  standing  near. 

The  sergeant  released  the  old  fellow,  and  he  rapidly  uttered  a  num- 
ber of  expressions  in  his  native  tongue,  that  I  will  swear  were  not  com- 
plimentary to  the  English  character. 

After  he  had  thus  vented  his  anger,  he  drew  from  the  folds  of  his 
inside  trousers  a  little  bag  of  dust,  which,  upon  being  weighed,  was 
found  to  contain  just  the  amount,  to  a  scale,  that  was  required  for  the 
payment  of  his  tax,  and  after  checking  his  name,  we  rode  on. 

In  this  manner  the  tax  was  collected  from  the  miners  of  Ballarat. 


CHAPTER    XLVIII. 

MURDEN  AND  STEEL  SPRING  ARRIVE  FROM  MELBOURNE. 

WE  were  sitting  in  our  store  eating  supper  one  afternoon,  about  a 
week  after  our  tax-collecting  tour,  and  were  wondering  why  Smith  did 
not  make  his  appearance,  as  he  certainly  had  been  gone  long  enough, 
and  were  debating  the  propriety  of  writing  or  visiting  Melbourne  for 
the  purpose  of  finding  him,  when  a  person,  dressed  quite  respectably, 
but  wearing  a  slouched  hat  over  his  eyes,  that  entirely  concealed  his 
face,  entered  the  store  and  looked  around  as  though  anxious  to  purchase 
goods,  but  was  disappointed  in  not  meeting  with  an  assortment. 

"  We  shall  be  happy  to  serve  you  in  a  few  days,"  Fred  said.  "  Our 
stock  is  on  the  road,  and  will  be  here  shortly." 

"  Veil,  I  guess  I  can  vait,"  returned  a  voice  that  sounded  familiar, 
.  and  our  visitor  removed  his  hat  and  revealed  the  not  over-pleasing 
countenance  of  Steel  Spring. 

We  could  hardly  believe  the  evidence  of  our  senses,  yet  there  stood 
the  cunning  scamp  before  us,  with  his  long  limbs  and  lank  body,  as  sup- 
ple as  ever,  and  grinning  with  delight  at  our  astonishment. 

"  I  'ope  you've  not  forgotten  old  friends,"  he  said,  extending  his  hand, 
which  neither  of  us  accepted,  but  which  act  did  not  discompose  him  in 
the  least ;  for  he  only  grinned  the  harder,  and  appeared  to  look  upon 
our  refusal  as  a  matter  of  course. 


334  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  I  asked,  as  soon  as  I  recovered  from 
my  astonishment. 

"  The  old  place  —  Melbourne ;  'ave  'ad  lots  of  fun  there,  but  thought 
I'd  look  at  the  country  for  a  change  of  air.  Can't  stay  long,  though  ; 
so  don't  press  me  to  stop  over  a  week." 

"You  certainly  have  lost  none  of  your  impudence  by  residing  at 
Melbourne,"  Fred  replied,  and  the  fellow  grinned  at  the  compliment. 
"  But  tell  us  how  you  escaped  from  prison,"  Fred  continued. 

"  Escaped  ?  "  asked  Steel  Spring,  with  an  injured  look ;  "  I'd  scorn 
such  a  breach  of  confidence  between  gentlemen.  No,  sir,  I  did  not 
escape,  but  was  pardoned  for  the  service  I've  rendered  my  country." 

"  And  the  bushrangers  that  Murden  carried  to  Melbourne  ?  "  Fred 
asked,  with  some  anxiety. 

"  Veil,  they  suffered  for  their  crimes,  and  are  all  forgotten  by  this 
time,"  replied  the  wretch,  with  a  grin. 

"  Hanged  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Every  mother's  son  of  'em,  and  served  'em  right,  too.  Property  is 
respected,  nowadays,  and  a  miner  can  travel  all  the  way  from  Ballarat  to 
Melbourne,  and  lose  nothing  if  he's  got  nothing  to  lose,"  the  grinning 
scamp  replied. 

"  I've  got  a  friend  vid  me,"  Steel  Spring  said  at  length,  "  and  perhaps 
you'd  like  to  see  him." 

"  Who  is  he  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  O,  a  man  you  used  to  know  —  Murden  I  believe  is  his  name,  and 
he's  in  some  vay  connected  with  the  police  force  of  Melbourne." 

The  grinning  rascal !  he  had  been  sent  by  our  friend  to  notify  us  of 
his  arrival,  and  that  was  the  way  he  performed  his  duty.  But  before 
we  had  time  to  administer  to  him  a  sound  kicking,  the  lieutenant  was 
with  us. 

We  need  not  tell  the  reader  that  we  welcomed  him  with  our  whole 
hearts,  and  that  he  appeared  as  delighted  to  see  us  as  we  were  glad  to 
see  him. 

"  I  have  just  arrived  in  time,  I  see,"  Murden  said,  glancing  at  our 
supper,  "  and,  by  George,  I'm  glad  that  I've  a  place  to  rest  to-night,  for 
I'm  tired.  We've  been  three  days  on  the  road,  on  horseback  all  the 
time,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  hours  during  the  extreme  heat  of  noon. 
Our  animals  got  used  up  about  five  miles  from  Ballarat ;  so  I  footed  it 
to  town.  I  suppose  that  you  recollect  that  scamp,"  —  pointing  to  Steel 
Spring,  who  bowed  low  at  the  compliment.  "  I've  taken  him  into  my 
service  on  his  promise  to  be  of  good  behavior ;  but  I  don't  think  that 
his  word  is  to  be  relied  on ;  so  I  cane  him  about  once  in  twenty-four 
hours,  to  see  if  what  little  goodness  there  is  in  him  cannot  be 
brought  out." 

Steel  Spring  shrugged  his  shoulders,  as  much  as  to  say,  There  is  no 
joke  in  what  he  is  telling,  as  I  can  testify. 

"  But  how  came  Steel  Spring  to  find  us  first  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well,  when  our  horses  broke  down  I  sent  him  ahead  to  find  out  in 
what  quarter  of  the  town  you  were  located,  and  I  followed  more  lei- 
surely. The  first  policeman  that  I  met  directed  me  here,  so  that  I  found 
no  difficulty,  and  was  not  compelled  to  wait  for  my  notorati  fellow-trav- 
eller at  the  cross-roads." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  335 

"  But  how  comes  it  that  you  are  in  citizen's  dress,  instead  of  the  blue 
uniform  ?  " 

"  Ah,  my  boys,  that  is  the  secret ;  but  as  I  have  nothing  to  conceal 
from  you,  I  will  confess  I  am  the  bearer  of  secret  despatches  to  the  in- 
spector of  this  district  in  relation  to  the  mining  tax.  But  while  I  am 
talking,  set  Steel  Spring  at  work  cooking  supper,  for  I  am  famished,  and 
I  suppose  that  he  is  also." 

It  was  only  necessary  to  nod  acquiescence  to  the  lieutenant,  when 
Steel  Spring  stripped  off  his  coat  and  set  to  work  in  earnest.  In  a  few 
minutes  he  had  ransacked  our  private  stores  and  spread  our  few  dishes 
upon  a  box,  that  answered  for  a  table,  in  the  most  tempting  array ;  and 
with  a  few  dried  branches  he  set  the  teakettle  to  boiling,  and  almost 
before  we  thought  that  he  had  made  a  beginning,  he  announced  that 
supper  was  ready  for  his  superior. 

"  By  the  way,"  Murden  said,  while  partaking  of  our  fare,  "  I  over- 
took Smith  on  his  way  to  this  place,  and  I  should  think  that  he  would 
arrive  by  to-morrow  morning.  He  has  two  large  .loads  of  goods,  and  I 
think  that  he  has  made  a  speculation  in  buying  them,  from  the  hints 
that  he  dropped  to  me  in  confidence.  One  of  your  large  American 
clipper  ships  arrived  at  Melbourne  with  an  assorted  cargo  of  Yankee 
notions,  and  as  the  market  was,  in  mercantile  parlance,  glutted  with 
goods  of  all  descriptions,  a  forced  sale  was  effected,  and  Smith  bought 
largely  at  a  low  figure.  He  is  in  good  spirits,  and  says  that  he  never 
felt  so  well  in  his  life  as  since  he  was  married." 

"  Married  ?  "  we  repeated,  in  astonishment. 

"  Yes,  Smith  has  married  Becky  Lang,  and  a  good  wife  she  will  make 
him.  The  lady's  father,  the  convict,  still  remains  on  his  cattle  ranch, 
and,  for  some  strange  reason,  refuses  to  move  to  Melbourne,  where 
Becky  has  taken  up  her  residence.  The  ceremony  was  performed  at 
the  latter  place,  and  I  was  one  of  the  witnesses." 

We  could  readily  understand  why  the  old  man  refused  to  move.  The 
banks  of  the  brook  near  which  he  resided  were  too  rich  in  gold  depos- 
its to  be  given  up  until  a  competence  was  acquired.  We  wondered  if 
Smith  revealed  the  knowledge  of  the  money  which  we  had  dug  success- 
fully for,  and  which  we  had  shared  between  us.  We  feared  that  he 
iad,  and  that  Murden  would  consider  we  had  acted  unfair  in  the  trans- 
action. But  as  he  said  nothing  on  the  subject  we  were  not  disposed 
to  introduce  it. 

"  How  is  my  old  friend  Brown,  and  how  does  he  like  the  duties  at 
this  station  ?  "  Murden  asked,  as  he  rose  from  the  supper  table,  and 
Steel  Spring  took  his  place. 

We  gave  a  favorable  account  of  the  inspector,  and  while  the  lieuten- 
ant was  listening,  a  sudden  thought  entered  our  heads,  which  we  were 
resolved  to  carry  into  effect,  and  thereby  get  square  with  Mr.  Brown, 
who  had  played  us  a  trick  some  time  before.  Murden  was  anxious  to 
speak  with  the  inspector  and  deliver  his  letters,  but  he  wished  to  do  it 
in  a  secret  manner,  so  that  no  suspicions  should  be  awakened  that  he 
was  on  a  government  mission,  or  that  government  was  preparing  to 
strengthen  its  force  at  Ballarat.  The  authorities  knew  that  a  struggle 
must  occur  between  the  miners  and  the  police,  and  it  had  been  consid- 
ered advisable  to  hasten  the  conflict  before  th?  miners  gained  more 


336  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

strength,  defeat  them  badly,  as  the  council  at  Melbourne  supposed 
could  be  easily  done,  hang  a  few  for  high  treason,  and  afterwards  the 
mining  tax  could  be  collected  without  any  difficulty  whatever. 

Such  was  the  programme  that  the  governor-general  and  his  council 
laid  out,  and  they  supposed  that  it  could  be  executed  ;  and  even  Mur- 
den  labored  under  the  same  impression  until  we  convinced  him  of  his 
error,  and  advised  him  by  all  means  to  keep  out  of  the  conflict  if  pos- 
sible, as  which  ever  way  the  battle  went  the  police  would  be  blamed,  and 
obtain  no  credit  for  their  exposure  or  bravery.  The  sequel  showed  that 
we  were  right  in  our  premises.  As  I  said  before,  the  lieutenant  was 
anxious  to  see  the  inspector,  but  did  not  care  about  visiting  his  office ; 
so  we  despatched  a  note  by  a  passing  policeman,  requesting  Mr.  Brown's 
company  instantly,  and  advising  him  to  come  alone,  as  we  had  two  sus- 
picious persons  in  the  store,  and  we  thought  that  a  reward  had  been 
offered  for  their  apprehension,  which  we  were  desirous  of  obtaining. 
We  got  Murden's  consent  to  act  in  the  plot,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  wig  his 
disguise  was  complete.  As  for  Steel  Spring,  he  was  to  remain  as  he 
was,  without  disguise,  but  was  to  vehemently  deny  his  cognomen,  and 
puzzle  Mr.  Brown  if  possible. 

The  instant  the  inspector  got  our  note  he  loaded  himself  with  pistols 
and  started  for  our  store.  By  the  time  that  he  arrived  it  was  dark,  but 
we  had  a  candle  burning  that  but  dimly  illuminated  the  room,  and  pre- 
vented him  from  distinguishing  objects. 

"There  are  some  lodgers  that  we  have  for  to-night,"  Fred  said, 
pointing  to  Murden  and  Steel  Spring,  both  of  whom  sat  with  their 
faces  from  the  light,  as  though  not  desirous  of  attracting  attention. 

"I  am  sure  it  gives  me  pleasure  to  meet  friends  of  yours,"  the 
inspector  said,  with  a  grim  smile ;  and  he  rubbed  his  hands  as  though 
already  the  capturer  of  two  notorious  robbers. 

"  Who  are  they  ? "  Mr.  Brown  asked,  in  a  low  whisper,  watching 
every  ir.Dtion  of  Murden  and  Steel  Spring,  as  though  he  expected  a 
manifestation  of  hostility  on  their  part. 

"  Don't  know,"  replied  Fred,  in  the  same  tone,  "  but  I  suspect  that 
they  are  bushrangers." 

"Ah,  ah,  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  the  inspector  said.  "Have  your 
pistols  handy,  for  they  may  resist  when  I  arrest  them." 

Mr.  Brown  took  a  seat,  and  every  opportunity  that  he  could  get  he 
would  scrutinize  the  half-hidden  faces  of  Murden  and  Steel  Spring ;  but 
owing  to  the  light  being  bad,  he  was  unable  to  gratify  his  curiosity. 
Fred  and  myself  conversed  on  various  matters,  about  the  yield  of  gold 
for  the  coming  year,  and  whether  the  prices  of  goods  would  decline  be- 
fore the  wet  set  in,  but  Mr.  Brown  was  too  anxious  for  a  capture  to 
join  us,  and  had  not  the  spirit  of  evil  actuated  Steel  Spring,  we  should 
nave  kept  the  inspector  in  suspense  for  an  hour  or  two.  Steel  Spring 
was  too  mercurial  to  remain  dormant  for  any  length  of  time,  and  with 
a  desire  to  stir  Mr.  Brown  into  activity  he  said,  in  a  careless  sort 
of  way, — 

"  By  the  vay,  I  'card  that  these  'ere  mines  vas  paying  wery  veil." 

Mr.  Brown  started,  as  I  knew  that  he  would  recollect  the  voice,  and 
he  hastily  glanced  towards  us  to  see  if  we  did  not  mark  it  also ;  but  we 
appeared"  to  pay  no  attention,  and  continued  our  conversation. 


A  GOLD  OUNTEB'S  ADVENTURES.  337 

"  You  have  never  been  in  Ballarat  before  ?  "  the  inspector  said,  ad- 
dressing Steel  Spring. 

"  No,  I  can't  say  that  I  'ave.  My  time  has  been  so  much  occupied 
vid  other  duties  that  I  'ave  not  been  able  to  visit  all  the  places  I'd 
vish  to." 

"  Perhaps  you  would  have  no  objection  to  inform  the  company  of  the 
manner  in  which  your  livelihood  is  and  has  been  obtained  ? "  the 
inspector  asked,  nervously  handling  a  pair  of  pistols  in  his  coat  pocket. 

"  O,  I've  been  in  the  travelling  line,"  the  long-limbed  wretch  replied, 
with  a  grin. 

"  Then  perhaps  you  will  have  the  kindness  to  travel  with  me,  Mr. 
Steel  Spring,"  cried  the  inspector,  suddenly  starting  from  his  seat,  and 
covering  the  persons  of  Murden  and  his  servant  with  a  pair  of  horse 
pistols  that  carried  sixteen  to  the  pound. 

Neither  of  the  parties  moved  or  showed  surprise,  but  we  were  aston- 
ished when  we  heard  the  inspector  utter  a  shrill  whistle,  and  before  it 
died  away  half  a  dozen  blue-coated  policemen  rushed  into  the  room, 
armed  with  pistols  and  swords. 

"  You  see  that  resistance  is  useless,"  the  inspector  said,  addressing 
Steel  Spring  and  Murden ;  "  I  know  both  of  you,  and  bigger  rascals 
never  went  unhanged." 

"  If  you  know  me,  pray  tell  me  my  name,"  Murden  said,  in  as  gruff  a 
tone  as  he  could  assume. 

"  I  can't  mention  your  name  at  present,  but  from  your  looks  I've  no 
doubt  that  you  are  some  murdering  scoundrel.  Any  jury  would  con- 
vict you  without  hesitancy." 

Fred  and  I  exploded  with  laughter,  and  even  Steel  Spring,  fortified 
as  he  was  with  the  protection  of  Murden,  and  a  full  pardon  for  all  past 
offences,  roared  with  glee. 

Mr.  Brown  looked  astonished  and  indignant,  but  he  did  not  give  up 
his  hostile  attitude.  Even  his  men  lost  their  savag3  glare,  and  waited 
for  an  explanation,  which  we  were  in  no  hurry  to  give. 

"  Put  up  your  pistols,  Mr.  Brown,"  I  said ;  "  yo  i  have  no  use  for 
them  here." 

"  But  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Send  your  men  to  the  station-house,  and  we  will  explain." 

"  But  these " 

He  pointed  to  the  supposed  bushrangers. 

"  We  will  go  bail  for  their  appearance  to-morrow  morning,"  I  replied. 

The  inspector  made  a  sign  to  his  men,  and  they  rather  reluctantly 
dispersed.  They  were  as  anxious  to  know  the  secret  of  the  mystery  as 
their  chief. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  with  some  severity,  "  I  am  wait- 
ing to  hear  an  account  of  your  strange  conduct." 

"  Do  you  recollect,"  Fred  asked,  "  of  being  disguised  as  an  old  man, 
and  of  asking  two  Americans  what  they  thought  of  the  annexation 
question  ?  " 

"  Pshaw,  that  was  a  joke,"  he  returned,  pettishly. 

"  Do  you  recollect  that  you  laughed  quite  heartily  when  we  promised 
to  retaliate,  and  '  sell '  you  on  the  first  favorable  opportunity,  and  that 
we  were  defied  to  do  it  ?  "  Fred  continued. 

29 


838  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OK 

Mr.  Brown  nodded. 

"  Well,  then  we  are  even,"  I  said. 

"  I  don't  see  that  you  are,"  the  inspector  cried.  "  Here  are  two  no* 
torious  criminals  who  should  be  safely  locked  up,  and  yet  you  ask  me 
to  spare  them  until  morning.  •  I  know  them  both,  and  will  pledge  my 
word  that  they  have  stolen  more  gold  dust  than  any  other  two  parties 
in  Australia." 

"  And  I  will  pledge  my  word  that  I  can't  begin  to  prig  with  the  head 
of  the  police  force  in  Ballarat,"  cried  Murden,  who  could  remain  silent 
no  longer. 

Mr.  Brown  sprang  to  his  feet  with  indignation  stamped  upon  overy 
line  of  his  face,  but  before  he  could  proceed  to  extremities,  Murden 
threw  off  his  wig,  unrolled  his  coat  collar,  and  stood  before  the  inspector 
as  lieutenant  of  the  Melbourne  police  force,  and  consequently  one  grade 
lower  in  rank  than  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Murden,"  the  inspector  exclaimed,  extending  his  hand  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  That's  me,  Brown,  and  I  beg  that  you  will  forgive  me  for  my  share 
of  this  plot.  It  was  to  retaliate,  I  believe,  for  some  joke  that  you  per- 
petrated a  few  days  ago." 

"  Yes,  but  this  matter  is  serious,"  Mr.  Brown  muttered. 

"  I  grant  that ;  especially  when  you  spoke  about  my  stealing.  Faith, 
I  began  to  think  that  I  should  be  the  inmate  of  your  town  prison,  before 
long,  unless  I  confessed." 

"  Well,  perhaps  I  was  rather  fast  in  my  charges ;  but  you  know  that 
your  wig  altered  your  face,  and  in  fact,  seeing  you  in  company  with  this 
notorious " 

Mr.  Brown  pointed  to  Steel  Spring,  and  that  worthy  individual 
grinned  with  delight  at  the  excitement  that  he  had  created. 

"  Yes,  I  rather  think  that  we  have  met  afore,"  he  said  ;  "  don't  you 
remember  how  you  ran  after  me  and  my  pal  ven  ve  vere  goin'  to 
Sydney  ?  " 

"  You  scoundrel,"  replied  the  inspector,  with  some  warmth,  "  I  only 
wish  that  I  had  the  custody  of  you  for  a  few  months." 

"  I  'ave  no  doubt  of  it ;  but  I  shan't  give  you  a  chance  now.  I've 
turned  'onest,  and  intends  to  lead  a  different  life."  And  Steel  Spring 
grinned  in  triumph,  and  opened  and  shut  his  long,  flexible  limbs  with 
wonderful  dexterity. 

"  You  turned  honest ! "  muttered  the  inspector,  with  an  incredulous 
glance. 

"  That's  the  vay  that  ve  is  doubted,"  whined  the  treacherous  scamp, 
wiping  hirs  eyes,  and  pretending  to  feel  as  though  his  heart  was  broken ; 
"  ven  ve  leaves  off  our  bad  vays,  and  becomes  associates  for  the  police, 
then  ve  is  suspected  of  being  bad.  There's  precious  little  'couragement 
for  us." 

"  Don't  be  too  hard  on  the  lad,"  the  lieutenant  said,  "  for  he  helped 
us  convict  half  a  dozen  of  the  worst  bushrangers  in  the  country,  a  few 
weeks  ago,  and  he  saved  his  own  life  by " 

"  Turning  government  evidence,  I'll  be  sworn,"  cried  the  inspector, 
eagerly. 

The  lieutenant  nodded,  and  continued,  — 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  339 

"  Two  or  three  of  the  fellows  tried  to  get  clear,  on  the  ground  that 
they  were  prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  bushrangers,  and  I'll  confess 
that  the  plea  was  having  a  telling  eifect  on  the  jury ;  but  when  Steel 
Spring  opened  his  mouth,  he  brought  them." 

"  And  didn't  you  tell  me  how  to  swear,  and  didn't  I  do  it  ?  "  the 
wretch  exclaimed,  triumphantly. 

"  Silence,  you  fool !  "  and  Steel  Spring,  obedient  as  a  dog,  held  his 
tongue. 

"  The  fact  of  it  is,"  Murden  said,  after  a  pause,  "  the  government  has 
granted  the  fellow  a  full  pardon,  and  I  have  taken  him  into  my  service 
for  the  present,  in  hopes  that  his  reformation  will  be  complete." 

"  I  know  that  it  will,"  chimed  in  the  lank  wretch,  but  a  look  silenced 
him. 

"  And  now  suppose  you  should  tell  me  why  you  have  paid  Ballarat  a 
visit  ?  "  the  inspector  inquired. 

"  I'm  on  business  connected  with  the  government,  and  to  consult 
with  you  in  relation  to  the  mining  tax." 

"  Will  government  send  the  troops  ?  "  asked  the  inspector,  eagerly. 

"  Hush ! "  replied  Murden,  glancing  towards  us ;  "  you  should  be 
more  cautious,  Mr.  Brown." 

"  O,  these  are  friends  of  ours,  and  espouse  our  side,  and,  if  neces- 
sary, will  fight  for  us,"  returned  the  inspector. 

"  Softly,"  rejoined  Fred ;  "  we  fight  for  no  one  but  ourselves,  and  we 
have  never  given  you  or  a  living  man  to  understand  that  we  will  take 
up  arms  against  the  miners.  The  question  is  too  new  for  a  decision  on 
our  part ;  slightly  as  we  have  investigated  it,  we  must  say  that  our 
sympathies  are  with  the  miners  instead  of  the  government." 

"  Just  as  I  supposed,"  muttered  Murden ;  but  whether  in  disappoint- 
ment or  in  anger  I  could  not  tell. 

"  Why,  I  really  thought  that  I  had  proved  to  you  that  a  tax  was 
necessary,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  in  an  apologetic  strain. 

"  A  slight  tax,  certainly,  is  necessary,"  Fred  replied  ;  "  one  that  will 
help  support  a  force  to  preserve  order  and  regularity  in  the  mines,  but 
not  a  tax  that  is  large  enough  to  support  the  whole  government  of  Aus- 
tralia. Let  a  trifling  sum  be  named,  say  a  few  shillings  per  man,  per 
month,  and  exempt  those  from  paying  it  who  are  sick,  or  unfortunate  in 
their  operations." 

The  lieutenant  and  inspector  did  not  reply  for  some  few  moments. 
Each  appeared  to  be  pondering  on  the  words  that  Fred  had  uttered, 
without  knowing  how  to  answer  his  arguments. 

.  "  At  least,"  the  lieutenant  said,  "  we  can  trust  our  American  friends, 
and  therefore  there  is  no  occasion  for  our  adjourning  from  these  coniv 
fortable  quarters." 

We  returned  no  answer,  and  he  went  on,  unmindful  of  our  presence. 

"  The  governor  and  council  have  concluded  that  the  miners  have 
abused  the  government  without  cause,  and  that  their  rebellious  attitude 
is  of  so  hostile  a  nature  that  prompt  action  must  be  taken,  as  it  is 
feared  that,  if  the  miners  are  allowed  to  continue  in  their  present  course, 
the  colony  will  soon  be  in  a  state  of  revolt,  and  that  independence  will 
be  declared.  Therefore,  to  save  the  effusion  of  blood,  and  teach  the 
miners  that  they  must  respect  the  laws,  it  is  proposed  to  provoke  a 


340  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OK 

collision,  and  shoot  a  few  of  the  ringleaders ;  and  after  that  is  effected, 
peace  and  quietness  will  be  restored." 

"  The  governor  and  council  are  mad,  if  they  expect  to  maintain  peaca 
by  such  means,"  Fred  said  ;  but  no  notice  was  taken  of  his  remark. 

"  But  the  troops  ?  "  asked  the  inspector,  anxiously. 

"  Will  be  on  their  way  to  Ballarat  in  less  than  a  fortnight.  Even 
now,  munitions  of  war  are  packing,  and  wagons  being  got  ready  to  for- 
ward stores,  and  accompany  the  soldiers  on  their  march.  Things  are 
working  so  quietly  and  effectively  that  even  the  officers  of  the  regiment 
are  not  aware  that  they  are  to  leave  Melbourne." 

"  And  my  instructions  ?  "  asked  the  inspector. 

"  To  play  the  spy,  as  usual ! "  cried  a  grutf  voice,  within  a  few  feet  of 
us,  on  the  outside  of  the  building. 


CHAPTER    XLIX 

CATCHING  A  TARL  AS  WELL  AS  A  CASSIOWARY. 

WE  started  up  in  such  surprise  and  rapidity,  that  the  inspector  stum- 
bled and  fell  head  foremost  against  Steel  Spring,  striking  the  latter  full 
in  his  stomach,  and  sending  him,  like  a  cannon  ball,  out  of  the  back 
entrance  of  the  store  amidst  the  horses,  stabled  there  in  company  with 
Hover,  for  security. 

Before  the  scamp  could  gain  his  feet,  the  dog,  still  entertaining  a  lit- 
tle animosity  against  his  old  enemy,  flew  at  him,  and  with  a  vigorous  bite 
tore  off  a  portion  of  his  pants,  where  they  were  the  fullest,  and  then 
luckily  desisted  from  further  damage,  probably  not  liking  the  taste. 

"  Some  one  has  been  listening ! "  exclaimed  the  lieutenant,  rushing 
towards  the  front  door,  followed  by  the  inspector  and  Fred,  while  I  pro- 
ceeded to  the  relief  of  Steel  Spring,  who  made  more  noise  than  all  the 
rest  of  us. 

"  There  he  goes  —  follow  him ! "  shouted  Murden,  as  a  form  was  seen 
to  run  towards  the  river,  although  the  night  was  too  dark  to  distin- 
guish who  it  was  ;  and  after  running  a  few  yards,  the  pursuers  returned 
completely  baffled,  and  bewildered  at  the  turn  affairs  had  taken. 

"  What  is  to  be  done  now  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  bewildered  air. 

"  Vy,  I  shall  have  to  get  a  new  pair  of  pants,  I  s'pose,"  answered 
Steel  Spring,  who  imagined  that  the  conversation  was  addressed  to  him. 

"  Silence,  you  fool ;  we  are  in  no  humor  for  jesting,"  returned  Mr. 
Brown,  angrily. 

"  I  don't  think  it  any  joke  to  have  a  big  dog  tear  ye,  and  spile  new 
clothes,"  Steel  Spring  muttered,  although  not  loud  enough  for  Mr. 
Brown  to  hear. 

"  Some  person  has  overheard  our  plans,  and  the  miners  will  be  fore- 
warned," Murden  said.  "  Who  would  have  supposed  that  an  eaves- 
dropper was  concealed  within  hearing  ?  " 


A    GOLD    HUNTER'S    ADVENTURES.  341 

«'  "But  what  is  to  be  done  ?  "  reiterated  Mr.  Brown. 

"There  is  where  I  need  advice  myself,"  the  lieutenant  answered 
looking  first  upon  Fred  and  then  upon  myself,  as  though  desirous  of 
our  opinions. 

There  was  an  ominous  pause,  but  at  length  Fred  concluded  to  speak 
in  relation  to  the  matter,  and  his  remarks  were  received  with  attention. 

"  This  mining  tax,"  he  said,  "  is  one  that  will  have  to  be  abolished 
before  many  months,  because  it  is  oppressive,  and  applies  to  all  without 
distinction.  The  miner  who  digs  his  fifty  pounds  of  nuggets  per  week, 
or  the  one  who  does  not  get  gold  enough  to  make  a  finger  ring,  are 
compelled  to  conform  to  the  law ;  and  as  there  are  more  blanks  than 
prizes  in  this  lottery  —  for  gold  digging  is  but  a  lottery  —  of  course  the 
poorer  class  feel  that  they  are  aggrieved,  and  desire  an  equalization  law, 
so  that  a  man  can  pay  according  to  his  earnings. 

"  As  soon  as  a  conflict  does  occur,  the  government  will  be  defeated. 
It  may  not  be  in  fighting  battles,  but  it  will  be  in  public  resentment. 
Let  ten  or  a  dozen  miners  be  killed  by  the  police  or  soldiers,  and  the 
governor-general  and  his  council  will  be  driven  from  the  country  by 
popular  opinion. 

"  The  mother  country,  as  she  valued  her  possession,  would  not  dare 
to  retain  him  or  friends  in  office,  for  if  they  did,  a  revolution  would  be 
the  consequence.  With  the  retirement  of  the  government,  all  those 
who  had  aided  it  would  be  compelled  to  leave,  or  all  those  who  had 
taken  a  prominent  part  in  the  warfare  against  the  miners.  Therefore, 
if  you  desire  to  make  Australia  a  home,  don't  be  mixed  up  in  the  pres- 
ent struggle,  if  possible." 

"  I  am  half  inclined  to  think  that  you  are  right,"  Murden  said,  at 
"length. 

"  I  also  begin  to  think  so,"  the  inspector  remarked. 

"  I've  hall  'long  hentertained  similar  hideas,"  Steel  Spring  said,  but 
he  was  not  attended  to. 

"  But  we  are  officers  of  the  police  force,  and  must  respond  when 
called  for  duty,"  the  lieutenant  observed. 

"  Granted,"  replied  Fred ;  "  but  it  is  very  easy  to  get  exchanged, 
especially  if  the  request  is  backed  with  a  rare  specimen  nugget." 

The  two  officers  exchanged  glances,  and  nodded  acquiescence  in  the 
views  promulgated. 

"  I  think,"  Murden  said,  "  that  my  time  will  be  so  occupied  with 
affairs  at  Melbourne  that  I  shall  not  be  able  to  visit  Ballarat  again  this 
year." 

"  And  I  have  an  intense  desire  to  be  near  an  uncle  of  mine  in  Syd- 
ney. Will  you,  Mr.  Murden,  forward  my  petition  for  an  exchange  ?  " 
asked  the  inspector,  with  a  smile  of  great  meaning. 

"  It  will  give  me  great  pleasure  to  undertake  the  commission.  I 
have  heard  of  some  very  fine  specimens  of  gold  being  taken  from  these 
mines,"  the  lieutenant  added. 

"  It  will  give  me  great  satisfaction  to  forward  two  pieces  that  I  owe 
to  our  worthy  chief,  and  will  you  tell  him  that  I  anticipate  obtaining  3 
third  piece  after  I  am  exchanged  ?  " 

"  And  what  report  had  I  better  carry  back  to  Melbourne  P  "  the  lieu- 
tenant asked. 

29* 


842  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    Oil 

"You  can  say  that  you  gave  me  the  necessary  instructions,  but  then- 
is  no  hope  of  coping  with  the  miners  unless  five  thousand  troops,  with 
cannon,  are  on  the  ground.  That  will  startle  government,  you  may  de- 
pend," the  inspector  answered,  earnestly. 

"And  let  us  keep  our  counsel.  There  is  no  need  that  we  should  in- 
form our  superiors  that  through  our  stupidity  their  well-laid  plans  have 
been  destroyed,  and  the  miners  acquainted  with  what  is  in  store  for 
them.  Eh,  Mr.  Brown  ?  " 

"  Certainly  not,  sir,"  promptly  responded  that  individual. 

"  Ve  should  lose  our  reputation  for  shrewdness  if  ve  did,"  muttered 
8teel  Spring,  but  his  master 'overheard  him,  and  gave  him  a  kick  as  a 
reward. 

And  in  this  manner  was  it  settled,  that  government  should  not  be 
enlightened  in  regard  to  the  information  which  the  miners  had  obtained, 
and  it  was  owing  to  the  plot  being  overheard  at  our  store  that  the  peo- 
ple of  Ballarat  were  enabled  to  abolish  the  odious  mining  tax,  and  to 
accomplish  that,  were  prepared  for  the  soldiers  when  they  did  arrive. 

The  inspector  left  us  for  his  quarters,  and  the  rest  of  us  retired  for 
the  night,  with  the  intention  of  rising  early  and  riding  out  to  meet 
Smith,  who  could  not  be  more  than  ten  miles  distant,  according  to 
Murden's  report. 

We  were  on  horseback  about  sunrise,  and  rode  slowly  out  of  Balla- 
"xat,  leaving  Steel  Spring  to  look  after  the  store  and  its  effects.     The 
miners  were  cooking  their  breakfasts  as  we  passed  along,  and  the  fumes 
of  fried  pork  and  boiling  coffee  greeted  our  nostrils  at  every  turn. 

Stretched  out  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  were  tents  of  every  color 
and  hue,  from  the  new  comer  of  yesterday  to  the  old  stager  blackened 
by  the  dust  and  rains  of  nearly  twelve  months.     We  met  parties  of " 
Chinese,  who  had  been  on  a  hunt  for  lizards  and  other  insects,  and  to 
judge  from  their  jargon,  they  had  been  eminently  successful. 

Two  of  them  were  staggering  under  the  weight  of  an  enormous 
snake,  that  they  had  found  dead  a  short  distance  from  the  town,  and 
they  strung  it  on  a  pole,  and  were  congratulating  themselves  on  the 
many  stews  that  it  would  make.  They  regarded  it  in  the  light  of  a 
present  from  their  gods,  and  danced  with  joy. 

We  left  the  main  road,  and  followed  an  almost  imperceptible  trail  that 
led  us  in  a  parallel  course,  and  within  sight  of  the  road  that  we  expected 
Smith  would  choose  for  reaching  the  town.  By  doing  so  we  were  ena- 
bled to  avoid  the  dust  and  confusion,  and  ride  more  at  our  leisure ;  and 
before  we  were  five  miles  from  Ballarat  we  were  repaid  for  our  precau- 
tion, for  just  as  we  were  passing  a  small  clump  of  half-stunted  vegeta- 
tion we  beard  a  fluttering  of  wings,  and  on  looking  up,  we  saw  one  of 
the  largest  birds  that  Australia  can  boast.  It  was  a  full-grown  cassio- 
wary,  and  stood  nearly  eight  feet  high,  .we  judged,  with  long,  stout 
legs,  black  and  muscular,  and  a  foot  that  would  cover  a  peck  measure. 

The  bird's  beak  was  like  an  ostrich's,  stout  and  sharp,  and  its  head 
and  body  greatly  resembled  one.  The  cassiowary's  wings  were  also 
small,  and  seemed  as  though  intended  to  help  its  progress  when  run- 
ning ;  for  it  was  impossible  to  lift  its  huge  body  into  the  air  with  such 
puny  ones. 

The  bird  did  not  seem  much  alarmed  at  our  presence,  and  by  keeping 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  343 

Rover  at  our  sides,  we  were  enabled  to  examine  it  at  leisure.  After 
first  stretching  out  its  long  neck,  and  uttering  a  peculiar  whistle,  the 
bird,  after  a  second  glance  at  us,  continued  to  feed,  and  seemed  disposed 
to  let  us  continue  our  journey  without  further  attention. 

"  It's  a  cassiowary,"  Murden  said,  in  a  low  tone,  "  and  I'll  give  five 
pounds  for  its  skin.  I  never  saw  a  live  one  before,  although  I  have  fre- 
quently seen  the  stuffed  one  at  the  government  house,  which  is  valued 
so  highly  by  Sir  Charles  Latrobe.  .  What  a  prize  it  would  be,  if  we  only 
had  our  rifles  ?  " 

The  lieutenant  was  right ;  if  we  had  only  have  taken  our  rifles  with 
Its,  we  could  have  killed  the  bird  from  where  we  stood ;  but  the  distance 
was  too  great  to  expect  a  fatal  result  with  a  revolver,  and  we  knew  that 
if  we  advanced  nearer  it  would  take  to  flight.  If  we  went  back  to  Bal- 
larat  after  a  rifle,  it  was  not  likely  that  the  bird  would  stay  there  until 
\ve  returned,  and  under  these  circumstances  we  looked  towards  Fred 
for  his  advice. 

"  Let  us  capture  the  bird  alive,"  he  said,  and  we  laughed  at  his  words, 
thinking  that  he  meant  to  ridicule  us. 

"  I  am  serious,"  he  said,  "  for  I  believe  that  it  is  possible." 

"  Let  us  know  how,"  cried  Murden ;  "  and  if  your  plan  succeeds,  the 
best  supper  that  can  be  obtained  in  Ballarat  shall  reward  your  inge- 
nuity ! " 

"  For  how  many  ?  "  inquired  Fred. 

"  For  the  party,  and  Mr.  Brown." 

"  That  will  cost  you  more  than  five  pounds ;  but  as  you  are  anxious  for 
the  bird,  I  will  try  and  devise  a  way  of  relieving  your  purse." 

Fred,  as  he  spoke,  uncoiled  his  long  halter,  —  a  rope  that  we  used  to 
hitch  the  horses  to  during  the  daytime,  so  that  they  could  wander  over 
considerable  ground,  and  feed  upon  the  dried  grass,  —  and  made  a  run- 
ning knot  in  one  end,  and  thus  formed  a  slip-noose,  like  the  Mexican's 
reatta. 

"  What  next  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  Why,  I  want  both  of  you  to  follow  my  example,  and  if  you  get 
near  enough  to  the  bird,  to  throw  the  rope  over  its  neck,  and  see  that 
one  end  of  it  is  made  fast  to  the  pommel  of  the  saddle." 

"  Why,  that  is  the  way  that  the  Spaniards  capture  ostriches,"  Mur- 
den said. 

"  Precisely,"  returned  Fred,  "  only  they  have  to  ride  many  miles  over 
a  sandy  soil  before  the  ostrich  will  consent  to  be  taken ;  and  it  strikes 
me  that  we  can  imitate  those  same  Spaniards,  and  even  if  we  can't  get 
near  enough  to  cast  our  reattas  we  can  try  the  effects  of  a  shot." 

"  By  George,  I'm  in  for  the  sport ! "  cried  Murden,  and  he  commenced 
preparing  his  rope  in  a  manner  similar  to  Fred's. 

In  a  few  minutes  we  were  ready,  and  rode  off  a  short  distance,  and 
then  gradually  closed  in  until  the  unconscious  bird  was  surrounded.  I 
then  allowed  Rover  to  start,  and  with  a  low  bay  he  dashed  towards  the 
cassiowary. 

The  latter,  when  the  dog  was  within  a  few  feet,  stopped  feeding,  and 
seemed  to  be  somewhat  astonished ;  and  just  as  the  hound  sprang  upon 
his  intended  victim,  the  bird  turned  tail  to,  and  started  on  a  run,  in  the 
direction  of  Fred. 


B44  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   Oft 

The  animal  made  awful  clumsy  work  of  running,  and  yet  it  got  over 
the  ground  in  a  surpiisingly  rapid  manner ;  and  although  Rover  exerted 
himself  to  the  utmost,  he  had  some  difficulty  in  gaining  on  the  chase. 

We  hallooed  the  hound  on,  in  hopes  that  he  would  seize  the  bird  by 
one  of  its  legs ;  and  in  fact,  just  as  he  was  about  to,  the  cassiowary 
suddenly  stopped,  raised  one  of  its  huge  feet,  and  with  a  vigorous  kick 
sent  Rover  rolling  head  over  heels. 

The  dog  got  up  and  looked  somewhat  astonished,  and  then  recom- 
menced the  chase  with  renewed  vigor  and  enthusiasm. 

The  bird  continued  its  irregular  course,  lifting  its  huge  legs  in  a  slow 
»nd  mathematical  manner,  yet  running  with  great  speed,  and  seeming  to 
care  no  more  for  bushes,  and  such  like  obstructions,  than  an  elephant. 

As  I  said  before,  the  bird's  course  led  directly  towards  Fred ;  but 
upon  getting  sight  of  him  as  he  sat  on  his  horse  with  rope  in  hand,  it 
changed,  and  fled  towards  me,  plunging  its  long  neck,  and  uttering  a 
short  whistle,  as  though  blowing  off  steam.  Even  while  running,  the 
short,  stumpy  wings  were  used  to  aid  its  flight  and  steady  its  body, 
which  rocked,  and  rolled,  and  swayed  to  and  fro  like  a  ship  in  a 
head  sea. 

"  On,  Rover,  on ! "  we  shouted,  and  the  faithful  dog  strained  all  of 
his  energies  to  overtake  the  chase,  and  when  he  again  got  vithin  a  few 
yards  of  it,  up  went  a  claw,  and  we  could  hear  the  powerful  blow  that 
descended  upon  the  dog's  head,  and  sent  him  rolling  over  and  over 
again,  and  this  time  a  slight  yelp  told  that  he  was  somewhat  hurt. 

"  Look  out  for  him ! "  shouted  Fred  and  Murden,  spurring  towards 
me,  but  there  was  no  necessity  to  caution  me.  I  had  my  rope  all  read}', 
and  when  the  bird  was  near  enough,  I  whirled  it  over  my  head  a  la 
Mexicano,  and  let  it  fly  at  the  long  neck  that  was  stretched  out  to  its 
fullest  extent. 

The  cord  fell  directly  upon  the  bird's  body,  but  was  shook  clear  in  an 
instant,  and  its  course  was  changed ;  and  instead  of  seeking  to  pass  me, 
it  turned  and  ran  towards  the  lieutenant,  who  was  laughing  most  hear- 
tily at  our  attempts  to  imitate  the  cattle  drivers  of  Spanish  climes. 

"  Look  out ! "  shouted  Fred,  but  the  warning  was  unheeded,  and  be- 
fore the  lieutenant  could  command  his  presence  of  mind  the  bird 
charged  upon  him,  startled  his  horse,  and  the  next  moment  the  office* 
was  thrown  to  the  ground  directly  in  the  path  of  the  cassiowary. 

Luckily  Murden  struck  the  ground  face  downwards,  and  before  he 
could  turn  over  the  bird  was  upon  him.  With  one  vigorous  jerk  of  ita 
beak  on  that  portion  of  his  anatomy  where  the  flesh  is  supposed  to  be 
firmest,  he  tore  away  cloth,  and  perhaps  an  inch  or  two  of  skin ;  for  at 
any  rate  we  saw  the  lieutenant  clap  his  hand  upon  his  wound,  and  when 
he  withdrew  it,  blood  dripped  from  his  fingers. 

"  D — n  the  cassiowary ! "  Murden  roared,  struggling  to  his  feet,  and 
rubbing  his  bruised  limbs ;  but  we  did  not  stop  to  hear  his  complaints, 
for  the  bird  was  going  off  like  a  frightened  deer,  and  if  we  expected  to 
make  a  prize,  there  was  no  time  to  lose. 

We  struck  our  animals,  and  they  followed  the  object  of  pursuit  at 
the  top  of  their  speed,  yet  for  the  first  five  minutes  we  did  not  gain  an 
inch ;  and  even  Rover,  who  had  joined  in  the  chase  with  renewed  vigor 
found  that  he  had  got  his  match  for  once. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  AD  VENTURES.  345 

At  Itngth  we  got  clear  of  the  dried  grass  and  bushes,  and  entered 
upon  the  prairie,  that  was  as  smooth  and  level  as  a  house  floor,  and 
then  we  began  to  gradually  gain  upon  the  huge  bird  in  spite  of  its  im 
mense  strides. 

Our  course  led  directly  towards  the  main  road,  and  we  could  see  a 
dozen  teams  leisurely  pursuing  their  journey,  and  we  hoped  that  the 
drivers  would  head  the  bird  and  cause  it  to  turn  towards  us,  when  an 
opportunity  would  offer  for  a  shot,  for  we  began  to  give  up  all  hope  of 
making  the  capture  alive. 

We  flew  over  the  ground  as  fast  as  the  horses  could  stretch,  and  the 
animals  seemed  to  enjoy  the  sport  equally  as  well  as  ourselves ;  in  a 
few  minutes  we  saw  that  the  teamsters  were  watching  the  chase,  and 
that  a  number  of  them  had  got  their  guns  in  readiness  to  give  the  bird 
a  shot  in  case  it  went  near  enough  to  their  carts.  That  was  something 
that  we  did  not  desire,  as  we  wished  the  honor  of  making  the  capture ; 
and  had  we  been  disposed  to  trust  to  our  revolvers,  we  could  have 
wounded  the  bird  when  it  unhorsed  the  lieutenant  and  left  him  sprawl- 
ing in  the  dirt. 

The  eyes  of  the  cassiowary  were  as  sharp,  however,  as  our  own,  and 
seeing  the  danger  in  front,  slackened  its  speed  as  though  uncertain  what 
to  do,  and  we  took  advantage  of  the  hesitancy  to  urge  the  pace  of  our 
horses  to  the  utmost,  and  gained  so  rapidly  that  Fred  determined  to 
try  his  reatta.  He  whirled  it  over  his  head  in  true  Mexican  style,  and 
threw  it,  but  the  Mexican  science  was  not  in  the  act ;  it  struck  upon  the 
bird's  back,  and  then  slipped  to  the  ground. 

Nothing  daunted,  Fred  gathered  up  his  rope  again,  and  by  the  time 
that  it  was  in  his  hand  the  chase  suddenly  stopped,  raised  its  long  neck, 
and  attempted  to  pass  between  us,  and  again  seek  refuge  amidst  the 
grass  that  was  growing  in  profusion  on  our  right. 

That  act  was  fatal  to  the  poor  bird,  for  before  it  could  gain  headway 
Rover  had  caught  one  of  its  long  legs  in  his  mouth  and  bit  so  hard  that 
a  shrill  shriek  was  elicited  —  something  like  the  cry  of  an  enraged  ape. 
Again  did  the  bird  strike  him  with  beak  and  claw,  but  the  dog  held  on  with 
the  tenacity  of  a  death-grip ;  and  during  the  struggle  we  rode  quickly 
up  and  threw  our  slip-nooses  over  that  long  neck,  which  had  cut  through 
the  air  with  more  than  railroad  speed.  Even  then,  the  cassiowary 
seemed  to  be  more  concerned  about  Rover  than  ourselves,  and  fought 
him  fiercely. 

"  Call  off  the  dog,"  shouted  Fred ;  "  we  have  him  sure,  now." 

That  was  a  task  of  some  difficulty,  for  Rover  had  got  his  blood  up 
and  was  fighting  desperately,  making  the  feathers  fly  in  all  directions ; 
and  even  his  antagonist  was  using  all  the  weapons  that  nature  had  given 
him,  and  was  striking  out  like  a  prize-fighter,  fighting  with  wings  and 
beak,  and  sometimes  with  feet,  in  a  manner  that  would  have  excited 
the  admiration  of  a  cock-fighting  padre. 

By  the  time  that  I  got  Rover  to  relinquish  the  combat,  —  and  during 
its  continuance  I  did  not  escape  harmless,  —  the  teamsters  had  stopped 
their  oxen  and  were  rushing  towards  us,  anxious  to  see  what  kind  of  an 
animal  we  were  struggling  with.  The  bird  made  frantic  efforts  to  es- 
cape, but  by  means  of  the  rope  we  were  enabled  to  frustrate  them,  and 
were  getting  him  quite  subdued  when  the  crowd  reached  us. 


346  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  What  on  airth  is  that  ?  "  inquired  a  man,  whose  voice  readily  pro- 
claimed his  nation. 

"  Why,  that  is  an  Australian  turkey,"  replied  Murden,  who  joined  us 
at  that  instant,  looking  somewhat  the  worse  for  his  trip,  and  we  noticed 
that  his  seat  in  the  saddle  was  not  very  firm. 

"  Why,  you  don't  say  that,  'squire  ?  "  asked  our  new  acquaintance, 
approaching  the  captive  to  get  a  nearer  view. 

"  Yes,  it  is.  We  pasture  them  out  a  little  ways,  and  when  the  people 
at  Ballarat  feel  like  having  a  feast  we  catch  one,  but  sometimes  they 
get  a  little  wild." 

"  Wall,  I  swow  to  man,  if  that  don't  beat  all  that  I  ever  heard  of,  and 
no  mistake.  I've  seen  big  cock-turkeys,  and  uncle  Josiah  raised  one 
for  last  Thanksgiving  that  was  a  whopper,  but  this  knocks  him.  I  say, 
what  could  I  get  a  pair  of  these  'ere  for  ?  " 

The  stranger  very  imprudently  laid  his  hand  upon  the  bird  for  the 
purpose  of  feeling  his  condition,  and  what  proportion  of  flesh  there  was 
to  feathers.  Hardly  had  the  captive  felt  his  touch  when  all  of  his  na- 
tive fierceness  returned,  and  while  our  countryman,  with  a  grave  face, 
•was  still  expressing  his  wonder,  the  cassiowary  raised  one  of  his  muscu- 
lar legs  and  kicked  him  full  on  his  breast.  In  another  instant  the 
American  was  going  backward  at  a  rapid  rate,  and  finally  brought  up 
full  length  upon  the  earth.  For  a  second  he  didn't  move,  then  slowly 
gathering  up  his  lank  form,  he  looked  first  at  the  cassiowary,  and  then 
at  Munlen,  and  muttered,  — 

"  Dod  rot  yer  Australia  turkeys,  —  they  don't  know  manners." 

The  crowd  roared  with  laughter,  and  for  a  long  time  our  American 
friend  was  known  by  the  nickname  of  "  Turkey  Johnson." 


CHAPTER    L. 

ARRIVAL  OF  SMITH. — ATTEMPT  TO  BURN  THE  STORE. 

EVEN  after  we  had  captured  the  cassiowary  we  did  not  know  what  to 
do  with  it,  as  Murden  would  not  listen  for  a  moment  to  the  idea  of  its 
being  killed,  and  yet  the  bird  was  too  formidable  an  opponent  to  play 
with.  While  we  were  debating  how  to  get  the  bird  to  Ballarat,  an  old 
stockman,  who  upon  the  discovery  of  gold  had  left  his  employment  and 
gone  into  the  teaming  business,  suggested  that  we  should  tie  a  hand- 
kerchief over  his  head,  and  guaranteed  that  we  would  then  lead  as  docile 
as  a  pet  lamb. 

"  Now,  then,  how  are  we  to  improve  the  advice  of  the  stockman  ?  " 
asked  Murden.  "  Who  will  throw  a  handkerchief  over  the  bird's  head, 
and  then  have  the  hardihood  to  tie  it  ?  " 

No  one  volunteered  to  perform  so  perilous  a  duty  until  our  American 
friend,  who  had  recovered  from  the  effects  of  his  kick,  suggested  that 
all  present  should  take  hold  of  the  two  ropes,  and  by  pulling  in  oppo- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  347 

gite  directions  manage  to  keep  the  bird  in  a  state  of  strangulation  that 
would  utterly  prevent  all  resistance. 

Murden  was  delighted  with  the  hint,  and  acted  on  it  without  delay. 
We  pressed  those  present  into  service,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  eyes 
of  the  huge  bird  were  screened  from  the  light,  and  he  was  ready  to  fol- 
low us  wherever  we  should  lead.  In  this  way  we  escorted  him  to  town, 
and  Murden,  when  he  returned  to  Melbourne,  carried  his  pet ;  and  the 
bird  may  be  alive  now  for  all  that  I  know,  for  the  lieutenant  gave  him 
to  the  governor-general,  and  for  many  months  after  the  presentation 
the  cassiowary  was  to  be  seen  on  the  grounds,  near  the  palace,  an  object 
of  great  curiosity  to  all  new-comers. 

After  seeing  the  bird  safely  housed  at  the  back  part  of  our  store, 
where  we  kept  our  horses,  and  after- astonishing  Steel  Spring  by  telling 
him  that  he  was  to  make  his  entree  into  Melbourne  on  the  back  of  the 
bird,  we  again  took  the  road,  and  were  soon  gratified  by  meeting  our 
partner,  Smith,  with  two  huge  loads  of  merchandise  of  all  descriptions, 
and  each  drawn  by  four  yokes  of  oxen. 

"  Well,  I've  got  along,"  he  said,  with  one  of  his  most  cheerful  smiles, 
"  and  a  precious  whack  of  itself  I've  got  piled  on  the  carts.  Here's  a 
little  of  every  thing.  Cheap  for  cash,  you  know." 

"  Then  you  made  good  trades  in  Melbourne  ?  "  we  both  demanded. 

"  I  should  rather  think  I  had.  There's  three  or.  four  American  clipper 
ships  in  port  with  cargoes  that  must  be  sold,  and  no  demand.  I  bought 
a  lot  of  stuff  at  auction,  and  I  never  paid  such  a  low  figure  before." 

"  But  how  did  you  manage  to  get  clear  of  your  wife  so  soon  after 
marriage  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Ah,  I  see  that  the  lieutenant  has  been  giving  you  the  news,"  replied 
Smith,  with  a  genuine  blush.  "  Well,  the  fact  of  it  is,  she  is  too  sensi- 
ble a  woman  to  regret  the  absence  of  one  whom  she  knows  is  bettering 
himself,  so  that  there  were  but  few  tears  shed  between  us." 

The  lieutenant,  with  a  consideration  that  did  him  credit,  rode  in 
advance  a  few  rods,  out  of  hearing,  as  he  rightly  judged  that  we  must 
desire  to  make  a  few  inquiries  of  a  private  nature  respecting  our  busi- 
ness relation. 

"  Did  you  get  the  gold  that  was  in  the  custody  of  the  old -" 

We  were  about  to  say  "  old  convict,"  when  we  recollected  that  he  was 
Smith's  father-in-law. 

"  Of  course  I  did,"  our  partner  interrupted,  apparently  taking  no 
notice  of  our  mistake.  "  He  read  the  order  over  a  dozen  times,  and 
then  made  me  sign  a  paper,  stating  that  the  money  was  given  up  to  me  on 
such  a  day,  at  such  a  time,  and  then  called  his  daughter  to  witness  the 
delivery.  He  wished  you  both  all  manner  of  prosperity,  and  said  that 
he  didn't  want  you  to  think  hard  of  him  for  not  letting  you  mine  on  hia 
claim,  but  hoped  to  be  rich  enough  before  many  days  to  relinquish  it 
entirely,  and  then  you  could  come  and  be  welcome." 

"  Tell  him  we  appreciate  his  kindness,"  returned  Fred,  with  a  laugh 
at  the  shrewdness  of  the  old  fox.  * 

"  Yes,  I  will,"  returned  Smith,  seriously.  "  But  let  me  finish  with  an 
account  of  how  I  spent  a  portion  of  the  funds,  and  what  I  did  with  the 
remainder.  I  have  ten  barrels  of  flour,  or  a  ton  as  we  term  it,  which  I 
got  cheap  enough,  and  if  we  don't  realize  a  profit  on  it  I  shall  be  mucjf 


348  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OK 

mistaken  —  then  I  have  sugars,  molasses,  whiskey  wine,  spices,  hoots 
and  shoes,  clothing,  meal,  preserved  meats  and  vegetables,  tobacco  and 
cigars,  pipes,  pork,  a  cask  of  vinegar,  a  barrel  of  pickles,  firkins  of  but- 
ter, and  a  dozen  cheeses,  and  fifty  other  things  that  I  don't  recollect, 
but  which  I  have  no  doubt  will  meet  with  a  ready  sale  after  we  have 
once  got  started." 

"  And  the  price  for  all  these  things  was  low  ?  "  we  asked,  quite  amazed 
at  the  variety  that  our  partner  had  selected. 

"  So  low  that  over  two  thirds  of  the  money  that  we  subscribed  now 
awaits  our  order  at  the  Melbourne  bank."  And  to  confirm  his  words, 
Smith  pulled  from  his  bosom  a  small  pouch  that  contained  a  certificate 
of  deposit. 

Of  course  we  congratulated  our  friend  on  the  prospect  that  he  had 
afforded  us  of  making  a  large  percentage  on  his  purchases,  and  by  the 
time  that  we  had  finished  our  interrogations  we  had  reached  Ballarat 
"and  drew  up  in  front  of  our  new  store ;  and  in  spite  of  the  warmth  of 
the  afternoon,  we  stripped  off  our  coats,  and  went  to  work  unloading 
the  carts  and  arranging  the  goods  to  suit  our  ideas  of  convenience  and 
display. 

Even  Murden  did  not  disdain  to  lend  a  hand,  and  Mr.  Brown,  when 
he  dropped  around  to  take  a  cup  of  tea  with  us  in  the  evening,  finding 
that  there  was  plenty  of  wprk  to  be  done,  sent  us  half  a.  dozen  police- 
men ;  the  latter  labored  as  though  they  liked  it,  and  when,  about  ten 
o'clock  in  the  evening,  we  knocked  off,  and  offered  to  pay  them,  to  our 
surprise  they  told  us  that  they  were  already  paid,  and  all  our  entreaties 
were  powerless  to  make  them  accept  of  a  shilling.  But  they  still  lin- 
gered in  the  store,  and  we  wondered  at  it ;  and  at  length  we  hinted  to 
Murden  that  we  thought  they  wanted  something  for  their  services, 
although  they  had  refused  money. 

"  Leave  them  to  me,"  the  lieutenant  replied,  "  and  I  will  find  out 
what  they  expect." 

"  Well,  boys,  we  have  had  a  pretty  hard  evening's  work,"  the  lieuten- 
ant said,  speaking  to  the  men,  who  had  no  idea  that  he  belonged  to  the 
service. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  carrying  in  the  barrels  is  apt  to  make  one  dry  and  tired," 
replied  the  men. 

"  Yes,  I  know ;  but  you  understand  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
liquor  in  the  store,"  and  Murden  winked  mysteriously. 

"O,  we  knew  there  was  none,"  cried  the  men,  with  wonderful 
unanimity,  and  their  faces  experienced  a  change  for  the  better  immedi- 
ately. 

"  I  suppose  if  there  was  liquor  here,  and  it  was  offered,  you  could 
take  off  half  a  tumbler  full  without  much  trouble  ?  " 

The  men  were  confident  that  they  could,  although  they  once  more 
expressed  their  full  conviction  in  none  being  in  the  store. 

"  Tap  a  barrel  and  give  them  a  strong  pull  at  it,"  Murden  whispered, 
"  and  you  need  not  fear  of  their  informing." 

It  was  but  the  work  of  a  moment  to. accomplish  the  object,  and  per- 
haps we  were  the  more  ready  from  a  desire  on  our  part  to  taste  what 
Smith  had  bought.  The  six  policemen  threw  back  their  heads  with 
military  precision,  and  emptied  their  tumblers  without  making  even  a 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  849 

wry  face ;  but  their  lips  smacked  like  the  reports  of  six  distinct  pistols, 
and  as  they  turned  to  go  one  said,  — 

"  Liquor  is  not  allowed  to  be  sold  at  the  mines  without  a  ful 
license,  and  the  rules  and  regulations  prevent  us  from  touching  any 
kind  of  spirits ;  therefore  we  are  all  temperance  men ;  but  I  must  say 
that  you  have  got  some  of  the  best  colored  water  to  be  had  in  the  coun- 
try. Good  evening,  sirs ;  we  should  like  to  assist  again  when  our  ser- 
vices are  needed ; "  and  off  went  the  policemen,  well  satisfied  with  their 
reward. 

It  was  as  the  men  stated  —  liquor  had  to  be  licensed  or  not  at 
all ;  and  although  a  large  amount  was  disposed  of  daily  at  Ballarat,  yet 
it  was  never  sold  in  the  presence  of  a  policeman,  or  a  person  who 
would  be  likely  to  inform  of  the  vender. 

We  ate  our  supper  with  a  good  appetite,  glancing  with  pride  upon 
our  well-filled  store  and  carefully-selected  goods,  and  bright  anticipa- 
tions arose  in  our  minds  as  we  thought  of  the  profits  that  we  should 
reach  before  they  were  all  disposed  of.  A  fortune  of  colossal  size 
seemed  within  our  reach,  and  only  required  a  little  tact  to  grasp. 
While  we  were  thus  cogitating,  a  barefooted,  wild-looking  boy,  who 
seemed  as  though  he  had  worked  under  ground  all  his  life,  and  was 
only  on  the  surface  for  a  few  minutes  for  the  sake  of  astonishing  civil- 
ization, made  his  appearance,  threw  down  a  dirty-looking  note,  and  then 
disappeared  as  suddenly  as  he  came. 

"  What  does  the  fellow,  mean  ?"  asked  Murden,  who  was  lazily  swing- 
ing in  a  hammock,  smoking  a  pipe  with  infinite  relish,  and  endeavoring 
to  keep  the  insects  at  bay  by  raising  clouds  of  burnt  tobacco. 

"  We  are  as  much  in  the  dark  as  yourself,"  I  replied,  examining  the 
superscription  of  the  letter,  and  finding  that  the  address  was  to  the 
"  Two  Americans,  who  keep  the  store." 

"  Well,  open  it  and  enlighten  us,"  the  lieutenant  said,  carelessly,  and 
we  complied,  and  found  that  the  contents  were  as  follows :  — 

"  BALRAT,  AUSTKALE.  —  You  felers  is  in  danger  and  i  wont  to  tel  you 
of  it,  but  i  mustnt  be  seen  round  or  i  shal  be  spected  and  then  no  confi- 
dince  will  be  plac  in  me,  the  felers  round  think  you  is  agin  um  in  the 
mining  tack,  but  i  say  no,  take  care  of  your  store  to  night,  or  you  wil  see 
the  devil,  no  more  now.  A  MAN  YOU  BENIFITTED  ONE  TIM." 

"  A  pleasant  kind  of  note,  truly,"  remarked  Murden,  laying  down  his 
pipe ;  "  and  I  don't  believe  that  the  writer  of  the  letter  had  any  idea  of 
needlessly  alarming  you.  He  is  evidently  your  friend,  and  would  call 
and  give  you  information  were  he  not  fearful  of  being  suspected  by  his 
comrades." 

"  But  what  is  this  danger  that  we  are  threatened  with  ?  "  queried  Fred. 

"  I  don't  know,  but  it  strikes  me  very  forcibly  that  I  have  been  the 
means  of  involving  you  in  difficulty.  The  spy  who  overheard  our  plans 
last  night  has  evidently  reported  that  you  are  on  the  side  of  govern- 
ment, and  to  vent  their  spite  against  you  is  undoubtedly  the  object  of 
the  disaffected  miners.  What  they  intend  to  do  I  don't  know ;  but  this 
I  do  know  —  I  will  have  every  policeman  in  Ballarat  stationed  around 
your  store  before  it  shall  come  to  harm,  and  I  will  lose  my  own  life  but 
I  will  preserve  yours  and  your  property." 

30 


350  LIFE    IX    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

Murden  spoke  with  an  air  of  sincerity  and  confidence  that  convinced 
us  he  was  in  earnest. 

"  Our  property,"  repeated  Fred,  in  a  musing  tone,  and  he  glanced 
around  the  store,  where  bale  and  cask  were  strewed  in  confusion. 

"  That  is  what  is  aimed  at,"  cried  my  friend,  suddenly  starting  up. 
"  Depend  upon  it,  the  villains  mean  to  fire  the  store  and  destroy  all  the 
goods  that  we  have  purchased  at  such  a  large  expense.  But  we  will  be 
ready  for  them." 

He  drew  his  revolver  from  his  belt  and  examined  carefully  each  bar- 
rel, and  then  saw  that  the  caps  were  fresh  and  fitted  well. 

"  In  that  they  shall  be  disappointed,"  Murden  exclaimed  ;  "  I  will  go 
to  the  police  quarters  at  once  and  state  the  facts  of  the  case.  A  dozen 
men  shall  be  detailed  to  guard  your  store,  day  and  night,  until  all  dan- 
ger is  past." 

The  impetuous  officer,  filled  with  this  idea,  would  have  rushed  instantly 
to  the  inspector's ;  and  before  Fred  could  stop  him  he  had  got  into  the 
street. 

"  Come  here  for  a  moment,"  cried  Fred,  in  a  quiet  tone,  and  Murden 
doggedly  consented. 

The  instant  that  he  was  in  the  store  Fred  closed  the  door  and  locked 
it,  and  put  the  key  in  his  pocket. 

"  What  is  it  you  wish  ? "  asked  the  lieutenant,  after  a  moment's 
silence,  surprised  at  the  act. 

"  I  wish  you  to  hear  a  little  reason,  and  not  ruin  us  with  your  good 
intentions,"  my  friend  answered,  quietly. 

Murden  looked  astonished,  but  made  no  reply.  He  refilled  his  pipe 
and  lighted  it  in  silence.  At  length  he  asked,  — 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  I  shall  ruin  you  with  my  inten- 
tions ?  Do  you  think  that  I  do  not  feel  very  keenly  the  situation  in 
which  my  own  thoughtlessness  has  placed  you  ?  " 

"  We  have  no  doubt  that  your  motives  are  good,"  replied  Fred,  "  but 
we  know  that  you  will  listen  to  reason,  and  after  a  few  words  of  expla- 
nation will  agree  with  us  that  our  course  is  right." 

Murden  looked  incredulous,  and  puffed  away  at  his  pipe  vigorously ; 
but  he  muttered,  "  Go  on,"  and  we  discovered  that  he  was  softening 
rapidly. 

"  It  is  evident,"  Fred  went  on  to  state,  "  that  the  disaffected  portion 
of  the  miners  at  this  place  think  that  we  are  in  league  with  government 
in  endeavoring  to  force  the  tax  upon  them,  and,  to  revenge  themselves, 
undertake  to  burn  our  store.  This  we  must  prevent." 

"  That  is  what  I  told  you  in  the  first  place,"  interrupted  the  lieuten- 
ant. "  We  must  have  a  police  force  around  the  store,  and  shoot  down 
every  suspicious  character  that  approaches  during  the  night." 

"  Such  a  course  would  soon  make  the  mines  too  hot  to  hold  us,  and 
instead  of  getting  sympathy,  we  should  get  the  undying  hatred  of  every 
man  in  Australia.  No,  no ;  we  must  meet  violence  with  kindness,  and 
instead  of  making  enemies,  make  friends." 

"  Go  on,  and  tell  me  how  you  will  act  to  do  so,"  cried  Murden. 

"  It  is  very  simple :  we  must  watch  for  those  who  seek  to  harm  us, 
and  convince  them  of  our  friendship,"  responded  Fred,  earnestly. 

"  By  hanging  or  shooting,  I  suppose,"  replied  Murden. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  351 

"  Neither  one  nor  the  other  method  should  we  adopt.  We  will  keep 
watch,  and  if  an  incendiary  seeks  to  fire  our  building,  we  will  seize  him, 
and  convince  him  that  we  are  favorable  to  his  cause,  or  that  we  mean 
to  remain  neutral  during  the  coming  struggle,  and  then  set  him  free  to 
return  to  his  friends  with  the  news." 

"  Hadn't  you  better  throw  in  a  glass  of  liquor,  and  a  few  plugs  of  to- 
bacco ?  "  asked  the  officer,  sarcastically,  never  having  heard  of  such  kind 
of  treatment  to  people  who  were  disposed  to  be  vicious. 

"Your  suggestion  is  good,  and  shall  be  acted  on,"  replied  Fred, 
pleasantly.  "  Have  you  any  other  ?  " 

"  No,  but  I  wish  to  tell  you  that  you  are  laboring  under  a  mistaken 
idea,  and  that  you  will  regret  your  benevolent  motives.  Such  a  course 
as  you  describe  might  answer  very  well  if  the  population  of  Ballarat  was 
made  up  of  high-minded  and  honorable  men,  and  not  the  refuse  of  the 
old  countries,  whose  crimes  have  outlawed  them,  and  whose  greatest 
inclination  is  to  be  in  mischief." 

"  You  forget,"  said  Fred,  "  that  this  tax  movement  originated  with 
the  best  and  most  intelligent  men  at  the  mines,  and  that  the  class  of 
people  you  have  described  are  bushrangers,  or  else  men  who  live  upon 
the  community  without  work.  If  ever  the  miners  and  the  government 
do  have  a  collision,  you  will  be  surprised  at  the  respectable  ranks  that 
the  former  will  show." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  of  it,"  responded  Murden,  dryly. 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  we  must  think  that  it  is  better  to  depend 
upon  ourselves  than  upon  the  police  for  protection,  because  the  instant 
that  the  latter  are  arrayed  on  our  side  it  will  be  known  all  over  Balla- 
rat, and  then  our  business  and  reputation  will  be  lost." 

"  Then  you  are  really  serious  ?  "  queried  Murden,  after  a  moment's 
thought. 

"  Quite  so,  for  it  is  our  only  hope  to  escape  persecution,"  returned 
Fred. 

"  Well,  perhaps  you  are  right,"  the  officer  said,  "  and  I  will  consent  to 
follow  your  suggestions ;  but  I  claim  the  privilege  of  assisting  you-  in 
your  watch." 

"  That  we  are  quite  willing  to  accord,  and  as  it  is  past  twelve  o'clock 
we  may  as  well  begin  it,  for  there  is  no  knowing  how  soon  our  enemies 
may  steal  upon  us." 

To  prevent  the  dog  from  giving  an  alarm  we  tied  him  up,  and  then 
extinguished  our  lights,  and  carefully  walked  around  the  building,  keep- 
ing well  in  the  shade,  so  that  if  any  one  was  approaching  we  could  be 
informed  of  the  fact,  and  be  prepared  to  give  a  warm  reception.  The 
night  was  very  quiet  and  warm,  and  the  only  sounds  to  be  heard  were 
the  humming  of  the  thousands  of  insects  that  filled  the  air,  or  an  occa- 
sional howling  of  some  dog,  tied  up  during  the  temporary  absence  of 
its  owner,  or  the  loud  snoring  of  Steel  Spring,  who,  taking  but  little 
interest  in  matters  that  did  not  concern  his  stomach  or  himself,  went  to 
sleep  at  an  early  hour  in  the  evening  with  his  head  resting  on  a  herring 
box,  and  his  long  legs  on  a  barrel,  and  such  doleful  sounds  did  he  emit 
from  his  nasal  organ,  that  even  the  horses  were  kept  in  a  state  of  per- 
petual irritation,  and  were  inclined  to  refuse  their  provender.  Occasion- 
ally on  the  heavy  night  air  would  come  a  dull  sound,  like  a  splash  of 


352  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

water,  which  showed  that  some  industrious  miners  were  trying  to  keep 
thoir  claim  clear,  and  for  that  purpose  were  bailing  out  water  day  and 
night. 

Twice  did  we  patrol  around  our  store,  and  yet  saw  nothing  of  danger 
or  any  suspicious  circumstance.  Hour  after  hour  passed  away,  and  we 
began  to  grow  dozy  from  the  effect  of  a  hard  day's  work,  and  we  sat 
down  within  the  building,  and  thought  that  we  would  refresh  ourselves 
with  a  few  whiffs  from  our  pipes ;  but  while  filling  them,  a  low  growl 
from  Rover  startled  us.  In  an  instant  I  was  by  the  dog's  side,  and 
quieted  him  with  a  word,  and  during  all  the  confusion  that  ensued  that 
night,  the  hound  did  not  disgrace  his  training. 

The  sound  that  had  started  the  dog  appeared  to  us  to  proceed  from  a 
tent  some  distance  off;  but  we  were  not  certain  in  that  respect,  and 
listened  attentively.  For  a  few  minutes  all  was  quiet,  and  then  we 
distinctly  heard  the  cracking  of  a  stick,  and  then  all  was  still  for  the 
space  of  five  minutes. 

We  cautiously  moved,  so  that  we  could  observe  every  portion  of  the 
building,  and  yet  we  saw  nothing  that  deserved  notice,  and  we  began  to 
think  that  our  imaginations  were  running  riot,  when  a  repetition  of  the 
cracking  sound  once  more  occurred. 

"  Some  one  is  under  the  building,"  whispered  Fred. 

Our  store  rested  upon  two  small  hillocks,  which  was  an  adva\tage 
during  the  wet  season,  for  the  water  was  all  carried  off  towards  the 
river,  and  the  constructor  of  the  store  had  rightly  judged  that  it  would 
flow  under  the  building,  and  leave  the  front  part  perfectly  dry.  It  was, 
therefore,  very  easy  for  one  or  more  persons  to  crawl  along  the  rough 
gulf  which  the  water  coursed  over,  and  stopping  under  the  former, 
kindle  a  fire  that  would  give  us  great  difficulty  to  extinguish  in  the 
absence  of  engines  and  scarcity  of  water. 

We  all  listened  attentively,  but  no  sound  was  heard,  and  we  began 
to  fear  that  the  flames  might  already  be  kindled,  and  that  the  incen- 
diaries had  made  their  escape.  Smith  and  Murden  agreed  to  creep 
down  one  side  of  the  building,  while  Fred  and  myself  undertook  to 
guard  the  other. 

With  this  understanding  we  parted  company,  and  cautiously  reached 
the  gulf,  so  that  we  could  look  under  the  building,  and  there,  sure 
enough,  we  saw  that  ample  preparations  had  been  made  for  smoking 
us  out,  for  a  pile  of  kindling  nearly  a  foot  high  was  raised,  and  two 
men,  who,  when  they  spoke,  did  so  in  whispers,  were  busy  adding  to  it. 

"  There,  there's  enough,"  cried  one,  "  to  set  fire  to  all  the  shanties  in 
Ballarat.  Light  the  match,  and  let's  be  off,  or  the  dog  will  be  snuffing 
around,  and  then  we  shall  have  the  fellers  about  our  ears." 

"  Faith,  there's  mighty  little  fear  of  that,  for  don't  you  hear  'um 
snore  as  though  they  hadn't  slept  a  bit  for  a  month.  Pile  on  the  stuff, 
and  let's  have  a  rousing  fire  while  we  are  'bout  it,"  replied  the  other ; 
and  his  voice  sounded  familiar  to  us,  although  who  the  speaker  was  we 
had  no  idea. 

"  You  forget  that  firewood  is  dear  at  Ballarat,"  and  he  chuckled  as 
he  spoke,  as  though  amused  at  the  thought. 

"  Thin  we'll  have  it  chaper  before  long,"  returned  the  other ;  and  by 
his  language  we  knew  that  he  was  an  Irishman. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  353 

They  worked  for  a  few  seconds,  and  after  a  match  was  lighted  and 
thrust  into  the  pile  of  kindlings,  and  then  the  incendiaries  crawled 
towards  us  as  fast  as  possible,  for  the  purpose  of  escaping,  and  getting 
clear  of  the  flames,  which  already  began  to  shoot  up  and  crackle,  as 
they  gathered  headway. 


CHAPTER    LI. 

ATTEMPT  TO  BURN  THE  STORE. 

As  the  heads  of  the  incendiaries  emerged  from  beneath  the  building, 
and  even  before  they  had  time  to  gain  a  footing,  we  threw  ourselves 
upon  them,  and  pinned  them  to  the  earth  in  despite  of  the  powerful 
struggles  which  they  made  to  escape ;  failing  in  which,  their  hands 
sought  for  their  knives,  but  we  saw  the  movement,  and  succeeded  in 
defeating  it. 

"  Yield  in  peace,"  cried  Fred,  "  or  you  will  fare  worse,"  addressing 
his  antagonist,  the  Irishman,  who  replied  with  an  oath,  and  a  fierce 
thrust  of  a  long  knife. 

"  Is  that  your  gratitude  ?  "  continued  Fred,  who  easily  avoided  the 
meditated  blow.  "  Then  I  will  begin  in  earnest." 

He  drew  his  revolver  from  his  pocket,  and  struck  his  opponent  a 
heavy  blow  on  his  temple.  The  Irishman  uttered  a  groan,  and  remained 
motionless,  and  then  Fred  rushed  towards  me  to  see  what  assistance  I 
needed  ;  but  I  fortunately  required  none,  for  the  man  I  had  taken  charge 
of,  after  being  frustrated  in  his  attempt  to  use  his  knife,  remained  per- 
fectly quiet,  and  appeared  disposed  to  surrender  on  as  good  terms  as  he 
could  make. 

"  Never  mind  me,"  I  cried,  as  Fred  joined  me  ;  "  I  will  take  charge 
of  this  fellow,  and  blow  his  brains  out  if  he  makes  an  attempt  to  escape. 
Extinguish  the  fire  before  it  gains  headway,  and  don't,  above  all  things, 
•raise  an  alarm." 

Fred  crawled  under  the  building,  and  in  a  few  seconds  had  scat- 
tered the  firebrands  so  that  all  danger  was  passed,  and  in  the  latter 
work  Smith  and  Murden  rendered  good  service ;  for  the  lieutenant 
quickly  had  a  couple  of  buckets  of  water  on  hand,  which  he  had  brought 
from  our  "  sink  hole,"  and  in  a  very  few  minutes  all  traces  of  the  fire 
were  destroyed. 

"  Have  you  got  the  scamp  ?  "  asked  Murden,  crawling  from  his  con- 
fined quarters,  where  he  had  been  nearly  strangled  with  smoke. 

"  This  fellow  appears  to  be  quiet  enough,"  I  answered,  turning  my 
prisoner  over  on  his  back,  so  that  I  could  see  his  face. 

"  Is  he  ?  "  asked  the  fellow  in  a  sarcastic  tone  ;  and  quick  as  lightning 
he  started  to  his  feet,  and  I  saw  a  long  knife  flash  in  the  starlight,  and 
before  I  could  spring  aside  he  aimed  it  full  at  my  breast. 

In  another  instant  I  should  have  been  a  dead  man,  but,  fortunately, 
Murden  saw  the  move,  and  struck  the  ruffian's  arm  up,  and  the  knij> 

30* 


354  LIPS   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

passed  over  my  shoulder  harmless.  The  next  instant  my  prisoner  was 
measuring  his  length  on  the  hard  ground,  with  blood  spirting  from  his 
nose  and  mouth,  the  effects  of  a  tremendous  blow,  which  the  lieutenant 
delivered  full  upon  his  unprotected  face. 

"  Lie  there,  you  d d  midnight  incendiary,"  cried  the  officer,  indig- 
nant to  think  that  he  wished  to  add  murder  to  his  other  crimes. 

The  wretch  only  groaned  in  reply ;  but  Murden,  thinking  that  he  was 
shamming,  slipped  a  pair  of  handcuffs  on  his  wrists,  and  then  served 
the  Irishman,  whom  Fred  had  rendered  tongue-tied  by  a  blow  from  his 
revolver,  in  the  same  manner. 

"  A  neat  pair  of  handcuffs  is  an  ornament  that  disgraces  no  one,  while 
they  add  to  a  person's  security  eighty  per  cent.  There  is,  to  be  sure,  a 
slight  prejudice  against  having  them  on  in  unmixed  company,  but  it  is 
astonishing  how  soon  the  feeling  wears  off.  Next  to  a  good  revolver, 
believe  me,  a  pair  of  handcuffs  is  a  policeman's  best  friend." 

While  the  lieutenant  was  speaking,  he  gave  the  prostrate  Irishman 
a  kick  with  his  heavy  boot,  as  an  illustration  of  his  argument  perhaps, 
and  the  blow  was  sufficient  to  restore  the  fellow  to  his  senses. 

"  Holy  St.  Patrick,  it's  murdering  me,  ye  are,"  he  exclaimed. 

"  No,  but  we  intend  to,  unless  you  inform  us  who  hired  you  to  set 
fire  to  our  store,"  rejoined  Fred. 

The  fellow  maintained  a  profound  silence,  and  Murden  was  about  to 
repeat  his  blow  when  Fred  checked  him. 

"  No  more  kicks,"  he  said ;  "  they  have  been  punished  sufficiently 
already,  and  we  must  now  try  what  effect  kindness  will  have  on 
them." 

"  I'll  try  the  effect  of  a  stout  halter,"  cried  the  angry  officer ;  but  Fred 
was  resolute,  and  refused  to  allow  them  to  be  punished. 

Our  prisoners  listened  to  the  words  that  passed  between  the  lieuten- 
ant and  Fred,  and  I  could  see  by  the  bright  starlight  that  astonishment 
was  plainly  visible  upon  their  faces.  It  was  evident  that  they  expected 
different  treatment. 

"  Let  us  take  them  into  the  store,  and  there  we  can  examine  them  at 
leisure,"  Fred  said  ;  and  as  the  idea  met  our  approval,  we  helped  them 
to  stand  upon  their  feet,  and  then  escorted  them  into  the  building, 
where  we  lighted  our  candles,  and  after  wiping  some  of  the  congealed  • 
blood  from  their  faces,  we  examined  their  countenances  to  see  if  we 
had  ever  met  them  before  in  Ballarat. 

"  Where  have  we  seen  you  before  ? "  Fred  asked,  addressing  the 
Irishman. 

The  man  hung  his  head  and  refused  to  reply ;  and  he  even  appeared 
to  act  as  though  ashamed  of  his  conduct. 

"  I  can  tell  you  where  we  have  met  him  before,"  I  remarked.  "  Don't 
you  remember  the  Irishman  whose  wounds  you  dressed  on  the  second 
night  of  your  arrival,  and  who  swore  that  he  would  yet  live  to  reward 
you  ?  " 

Fred  nodded,  and  his  face  grew  dark  with  passion. 

"  Well,  this  is  the  person.  He  was  destitute  of  money  and  credit, 
and  to  save  his  life  we  spent  many  hours  in  cleansing  his  injuries,  and 
dressing  them  with  care.  He  has  already  attempted  to  pay  us  his  debt 
of  gratitude,  and  perhaps  when  he  is  again  sick  he  will  visit  us." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  355 

"  You  miserable  apology  for  a  man,"  cried  Murden,  raising  his  arm, 
and  the  fellow  cowered  at  the  threatened  blow ;  but  Fred  interposed, 
and  stopped  the  impetuous  officer  from  carrying  his  intention  into  effect. 

"  What  excuse  have  you  to  offer  for  plotting  against  us  ?  "  demanded 
Fred,  addressing  the  Irishman. 

"  I  was  poor,  and  wanted  food,"  he  returned,  with  a  face  of  shame. 

"  Why  did  you  not  come  to  me,  and  I  would  have  supplied  your 
wants  ?  It  is  but  a  poor  return  to  attempt  to  burn  us  out  for  the  atten- 
tion that  we  showed  you.  Is  your  heart  made  of  stone  ?  " 

"  I  was  told  that  you  two  was  plotting  agin  the  miners  concerning 
the  tax,  and  that  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  ruin  ye,  and  make  ye  lave 
the  country,"  answered  the  Irishman,  not  daring  to  raise  his  downcast 
glances  from  the  floor. 

"  And  the  miners  hired  both  of  you  to  commence  the  war  of  burn- 
ing, did  they  ?  "  asked  Fred. 

"  No,  not  the  miners,"  returned  the  man,  "  although  they  think  that 
you  is  agin  'um,  and  that  you  had  better  move.  A  man,  whose  name 
we  don't  know,  gave  us  five  pounds  to  set  the  place  on  fire." 

"  You  are  lying,  and  we  know  it,"  retorted  Fred.  "  Tell  us  who  paid 
you  the  money,  or  you  will  fare  badly,"  he  continued,  in  a  stern  tone  of 
voice. 

The  incendiary  stammered,  and  looked  towards  his  accomplice,  as 
though  uncertain  what  to  say,  and.  while  hesitating,  the  latter  exclaimed : 

"  It  is  useless  to  mince  matters,  Pat  —  we  are  in  a  fix,  and  have  got 
to  make  the  most  of  it.  We  belong  to  a  secret  league,  whose  object  is 
to  resist  paying  the  taxes  imposed  by  government  upon  miners,  and 
hearing  that  you  were  with  the  government,  we  determined  to  clip  your 
claws,  and  prevent  you  from  doing  mischief.  If  your  store  had  taken 
fire,  we  might  have  made  a  few  pounds  by  plunder,  but  as  for  receiving 
five  pounds,  or  any  money  for  the  work,  it's  all  sham,  and  Pat  knows  it. 
We  talked  the  matter  over  with  a  dozen  or  so,  and  agreed  to  do  the 
business.  That's  all  about  it,  and  you  may  make  the  most  of  it,  and 
hand  us  over  to  the  police  as  soon  as  you  please." 

The  ruffian  spoke  in  as  free  and  easy  a  manner  as  though  he  had 
been  engaged  in  some  meritorious  work,  instead  of  a  piece  of  black 
villany. 

"  You  did  not  know,  then,  that  we  were  opposed  to  the  government 
on  the  tax  question,  and  that  while  we  determined  to  take  no  part  in  the 
struggle,  we  sympathized  with  the  miners  ?  "  inquired  Fred. 

"  One  of  the  men  to  whom  we  talked  said  as  much,"  answered  the 
fellow,  "  but  we  did  not  pay  any  attention  to  him,  and  neither  do  I 
believe  it  now." 

"  Then  let  this  convince  you,"  exclaimed  Fred,  taking  the  key  of  the 
irons  from  Murden's  hand,  and  unlocking  the-  handcuffs.  "  There,  you 
are  free.  Go  and  tell  the  dissatisfied  miners  that  we  will  never  plot 
against  them,  although  it  is  probable  that  we  shall  not  take  up  arms  in 
their  defence.  We  are  traders,  and  have  done  with  fighting,  and  wish 
to  remain  neutral." 

The  fellows  stared  in  unfeigned  astonishment  at  Fred,  and  then 
around  the  store,  as  though  hardly  convinced  that  they  had  heard  the 
welcome  intelligence. 


356  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    Oil 

"  Is  your  honor  serious  ?  "  asked  the  Irishman. 

"  Quite  so  —  go ;  but  if  another  attempt  is  made  to  burn  us  out,  we 
have  weapons  that  we  know  how  to  use.  Say  so  to  those  with  whom 
you  plotted." 

"  I  won't  say  that  I'm  sorry  for  what  I've  done,  'cos  no  great  harm 
has  happened  any  how,"  said  the  Englishman,  who  appeared  to  possess 
more  of  an  education  than  his  companion  ;  "  but  I'll  say  this  —  had  we 
burned  your  store  down,  and  then  learned  that  you  was  not  agin  us,  I 
should  have  felt  bad,  and  would  have  tried  to  right  it  in  some  way. 
We  are  poor  devils  at  best,  and  ain't  got  much  in  common,  but  we  are 
all  liable  to  make  mistakes,  and  so  we  supposed  that  we  were  really 
doing  something  for  the  cause." 

"  It's  little  I  thought  it  was  ye,"  said  the  Irishman*  who  seemed 
determined  also  to  offer  an  excuse.  "  Faith,  had  I  known  it  was  the 
two  rael  gintlemen  who  healed  me  sores,  it's  little  I'd  thought  of  setting 
ye  on  fire.  Long  lives  to  ye,  and  don't  be  afraid  of  bad  luck  after  this. 
It's  Paddy  O'Shea  who  will  fight  for  ye  to  the  longest  day  that  he 
lives." 

We  received  the  apologies  with  due  dignity,  and  without  placing  too 
much  stress  upon  what  was  said  by  the  men ;  and  at  last  they  concluded 
to  take  their  departure,  but  just  as  they  got  to  the  door,  and  while  Fred 
was  unlocking  it,  O'Shea  expressed  a  desire  to  whisper  a  few  words  to 
my  friend. 

"  If  ye  have  such  a  thing  as  a  thimble  full  of  whiskey  in  the  store, 
perhaps  ye  will  give  us  a  drink  ?  "  he  said. 

Fred  hesitated  for  a  moment,  but  at  last  concluded  that  it  would  be  a 
cheap  riddance  by  giving  them  a  drink.  He  drew  a  couple  of  stiff 
glasses  from  the  barrel,  and  they  swallowed  the  liquor  with  a  relish 
that  would  have  delighted  the  heart  of  a  manufacturer. 

"  Ah,  how  I  should  like  to  drink  such  stuff  as  that  all  day,  and  have 
nothing  to  do ! "  cried  Pat ;  and  he  glanced  fondly  towards  the  barrel, 
as  though  anticipating  another  invitation,  but  he  didn't  get  it. 

They  still  hesitated  about  going,  and  the  two  villains  looked  first  at 
one  and  then  at  another,  as  though  they  still  had  a  matter  that  they 
wished  to  speak  about. 

"  I  also  have  a  request,"  whispered  the  Englishman,  evidently  mis- 
taking his  man,  and  thinking  that  Fred  was  a  good-natured  sort  of 
person,  who  would  comply  with  every  wish. 

"  Name  it,"  replied  Fred,  with  some  little  impatience. 

"  Could  you  lend  me  ten  pounds  for  a  few  days,  until  I  can  collect  a 
few  debts  that  are  due  me  ?  "  the  scamp  asked. 

"  No,  I  can't  do  that,"  rejoined  Fred,  opening  wide  the  store  door, 
"  but  I  can  let  you  have  a  few  of  these  if  they  will  suit  you." 

He  raised  his  foot  as  he  spoke,  and  administered  a  few  energetic 
kicks  to  the  fellow's  posteriors,  that  almost  took  him  off  his  feet. 

"  They  fit  well  enough,"  cried  the  beggar,  "  but  they  don't  suit ;"  and 
the  twain  were  speedily  out  of  sight,  and  whenever  we  used  to  see  them 
afterwards,  they  would  keep  at  a  respectable  distance,  and  look  to  see 
what  kind  of  boots  we  wore. 

As  we  apprehended  no  further  difficulty  that  night,  we  went  to  bed, 
and  got  quite  a  comfortable  nap  before  suurise. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  357 

Murden,  whose  visit  extended  a  day  or  two  longer  than  he  intended, 
got  ready  to  start  in  the  afternoon,  and  although  he  had  only  brought 
a  valise  with  him,  and  a  change  of  clothing,  yet  did  he  pretend,  every 
time  that  his  departure  was  mentioned,  that  he  had  to  pack  his  things, 
and  away  he  would  go,  and  remain  absent  until  he  had  recovered 
composure  sufficient  to  face  us  like  a  man,  and  without  a  display  of 
weakness. 

With  a  hearty  shake  of  our  hands,  and  a  troubled  brow,  Murden  left 
is ;  and  had  he  not  undertaken  the  difficult  task  of  driving  or  leading 
his  newly-caught  bird,  the  cassiowary,  which  gave  him  trouble,  and 
required  all  of  his  attention,  he  would  have  broken  down  in  his  leave- 
taking,  and  galloped  off  without  daring  to  trust  himself  with  words. 

As  for  Steel  Spring,  he  appeared  delighted  at  the  idea  of  leaving ;  for 
he  was  fond  of  change,  and  required  exciting  scenes  to  keep  him  out  of 
mischief,  which  he  was  prone  to,  in  defiance  of  the  vigilant  eye  that 
Murden  kept  on  him  ;  and  I  had  but  little  doubt,  as  I  stood  and  watched 
their  forms  disappear  amidst  a  labyrinth  of  tents  and  crazy  huts,  that 
the  long-limbed  wretch  would  have  murdered  him,  and  rejoined  a  gang 
of  bushrangers,  had  it  not  been  for  a  sort  of  moral  fear  that  prevented 
him  from  committing  the  crime. 

We  felt  lonely  for  the  balance  of  the  day,  although  we  were  extremely 
busy  in  arranging  our  goods,  and  in  selling.  Our  store  was  crowded 
from  noon  until  long  past  sunset,  and  then  we  were  compelled  to  close 
and  exclude  the  crowd,  owing  to  our  being  completely  exhausted,  both 
mentally  and  physically,  for  the  adding  up  of  figures  was  a  new  kind 
of  brain  work,  that  had  not  tasked  us  since  the  days  when  we  were 
schoolboys. 

How  many  "  nigger  heads  "  we  sold  that  day,  singly,  for  the  purpose 
of  allowing  the  miners  to  taste  our  stock  before  they  bought  largely,  I 
have  no  means  of  knowing ;  but  fortunately  for  our  reputation,  Smith 
had  displayed  great  prudence  in  his  bargains,  and  his  "  cavendish  "  and 
"  fine  cut"  were  at  length  pronounced  the  best  that  were  ever  brought 
to  Ballarat,  and  so  we  got  up  a  great  sale  of  tobacco,  and  our  stock 
ran  low  before  we  had  been  open  a  week. 

Smith,  and  the  man  he  had  hired  to  freight  goods,  remained  with  us 
three  days,  and  then  returned,  in  all  haste,  to  Melbourne  for  more 
goods,  for  our  run  of  custom  was  so  great  that  we  found  that  a  fresh 
supply  of  articles  was  needed  without  delay.  Our  partner  did  not  need 
urging  to  return  to  the  city,  for  the  reader  will  recollect  that  he  was 
recently  married,  and  that  his  wife  was  at  Melbourne. 

We  found,  when  he  got  ready  to  start,  that  we  had  taken  gold  dust 
enough  to  pay  for  our  next  cargo,  even  without  drawing  on  our  reserve 
fund,  which  was  held  subject  to  our  order  in  a  Melbourne  bank. 

We  were  sitting  in  our  store  one  evening,  smoking  our  pipes,  as 
usual,  and  talking  over  the  business  of  the  day,  when  we  heard  a  knock 
at  the  door,  light  and  timid,  as  though  delivered  by  the  hand  of  a 
woman. 

It  was  long  past  the  hour  of  our  closing,  and  we  had  made  prepara- 
tions for  retiring  for  the  night,  for  our  hammocks  were  slung,  and  ready 
for  occupancy,  and  it  was  seldom  that  we  had  a  visitor  at  so  late  an  hour. 
The  knock  started  us,  and  even  Hover,  who  had  been  sleeping  soundly, 


358  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

awoke  with  a  growl,  as  though  he  scented  danger,  and  was  going  to  be 
prepared  to  meet  it. 

"  Who  can  that  be  ?  "  asked  Fred,  involuntarily  placing  his  hand  upon 
his  revolver. 

I  was  unable  to  answer  the  question,  of  course ;  but  we  waited  in  si- 
lence for  a  repetition  of  the  knocking  with  as  much  anxiety  as  though 
it  had  been  a  summons  of  instant  execution. 

There  was  a  secret  gang  of  ruffians  in  Ballarat  at  that  time,  and  in 
defiance  of  the  vigilance  of  the  police,  they  had  committed  many  bold 
robberies,  and  even  murders ;  and  the  stories  told  of  their  atrocitie« 
had  awakened  a  feeling  in  our  hearts  that  perhaps  some  night  the  vil- 
lains might  undertake  an  attack  upon  ourselves,  knowing,  as  they  must, 
that  our  sales  were  large,  and  that  we  must  have  considerable  money  on 
hand,  which  we  did  not  deposit  at  the  government  office,  for  the  purpose 
of  being  sent  to  Melbourne  under  military  escort. 

Every  night,  since  we  had  grown  in  importance  and  wealth,  we  had 
slept  with  our  revolvers  under  our  heads,  and  beneath  our  pillows  were 
small  bags  of  gold  dust,  and  gold  and  silver  coin ;  and  when  men  be- 
gin to  collect  riches,  they  will  defend  them  and  watch  over  them  with 
more  tenderness  than  any  thing  else  that  they  possess. 

Again  we  heard  the  knock  upon  our  door,  and,  we  thought,  a  low 
groan ;  but  it  might  have  been  the  wind.  The  hound  was  snuffing  at 
the  door,  and  uttered  a  low  wail,  as  though  mourning  for  the  dead. 
Two  or  three  times  he  trotted  towards  us,  and  then  returned  and 
scratched  at  the  woodwork  with  his  claws,  as  though  anxious  to  get  into 
the  street. 

"  I  can  stand  this  no  longer ! "  cried  Fred,  cocking  his  revolver,  and 
starting  up.  "  I  will  see  who  is  at  the  door  if  a  dozen  robbers  are 
waiting  outside." 

He  started  towards  the  door  as  he  spoke,  and  I  followed  him.  Just 
as  we  were  about  to  draw  the  bolts,  another  knock,  but  much  fainter, 
and  a  low,  death-like  groan,  fell  upon  our  ears. 

We  started,  and  hesitated  about  proceeding ;  but  Rover  looked  up 
into  our  faces  with  such  an  expression,  as  though  to  encourage  us  to  see 
what  the  matter  was,  that  we  determined  to  investigate,  and  no  longer 
suspect  a  trick. 

We  withdrew  the  bolts  and  suddenly  threw  open  the  door,  and  as  we 
did  so,  the  body  of  a  man  fell  inward,  and  lay  at  our  feet  motionless, 
although  by  our  lights,  dim  as  they  were,  we  could  see  that  our  mid- 
night visitor  was  covered  with  blood. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  359 

CHAPTER     LII. 

THE  ATTEMPT  TO  MURDER  MR.  CRITCHET. 

WE  were  surprised  and  somewhat  startled  at  the  intrusion,  but  we 
did  not  stop  to  exchange  surmises,  or  to  ask  questions.  A  man  was 
lying  at  our  feet,  badly  wounded,  and  was  bleeding  freely  from  half  a 
dozen  cuts  or  stabs. 

We  considered  that  our  first  duty  was  to  attend  to  him,  and  defend 
him,  if  necessary,  from  a  fresh  attack  of  assailants,  and  that  after  his 
wounds  were  dressed,  and  he  was  able  to  answer  questions,  then  we 
could  investigate  the  circumstances  connected  with  his  mysterioug 
appearance  at  our  door,  and,  if  possible,  bring  to  justice  the  perpetra- 
tors of  the  wrong. 

Before  we  moved  the  now  insensible  body,  we  looked  out  and  endeav- 
ored to  discover  if  persons  were  loitering  near ;  but  all  was  quiet,  and 
not  a  soul  was  to  be  seen.  We  hastily  closed  the  door  and  bolted  it, 
and  then  moved  the  wounded  man  to  a  mattress  that  we  kept  for  Smith 
to  sleep  upon  when  he  was  with  us,  and  as  we  did  so,  and  the  light  fell 
upon  his  features,  we  were  surprised  to  discover  that  our  visitor  was  our 
nearest  neighbor,  an  elderly  Englishman  by  the  name  of  Critchet,  who, 
in  company  with  his  nephew,  a  young  fellow  of  dissipated  habits,  was 
working  a  mine  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  our  store.  The  young 
man's  name  was  Follet ;  and  while  we  had  never  had  any  conversation 
with  him,  excepting  while  selling  a  few  articles  which  he  required  from 
the  store,  we  had  taken  a  strong  prejudice  against  him,  although  upon 
what  ground  we  could  not  really  tell. 

He  was  one  of  those  kind  of  men  who  never  look  you  full  in  the  face 
while  speaking,  and  if  indeed  you  caught  his  eye,  it  was  only  for  the 
sixteenth  part  of  a  second,  and  by  accident  at  that.  He  had  the  name 
of  being  a  desperate  gambler,  and  once  Mr.  Brown  had  called  our 
attention  to  him,  and  remarked  that  he  had  lost  more  money  at  card 
playing  than  he  made  honestly,  and  wondered  if  his  uncle  supplied  .his 
extravagances. 

The  latter  owned  the  claim  which  he  was  working,  and  employed  the 
nephew  at  a  fair  salary,  and  that  was  all  that  we  knew  of  the  connec- 
tion between  them,  excepting  that  we  had  seen  them  talking  together 
in  an  excited  manner  quite  frequently,  and  only  the  day  before  we  had 
heard  them  quarrel  on  some  subject  that  we  did  not  care  to  listen  to, 
for  it  did  not  concern  us. 

Report  had  often  reached  our  ears  that  Mr.  Critchet  had  made  quite 
a  fortune  with  his  claim,  and  that  he  was  very  prudent  in  his  expendi- 
tures ;  but  as  he  had  never  disputed  our  prices,  and  paid  what  we 
demanded  without  a  word  of  complaint,  we  placed  no  reliance  upon  the 
assertions. 

After  our  first  expression  of  astonishment  was  over,  we  set  to  work 
without  delay  to  ascertain  what  injuries  the  old  man  had  sustained. 
We  removed  his  vest  and  shirt,  and  found  a  small  cut  near  the  region 


860  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

of  his  'heart ;  but  upon  probing  the  wound  we  found  that  the  blow,  evi- 
dently intended  to  be  a  fatal  one,  had  been  misdirected ;  that  a  rib  bad 
received  the  point  of  the  knife,  and  saved  the  old  man  from  instant 
death. 

A  further  examination  revealed  two  more  stabs,  one  on  the  right 
shoulder  and  the  other  on  the  left  breast,  both  of  which  were  bleeding 
profusely,  and  had  so  weakened  the  old  man  that  he  fainted  the  instant 
he  found  that  he  was  likely  to  receive  assistance. 

We  went  to  work  and  cleansed  the  wounds  of  blood,  and  then 
stopped  the  bleeding  by  applying  balsam  and  lint  freely,  and  over  all 
we  put  pieces  of  adhesive  plaster,  which  we  had  used  before  for  cuts, 
and  found  very  efficacious. 

In  the  present  instance  it  served  to  keep  the  lint  in  its  place,  and  1 
have  no  doubt  that  it  was  mainly  instrumental  in  saving  the  life  of  Mr. 
Critchet,  for  it  prevented  the  insects  from  irritating  the  wounds  and 
causing  inflammation. 

A  dose  of  weak  wine  was  poured  down  our  patient's  throat,  and  then 
we  sat  by  his  side  until  morning,  before  he  recovered  his  consciousness, 
and  was  able  to  speak. 

"  I've  foiled  the  young  scamp,"  he  muttered,  as  he  looked  around  the 
store,  and  then  suffered  his  glance  to  rest  upon  our  faces.  "  He 
thought  that  he  could  get  the  old  miner's  dust ;  but  he  missed  his  aim, 
and  I  shall  yet  live  to  punish  him." 

"  Of  whom  do  you  speak  ?  "  I  asked,  bending  over  his  form  so  that  1 
could  hear  him  more  distinctly,  for  he  spoke  rather  low  and  incoherently. 

"  There  were  two  of  them,"  the  old  miner  continued,  not  noticing  my 
interrogation ;  "  I  know  there  were  two  of  them,  because  I  could  hear 
them  whisper,  and  feel  for  the  gold ;  but  I  cheated  them,  and  shall  live." 

The  old  man  attempted  to  laugh,  but  the  effort  sounded  like  a  death- 
rattle,  it  was  so  faint. 

"  You  must  not  talk  now,"  Fred  said,  "  but  save  your  strength,  and 
in  a  few  days  we  hope  ydu  will  be  quite  well.  Sleep  if  you  can,  and  in 
the  mean  time  we  will  send  you  a  physician." 

"  No,  no,"  our  patient  exclaimed,  hurriedly ;  "  I  want  no  meddlesome 
quack  near  me,  with  his  solemn  face  and  pretended  knowledge.  There 
is  not  a  doctor  in  Ballarat  that  I  would  trust  with  my  life.  Besides, 
they  are  so  expensive,  and  where  is  the  money  to  come  from  to  pay  a 
physician's  bills  ?"" 

"  We  will  be  responsible  for  his  bill,"  rejoined  Fred,  soothingly. 
"  You  have  been  grievously  hurt,  and  need  better  attention  than  we  can 
give  you." 

"  But  I  say  no,"  reiterated  Mr.  Critchet ;  "  I  shall  get  well,  and  to 
you  alone  will  the  praise  be  due.  And  hark  ye,  young  men !  don't  be 
too  forward  hereafter  in  volunteering  to  assume  another's  debts.  You 
may  live  to  repent  it.  Now  let  me  rest  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  when  I 
awake  I  think  that  I  shall  feel  stronger." 

The  old  man,  who  spoke  with  a  sort  of  dictatorial  officiousness,  as 
though  he  had  been  accustomed  to  command  all  his  lifetime,  closed 
his  eyes,  and  in  a  few  minutes  was  in  a  troubled  sleep ;  and  as  he  did 
not  require  the  services  of  both  of  us  to  attend  him,  I  went  to  bed,  and 
left  Fred  watching  by  his  side,  with  the  understanding  that  I  was  to  be 


A   GOLD    HUNTEll's   ADVENTURES.  361 

ealled  at  daylight,  so  that  I  could  relieve,  him  and  let  him  obtain  a  few 
hours'  rest,  which  he  very  much  needed. 

Fred  called  me  at  the  specified  time,  but  our  patient,  instead  of  be- 
ing bettei-,  was  much  worse,  and  was  laboring  under  the  effects  of  a 
high  fever.  A  dozen  times  he  attempted  to  leave  his  bed,  and  as  often 
did  I  restrain  him,  and  soothe  him  with  kind  words,  until  at  length, 
just  before  daylight,  I  recollected  a  bottle  of  opium  that  I  had  in  my 
trunk,  and  I  managed  to  get  it  and  persuade  the  sick  man  to  take  a  large 
dose,  which  he  did  under  the  impression  that  I  was  a  servant,  and  was 
handing  him  a  glass  of  wine. 

The  opiate  acted  in  a  beneficial  manner,  for  his  system  was  so  weak- 
ened that  it  set  him  into  a  deep  sleep,  which  lasted  for  a  number  of 
hours ;  and  before  he  had  awakened  we  had  removed  him  to  a  little 
room  that  we  had  partitioned  off  from  the  main  store,  where  he  could 
be  free  from  most  of  the  noise  and  confusion  that  large  sales  occasioned. 

About  sunrise,  the  first  person  that  entered  the  store  was  the  old 
man's  nephew,  Follet.  He  looked  agitated  and  alarmed,  and  shuddered, 
when  he  saw  the  stains  of  blood  upon  the  doorstep,  and  also  on  the 
floor  of  the  store  where  we  had  rested  the  old  man  before  putting  him 
on  the  mattress.  He  did  not  raise  his  eyes  to  our  faces,  although  many 
times  I  endeavored  to  get  a  fair  glance  at  his  face,  to  see  if  I  could  read 
his  thoughts. 

"  I  have  bad  news  this  morning,"  he  said,  at  length,  finding  we  were 
not  disposed  to  open  the  conversation. 

"  Have  you,  indeed  ?  "  asked  Fred,  with  a  slight  sneer. 

"  I  slept  from  my  uncle's  tent  last  night,"  he  went  on  to  say,  "  and 
upon  returning  this  morning  I  find  that  there  has  been  violence  and 
robbery  committed.  My  poor  relative  is  missing,  and  I  fear  murdered, 
for  his  bed  is  bloody,  and  tracks  of  blood  are  to  be  seen  on  the 
ground." 

"  And  in  regard  to  the  robbery,"  Fred  asked,  "  how  do  you  know 
that  he  has  lost  any  thing  ?  " 

"  O,  I  am  positive  on  that  score,  because  my  uncle  had  about  a 
thousand  ounces  of  gold,  in  nuggets  and  fine  dust,  buried  under  one 
corner  of  his  tent,  and  the  treasure  is  gone,"  cried  Follet,  eagerly. 

"You  are  certain  of  that,  I  suppose?"  Fred  asked. 

"  O,  quite  certain,  because  the  gold  is  the  first  thing  that  I  thought 
of  when  I  found  that  my  uncle  had  been  murdered,"  exclaimed  the 
young  fellow,  with  his  eyes  still  cast  to  the  floor. 

"  Do  you  suspect  any  one  ?  "  we  asked,  with  a  design  to  bring  him  out. 

"  There  is  blood  upon  your  door  step  and  floor,  and  the  tracks  lead 
this  way,"  he  answered  evasively. 

I  saw  that  he  raised  his  eyes  quick  as  lightning  to  note  what  effect  his 
words  had  upon  us ;  but  meeting  the  stern  glance  of  Fred,  he  again 
gazed  upon  the  floor. 

"  I  suppose  that  we  might  effect  a  compromise,  and  get  somebody  to 
swear  that  we  did  not  molest  your  uncle,  if  we  promised  five  hundred 
of  the  thousand  ounces  that  the  robbers  and  would-be  assassins  ob- 
tained," Fred  remarked,  in  an  under  tone,  and  in  a  careless  sort  of 
manner. 

"  I,  for  one,"  the  young  fellow  replied,  "  should  never  be  disposed  to 

31 


362  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

ask  questions,  although  you  can  imagine  my  feelings  at  the  thought  of 
the  bad  treatment  that  the  old  fellow  received.  When  can  I  have  the 
dust?" 

The  question  disconcerted  Fred  for  a  moment,  for  he  had  no  idea 
that  the  fellow  would  answer  as  he  did. 

"  As  soon  as  your  uncle  is  well  enough  to  talk  about  money  matters, 
we  will  mention  the  subject,"  I  rejoined,  hastily. 

"  Well  enough  ?  "  he  asked ;  "  I  thought  that  you  said  he  was  dead." 

"  O,  bless  you,  no,  indeed ;  he  is  far  from  being  a  dead  man,  and  we 
hope,  by  proper  treatment,  to  see  him  well  in  the  course  of  a  few 
weeks." 

The  nephew's  face  darkened,  and  his  eyes  looked  snaky,  as  though  he 
would  like  to  strike,  but  dared  not.  We  motioned  to  him,  and  led  the 
way  to  the  small  private  room  where  Mr.  Critchet  was  lying,  and  when 
he  saw  his  uncle's  wan  features,  he  turned  pale,  and  his  agitation  was 
intense. 

He  saw  that  we  were  watching  his  movements,  and  tried  to  appear 
as  though  surprised,  but  the  artificial  effort  was  too  much  for  him  ;  and 
finally  he  turned  and  left  the  room,  giving  as  an  excuse  that  his  feelings 
overpowered  him. 

-"  You  can  see  the  sufferer  every  day,  if  you  are  disposed,"  Fred 
said,  "  but  it  must  always  be  in  the  presence  of  witnesses.  When  your 
uncle  is  well  he  can  act  as  he  pleases,  but  here  he  remains  until  cured." 

"  Your  language  is  mysterious,  and  seems  to  reflect  upon  me  as  a 
man  of  honor,"  he  exclaimed.  "  Do  I  understand  you  to  say  that  you 
suspect  me  of  injuring  my  poor  uncle,  whom  I  loved  above  all  earthly 
things  ?  " 

"  With  the  exception  of  playing  cards,"  Fred  added. 

"You  shall  be  sorry  for  your  words,  and  perhaps  I  may  make 
you  appear  in  rather  an  equivocal  light  before  many  hours  have  passed ; " 
and  with  a  look  of  devilish  malice  the  nephew,  who  had  attempted  to 
murder  his  old  uncle  for  a  few  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  gold  dust, 
left  the  store,  and  we  did  not  care  if  we  never  laid  eyes  upon  his  treach- 
erous, cold-looking  face  again,  although  I  had  serious  forebodings  that 
Vie  had  not  got  rid  of  him  entirely,  and  that  he  would  work  us  injury. 

I  hinted  something  of  the  kind  to  Fred,  but  he  laughed  at  it,  and  in 
a  few  minutes  we  had  a  rush  of  morning  customers,  and  all  thoughts 
of  Follet  and  his  vengeance  were  banished  from  my  mind. 

I  think  that  we  were  seated  at  breakfast,  and  wondering  why  Mr. 
Brown  had  been  absent  for  such  a  length  of  time  from  the  store,  when 
who  should  pay  us  a  visit  but  the  police  commissioner,  Mr.  Sherwin,  a 
tall,  dignified  man,  with  a  face  that  had  no  more  expression  in  it  than  a 
piece  of  coal.  He  was  never  known  to  lean  to  the  side  of  mercy  dur- 
ing the  whole  of  his  career  as  an  officer,  and  as  commissioner  he  had 
exclusive  jurisdiction  over  the  petty  court  of  Ballarat,  and  fined  and 
sentenced  miners,  who  were  brought  before  him  for  drunkenness  and 
petty  larceny,  without  mercy.  He  was  an  ambitious  man,  and  had 
striven  for  a  long  time  to  get  a  seat  upon  one  of  the  benches  of  the 
upper  courts  in  Melbourne,  but  owing  to  the  want  of  influence,  he  had 
never  succeeded.  Every  person  that  he  imagined  could  sway  the  gov- 
•mor-general  was  treated  with  delightful  consideration;  but  a  look 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  363 

blacker  than  a  raven's  wing  was  the  reward  of  every  one  who  ventured 
on  familiarity  not  up  to  his  standard  of  excellence. 

I  must  confess  that  I  was  surprised  at  the  early  visit  of  the  commis- 
sioner, and  I  was  still  more  astonished  when  I  saw  half  a  dozen  police- 
men near  the  door,  as  though  they  were  on  business  that  they  were 
ashamed  of,  and  desired  to  keep  out  of  sight ;  still,  it  never  entered  our 
minds  that  we  were  the  parties  that  the  policemen  were  watching. 

Supposing  that  the  commissioner  wished  to  purchase  some  articles 
from  our  store,  Fred  went  to  attend  upon  him,  while  I  continued  to  eat 
my  breakfast. 

"  I  want  no  goods,  sir,"  returned  Mr.  Sherwin,  in  a  short,  sharp  tone, 
in  reply  to  Fred's  question  as  to  what  he  would  be  served  with. 

Fred  appeared  slightly  disconcerted,  and  returned  to  his  breakfast 
with  an  independent  expression  upon  his  face,  that  spoke  more  than 
•  words  the  contempt  he  felt  for  the  visitor. 

"  You  young  men  appear  to  be  quite  at  your  ease,"  the  commissioner 
said,  surveying  our  indifference  with  no  favorable  eye. 

"  Why  should  we  not  be  ?  "  asked  Fred ;  "  we  have  a  license  for  our 
store,  we  have  paid  for  our  goods,  and  owe  no  man  a  penny." 

"  Does  your  license  extend  to  killing  and  robbing  men  ?  "  asked  the 
commissioner,  in  an  insolent  tone,  and  one  that  we  knew  he  used  to  in- 
sult us  with. 

Fred  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  an  angry  reply  was  upon  his  tongu&,  but 
I  managed  to  check  him. 

"  An  explanation  of  these  words  is  required,"  I  said,  as  mildly  as  my 
nature  would  allow ;  and  to  my  surprise,  instead  of  facing  me,  and  an- 
swering, the  commissioner  pointed  to  the  stains  on  the  floor,  and  asked, 
in  a  sneering  tone,  — 

"  Whose  blood  is  that  ?  " 

"  That  of  an  old  and  helpless  man,"  I  returned,  bearing  his  searching 
glance  without  flinching,  although  I  had  an  inward  feeling  that  told  me 
that  we  were  standing  in  a  suspicious  attitude,  and  that  one  false  move 
would  wreck  us  both. 

"  Remember,"  Mr.  Sherwin  continued,  "  I  do  not  ask  you  to  criminate 
yourselves,  but  if  a  full  confession  is  made,  I  will  lay  the  matter  before 
the  governor-general,  and  perhaps  he  may  be  disposed  to  grant  you 
some  mercy.  I  fancy  that  a  frank  confession  would  be  the  most  desir- 
able course  for  both  of  you  to  pursue,"  the  commissioner  said,  in  a 
careless  tone,  as  though  he  did  not  care  whether  we  complied  with  his 
advice  or  not. 

"  All  the  confession  that  we  can  make  is  to  tell  the  truth,"  cried  Fred, 
who  always  grew  cooler  the  more  imminent  the  danger ;  "  we  will  sim- 
ply state  the  facts,  and  then  you  can  judge  of  our  guilt." 

The  commissioner  made  a  sign  for  Fred  to  go  on,  although  I  could 
see  by  his  face  that  he  was  anticipating  a  yarn,  and  was  prepared  to  be- 
lieve just  as  much  of  it  as  he  pleased. 

Fred  told  the  circumstances  of  the  affair  just  as  they  occurred,  and 
without  equivocation.  Mr.  Sherwin  listened  without  interruption,  and 
also,  I  will  add,  without  belief. 

"  Of  course  I  can  see  the  old  man  ?  "  the  commissioner  asked,  in  a 
half-sneering  manner,  as  though  prepared  for  us  to  deny  him  the  right. 


3d4  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Certainly,"  answered  Fred ;  and  he  led  the  way  to  the  little  private 
room  where  Mr.  Critchet  was  lying,  and,  to  our  joy,  still  sleeping,  which 
argued  well  for  his  ultimate  recovery. 

"  Here  is  the  man  whom  you  accuse  us  of  murdering,"  Fred  whis- 
pered ;  "  see  what  pains  we  have  taken  to  hasten  his  end."  And  he 
pointed  to  the  numerous  bandages  with  which  we  had  bound  up  his 
wounds. 

"I  was  prepared  to  find  the  body  of  Mr.  Critchet  here,  but  not 
alive,"  the  commissioner  said.  "  I  was  told  that  he  was  dead,  and  that 
I  could  find  unmistakable  signs  of  those  who  committed  the  murder, 
here." 

"Perhaps  you  will  give  us  the  name  of  your  informant.  We  desire 
to  be  confronted  with  the  man  who  dares  charge  us  with  assassi- 
nation ! " 

Fred  spoke  with  firmness,  and  with  a  degree  of  hauteur  that  was  not 
habitual. 

Mr.  Sherwin  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  stepped  out  of  the 
little  room  and  beckoned  to  a  police  officer. 

The  latter  did  not  display  that  degree  of  alacrity  that  one  would  have 
suspected  in  obeying  the  summons,  and  upon  looking  at  the  man, 
I  found  that  he  had  accompanied  us  on  our  tax-gathering  tours,  and 
that  he  was  aware  of  the  estimation  in  which  Mr.  Brown  held  us,  and 
was  fearful  that  he  should  incur  the  inspector's  displeasure  if  he  mani- 
fested too  great  an  eagerness  in  our  affairs. 

"  Michael,"  said  the  commissioner,  "  bring  in  Follet." 

We  started  at  the  words,  and  then  we  saw  a  dark  smile  upon  the  face 
of  the  cold-hearted  commissioner,  that  told  how  keenly  he  enjoyed  our 
misery. 

"  If  you  please,  sir,"  said  Michael,  cap  in  hand,  and  a  beseeching 
glance  upon  his  face,  "  I  think  that  Follet  is  lying,  for  I've  known  him 
for  six  months  past,  and  never  saw  or  heard  much  about  his  habits  that 
is  favorable." 

"  I  did  not  ask  your  opinion  or  advice,  sir,"  interrupted  the  commis- 
sioner, in  the  same  cold  tone,  and  with  a  look  that  almost  froze  the  po- 
liceman ;  "  do  as  I  bid  you,  and  learn  to  keep  silent." 

Michael  looked  as  though  he  would  like  to  make  a  reply,  but  fear  of 
losing  his  place  prevented.  He  walked  slowly  to  the  door,  and  after  a 
delay  of  a  few  minutes,  escorted  our  accuser,  Follet,  into  the  store. 

The  fellow's  face  was  deadly  pale,  and  his  eyes  were  never  once 
raised  during  the  interview.  He  had  evidently  schooled  himself  for 
the  part  that  he  was  to  play,  by  imbibing  deeply  of  some  spirituous 
liquor,  for  he  was  rather  unsteady  in  his  gait ;  but  that  might  have  been 
the  result  of  agitation  as  well  as  whiskey. 

"  Are  these  the  two  men  whom  you  alluded  to  in  my  office  this  morn- 
ing ?  "  the  commissioner  inquired,  pointing  tp  Fred  and  myself. 

The  scoundrel,  without  raising  his  eyes,  replied  in  the  affirma- 
tive. 

"  Repeat  in  their  presence  what  you  told  me,  and  mind  that  you  don't 
tell  two  stories." 

The  fellow  cleared  his  throat,  which  was  rather  husky,  and  in  a  mo- 
notonous tone  began.  The  policemen,  who  were  lounging  near  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  365 

door,  had  all  edged  their  way  into  the  store,  and  listened  to  the  recital 
with  many  expressions  of  wonder  and  disbelief  upon  their  faces. 

"  About  three  weeks  ago,"  Follet  began,  "  these  two  men  [pointing 
to  Fred  and  myself]  asked  me  if  my  uncle  was  not  digging  out  a  large 
amount  of  dust  and  nuggets  from  his  claim.  I  said  yes ;  that  he 
would  probably  get  five  or  six  thousand  pounds,  if  it  held  out  as  well 
as  it  opened.  We  exchanged  a  few  other  words,  and  then  the  question 
was  indirectly  put  to  me  —  if  my  poor  uncle  was  in  the  habit  of  sending 
his  money  to  the  government  office  or  keeping  it  buried  in  his  tent.  I 
suspected  nothing,  for  I  knew  that  the  men  stood  in  good  estimation 
with  the  police  force,  and  foolishly  answered  that  he  seldom  sent  money 
by  escort  to  Melbourne,  as  he  feared  to  trust  the  soldiers  with  it.  I 
thought  no  more  of  the  matter  until  about  a  week  ago  these  same  men 
sent  for  me,  and  by  indirect  inquiries  wanted  to  know  if  I  would  share 
with  them  in  robbing  my  poor  uncle's  tent.  I  indignantly  repulsed 
them,  and  threatened  to  give  information  to  the  police  if  another  word 
was  uttered  concerning  the  subject,  and  I  had  supposed  that  the  matter 
was  dropped,  until,  on  my  return  home  this  morning  at  an  early  hour, 
I  found  that  foul  play  had  been  practised,  and  that  my  relative  had  been 
robbed,  and  I  didn't  know  but  that  he  was  murdered,  for  I  saw  blood 
on  various  articles  in  the  tent ;  and  when  I  reached  this  building,  where 
I  first  went  to  see  if  its  occupants  had  been  concerned  in  the  outrage,  I 
found  blood  upon  the  doorstep  and  also  upon  the  floor,  and  these  men 
were  badly  agitated,  and  even  offered  me  five  hundred  ounces  if  I  would 
keep  silent,  and  not  inform  of  them.  I  indignantly  refused,  and  then 
these  men  showed  me  the  body  of  my  uncle  so  terribly  mangled,  that  I 
was  sick  at  heart ;  and  thinking  that  I  should  share  his  fate  if  I 
remained,  I  hurried  away,  and  laid  the  whole  matter  before  you  for 
investigation.  What  I  have  uttered  is  the  truth,  so  help  me  God ! " 

The  miserable,  lying  wretch  ceased  speaking,  but  trembled  so  that  a 
policeman  was  obliged  to  support  him. 

For  a  few  seconds  Fred  and  myself  looked  at  each  other  in  conster- 
nation and  despair.  If  the  testimony  of  the  wretch  was  taken  without 
a  grain  of  allowance,  we  were  in  a  dilemma  that  would  tax  us  to  the 
utmost  to  find  means  of  escape.  Even  the  policemen  appeared  to  have 
changed  their  opinions,  and  ranged  themselves  against  us,  and  we  could 
hear  them  whisper  in  relation  to  the  straightforward  manner  in  which 
Follet  recited  his  story. 

A  smile  of  triumph  was  upon  the  face  of  Mr.  Sherwin,  and  already  I 
thought  he  was  congratulating  himself  upon  judicial  promotion  for  his 
shrewdness  in  causing  our  detection,  when  the  arrival  of  a  new  comer 
put  a  little  different  light  upon  the  affair. 

31* 


366  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 


CHAPTER    LIII. 

OPPORTUNE  ARRIVAL  OF  MR.  BROWN.  —  THEY  SEND  FOR  STEEL 

SPRING. 

OF  all  persons  in  the  world  the  one  most  welcome  to  our  eyes  was 
Mr.  Brown,  the  inspector ;  and  when  he  made  his  appearance  at  the 
door,  looking  dusty,  hot,  and  tired,  we  were  tempted  to  rush  forward 
and  embrace  him,  for  he  seemed  as  though  capable  of  delivering  us 
from  the  perplexing  situation  in  which  we  stood,  although  in  what  man- 
ner we  were  unable  to  say,  for  the  commissioner  was  his  superior  officer, 
and  could  dispose  of  us  as  he  pleased,  regardless  of  the  remonstrances 
of  his  associate. 

"  My  dear  boys,"  the  inspector  said,  coming  hastily  towards  us,  and 
extending  his  hand,  regardless  of  the  presence  of  the  commissioner, 
who  scowled  at  the  interruption,  yet  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  pro- 
test against  it, — "  my  dear  boys,"  he  continued,  "  I  have  but  this  mo- 
ment arrived  in  Ballarat  from  a  short  visit  to  Melbourne,  where  I  was 
unexpectedly  called  on  business,  and  learned  at  the  office  that  some 
trifling  charge  had  been  trumped  up  against  you,  and  without  waiting  to 
change  my  dress,  or  wash  the  stains  of  travel  from  my  face  and  hands, 
I  hurried  here  to  see  in  what  way  I  could  assist  you." 

"  And  we  gladly  welcome  you,  for  we  find  that  a  grave  charge  is  pre- 
ferred against  us,  and  all  our  assertions  of  innocence  will  not  avail  us," 
returned  Fred,  in  a  sorrowful  tone. 

"  Pooh !  don't  be  low  spirited  —  I'll  investigate  the  facts  of  the  case, 
and  I'll  warrant  that  every  thing  will  be  all  right.  I  will  relieve  you  of 
a  troublesome  duty,  sir,  and  take  charge  of  this  matter,"  the  inspector 
said,  turning  to  the  commissioner ;  but  to  Mr.  Brown's  surprise  the  lat- 
ter bowed  rather  coldly,  and  declined  the  offer. 

"  I  have  begun  to  investigate  this  matter,  and  will  complete  it,  sir," 
he  said. 

"  I  believe  that  I  have  always  attended  to  the  duties  of  my  office  in  a 
satisfactory  manner,  and  this  is  the  first  time  during  my  connection  with 
the  police  force  that  I  have  been  supplanted  by  a  superior,"  cried  Mr. 
Brown,  rather  angrily. 

"  I  shall  act  my  pleasure  in  this  case,  or  in  any  other  that  I  choose  to 
interfere  with.  Here  are  two  men  charged  with  a  heavy  robbery  and 
an  attempt  at  assassination,  and  my  duty  will  not  permit  me  to  let  the 
parties  escape  until  a  full  investigation  is  made ; "  and  the  commissioner 
straightened  himself  up  as  though  he  was  as  immovable  as  granite. 

"  An  attempt  at  assassination  ? "  echoed  the  inspector,  turning  to- 
wards us  for  an  explanation. 

"  That  is  the  charge,"  I  replied. 

"And  who  dares  make  such  an 'assertion?"  Mr.  Brown  asked,  his 
face  pale  with  suppressed  excitement. 

"  Mr.  Follet  has  presented  the  complaint  to  me,  and  backed  it  with 
•ome  proof  that  looks  conclusive,"  the  commissioner  said,  pointing  to 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  367 

the  perjured  villain,  who  stood  with  sullen  aspect  a  short  distance 
from  us. 

"  Do  you  dare  bring  such  a  charge  against  these  men  ?  "  asked  the 
inspector,  facing  the  lying  scamp,  and  endeavoring  to  get  a  glimpse  at 
his  face.  "  Take  time  for  your  answer,  and  consider  the  suspicious 
manner  in  which  you  stand  in  the  estimation  of  the  police  at  Ballarat. 
I  know  you  and  your  doings." 

Follet  made  an  appealing  gesture  to  the  commissioner,  and  the  latter 
interfered. 

"  I  will  have  no  browbeating  of  the  witness,"  he  said.  "  He 
appeared  before  me  in  good  faith,  and  until  his  assertions  are  contra- 
dicted, I  shall  consider  that  he  is  under  my  protection." 

"  But  if  I  can  show  you  that  he  is  unworthy  of  belief,  and  that  for 
months  past  he  has  been  in  the  habit  of  gambling  with  money  which 
he  has  purloined  from  his  uncle,  and  that  he  owes  large  debts  which  he 
has  contracted,  and  is  unable  to  pay,  will  that  have  any  effect  upon  you 
in  judging  of  this  matter  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Brown,  with  some  warmth. 

"  If  you  can  prove  to  me  that  these  young  men  are  innocent  of  the 
charge,  then  I  shall  be  ready  to  listen  to  complaints  against  Follet,  but 
not  until  then.  Bad  habits  sometimes  prejudice  the  minds  of  a  jury 
against  a  witness,  and  testimony  is  weighed  in  connection  with  circum- 
stantial matters  which  are  brought  to  light.  I  think  that  we  have  a 
strong  case,  for  there  are  marks  of  blood,  and  the  victim  is  found  under 
this  roof  almost  lifeless,  but  with  bandages  on  the  wounds.  Now  it  is 
a  question  in  my  mind,  whether  this  binding  up  of  the  injuries  is  not  a 
trick  for  the  purpose  of  escaping  punishment.  If " 

"  But  these  men  are  above  suspicion,"  cried  the  inspector,  impa- 
tiently. 

"  I  have  not  finished  yet,"  the  commissioner  said,  coldly.  "  I  was 
about  to  observe  that  if  more  evidence  was  wanting  this  would  com- 
plete it ; "  and  bending  down,  he  inserted  his  arm  in  a  barrel  that  was 
partially  filled  with  rice,  and  to  our  utter  consternation,  held  up  to  our 
view  a  sheath  knife  covered  with  blood. 

"  Perhaps  your  friends  can  account  for  the  presence  of  this  knife  in 
their  store  ?  "  asked  the  commissioner,  with  a  cold  smile  at  the  distress 
that  he  saw  upon  our  faces. 

"  We  cannot,"  I  answered.  "  We  had  two  dozen  of  just  such  knives 
when  we  commenced  business,  and  sold  the  last  one  that  we  had  yes- 
terday." 

"  I  will  wager  a  hundred  ounces  that  Follet  put  the  knife  in  the  bar- 
rel when  he  visited  the  store  this  morning,"  cried  the  inspector,  dog- 
matically. 

"  Did  you  sell  a  knife  of  this  pattern  to  Mr.  Follet  ?  "  asked  Sherwin, 
turning  to  us. 

Mr.  Brown  seemed  to  take  fresh  courage  at  the  question,  and  we 
could  see  that  he  was  anxious  for  us  to  answer  in  the  affirmative.  Had 
we  done  so,  the  commissioner  would  have  been  staggered  with  the  coin- 
cidence, and  our  dismissal  have  followed  instantly. 

But  we  disdained  to  lie  even  to  save  ourselves  from  incarceration, 
and  much  to  the  disgust  of  Mr.  Brown,  and  the  triumph  of  the  com- 
missioner, we  replied  without  a  moment's  hesitancy,  — 


368  LIFE    ENT   AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  Mr.  Follet  never  purchased  a  knife  at  our  store." 

"  Do  you  wish  for  more  conclusive  proof?  "  asked  Mr.  Sherwin. 

"  Proof?  "  echoed  the  inspector;  "  I  hope  that  you  don't  call  the  find- 
ing of  the  knife  in  that  barrel  proof.  I  do  not  believe  that  these  young 
men,  the  preservers  of  my  life,  would  commit  an  outrage  of  the  kind 
that  you  charge  them  with  for  all  the  gold  in  Ballarat." 

"  Time  will,  perhaps,  reveal  the  secret  of  the  affair.  Mr.  Critchet 
may  live,  and  be  able  to  give  us  a  clew  to  his  assailants ;  and  until  he 
recovers  or  dies,  I  think  that  I  shall  be  justified  in  committing  youJ 
friends  to  prison  without  bail." 

The  words  of  the  commissioner  fell  upon  our  ears  like  a  thunderbolt 
A  dozen  different  ideas  coursed  through  my  brain,  yet  I  was  too  much 
bowed  down  with  grief  to  attempt  to  form  them  into  tangible  shapes. 
And  even  while  I  was  thinking  what  would  become  of  the  store  and 
contents  during  our  imprisonment,  Mr.  Brown  broke  the  ominous 
silence. 

"  This  is  a  case  where  bail  can  be  readily  given,  if  you  will  accept  of 
it,  and  any  amount  that  you  may  name  will  be  forthcoming,"  the  inspect- 
or said,  addressing  the  commissioner. 

"  I  have  concluded  not  to  accept  of  bail,  and  I  shall  not  alter  my  de- 
termination, sir.  I  leave  the  prisoners  in  your  hands,  and  you  will  ren- 
der a  good  account  of  them  to  me  when  I  call  for  them." 

The  commissioner  bowed  coldly,  and  was  about  to  return  to  his  office 
when  Mr.  Brown  interrupted  him. 

"  I  am  not  a  rich  man,  as  you  know,"  he  said,  "  but  I  have  a  little 
property,  and  it  can  readily  be  converted  into  cash.  I  will  place  five 
thousand  pounds  in  your  hands  for  the  appearance  of  these  gentlemen, 
if  you  will  admit  them  to  bail." 

"  And  we  will  deposit  half  of  that  sum  in  addition  to  insure  our  ap- 
pearance," cried  Fred,  eagerly. 

The  commissioner  shook  his  head,  and  already  his  foot  was  on  the 
doorstep,  when  Mr.  Brown  detained  him. 

"  I  shall  be  absent  from  Ballarat  for  four  days,"  he  said,  testily. 

"  Where  do  you  propose  going  ? "  inquired  Mr.  Sherwin,  with  a 
slight  indication  of  curiosity. 

"  To  Melbourne,  as  fast  as  horse  can  carry  me.     I  start  immediately." 

"  May  I  ask  for  what  object  ?  " 

"  To  lay  this  matter  before  his  excellency  the  governor-general,  and 
obtain  an  order  for  the  admission  of  the  prisoners  to  bail,  and  the 
detention  of  Follet  for  conspiracy.  Michael,  run  to  my  office  and  bring 
my  best  horse." 

The  policeman  started  on  a  run,  and  was  lost  to  sight  in  a  cloud  of 
dust  that  swept  along  the  street.  The  commissioner  looked  slightly 
perplexed  and  undecided.  He  was  evidently  taken  by  surprise  at  the 
position  which  Mr.  Brown  had  assumed. 

"  You  cannot  hope  that  the  governor  will  rule  contrary  to  ray  decis- 
ion ?  "  Mr.  Sherwin  said. 

"  I  know  that  he  will.  His  excellency  has  too  great  an  esteem  for 
these  gentlemen  to  allow  them  to  languish  in  prison  when  no  stronger 
proof  than  the  story  which  a  broken-down  gambler  can  invent  is  urged 
as  evidence  against  them." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  369 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  governor  is  acquainted  with  these 
(men,  he  was  intending  to  say,  hut  altered  it)  gentlemen  ?  " 

"  So  well  that  he  has  granted  every  request  that  they  have  made  ;  and 
he  has  even  offered  them  commissions  in  the  service  in  return  for  many 
acts  of  bravery  which  they  have  performed." 

Mr.  Brown  was  right  in  the  first  instance  ;  for  the  only  requests  that 
we  had  ever  made  were  for  the  pardons  of  Smith  and  the  old  convict. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  you  are  not  mistaken  ? "  inquired  the  commis- 
sioner, with  a  sudden  degree  of  interest  that  was  quite  refreshing,  when 
contrasted  with  his  former  indifference. 

"  I  am  so  sure,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  in  answer  to  the  commissioner's 
question,  "  that  three  days  since  I  saw  the  governor,  and  he  inquired  for 
these  gentlemen,  and  sent  a  message  that  they  must  call  and  see  him 
the  first  time  that  they  visited  Melbourne." 

"  Have  you  any  letters  or  documents  to  prove  that  his  excellency 
regards  these  gentlemen  with  unusual  interest  ?  " 

The  inspector  glanced  towards  us,  in  hope  that  we  could  rescue  him 
from  the  position  in  which  his  assertions  had  placed  him,  but  we  were 
afraid  that  we  could  benefit  him  but  little,  as  we  were  not  in  possession 
of  an  autograph  letter  from  the  governor,  and  what  was  more,  had 
never  seen  one.  I  suddenly  recollected,  however,  having  in  my  posses- 
sion a  copy  of  one  of  the  Melbourne  papers,  in  which  our  services  at 
the  great  fire  were  mentioned  in  euldgistic  terms  ;  and  I  concluded  that 
I  would  let  Mr.  Sherwin  peruse  the  paragraph,  in  hopes  that  he  would 
imagine  much  more  than  the  reality. 

My  experiment  succeeded  admirably. 

Mr.  Sherwin  eagerly  perused  the  paragraph ;  and  after  he  had  con- 
cluded, folded  the  paper,  and  requested  permission  to  speak  with  Mr. 
Brown  in  private  for  a  few  minutes.  Obedient  to  the  intimation,  the 
policemen  and  the  rest  of  us  fell  back,  and  suffered  the  two  officers  to 
have  a  quiet  talk.  They  whispered  together  earnestly  for  a  time,  and 
then  Fred  and  myself  were  summoned  to  the  council. 

"  The  commissioner  is  not  disposed  to  press  this  matter,"  Mr.  Brown 
said.  "  I  have  convinced  him  that  you  are  a  little  different  from  what  he 
supposed ;  and  he  will  admit  both  of  you  to  bail  until  such  time  as  Mr. 
Critchet  is  able  to  testify,  or  at  least  until  more  evidence  is  offered  than 
what  Follet  brings  forward." 

We  bowed  our  thanks,  and  blessed  the  governor-general,  to  think 
that  his  name  made  such  a  difference  with  his  officers. 

"  We  cannot  be  too  careful  in  this  part  of  the  country,"  the  commis- 
sioner said,  "  whom  we  trust,  we  are  so  liable  to  imposition.  Our  life 
is  a  hard  one,  to  make  the  best  of  it ;  and  I  shall  be  glad  when  I  am 
changed  to  some  other  location,  where  jurisdiction  is  not  taken  so 
extensively  as  at  Ballarat.  I  have  long  desired  a  change." 

Mr.  Brown  winked  with  both  eyes  m  a  violent  manner,  as  though 
warning  us  that  the  pitch  of  his  regret  at  being  at  Ballarat  was  yet  to 
come. 

"  One  good  turn  deserves  another,"  Mr.  Sherwin  said ;  and  then  low- 
ering his  voice,  he  continued,  "  May  I  hope  that  you  will  remind  his 
excellency  that  I  deserve  a  better  position  than  the  one  that  I  now 
hold?" 


370  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

Promises  are  easily  made,  (vide  politicians  in  this  country,  where 
offices  are  to  be  obtained ;)  and  the  reader  will  not  wonder,  considering 
the  light  in  which  we  stood,  that  we  murmured  a  ready  assent  to  his 
wishes.  The  commissioner  looked  gratified,  while  Mr.  Brown  grinned 
with  delight. 

"  What  shall  we  do  with  the  wounded  man,  and  this  young  fellow, 
Follet  ?  He  has  made  a  strong  charge  against  these  gentlemen,  and  he 
should  be  made  to  give  heavy  bonds  to  meet  it  at  the  proper  time," 
said  the  inspector,  pointing  to  the  nephew,  who  stood  trembling,  as 
though  already  anticipating  trouble. 

"  Well,  really,"  Mr.  Sherwin  said,  "  I  don't  see  why  the  old  man 
should  not  remain  under  the  charge  of  your  friends  until  his  injuries 
terminate  one  way  or  the  other.  Suppose  you  send  the  government 
physician  to  attend  him,  and  a  fortnight  from  to-day  I  will  call  the  case 
up,  and  decide  whether  to  dismiss  it  or  send  it  to  trial." 

"  And  Follet  ?  Hadn't  he  better  be  put  under  heavy  bonds  for  his 
appearance  ?  "  insinuated  the  inspector. 

"  Certainly ;  it  is  very  important  to  keep  him.  Let  him  be  commit- 
ted to  jail  until  he  can  find  bonds  in  one  thousand  pounds ;"  and  with  a 
cheerful  wave  of  his  hand,  the  commissioner  left  us. 

"  You  see  how  much  you  have  injured  yourself  in  trying  to  fasten 
your  crime  upon  these  gentlemen,"  Mr.  Brown  remarked,  addressing 
Follet ;  "if  you  will  make  a  free  confession,  I  will  endeavor  to  get  you 
as  comfortable  a  sentence  as  possible." 

"Will  you?"  sneered  the  wretch;  "you  shall  offer  better  terms  than 
that  before  I  will  let  them  up.  I  have  the  game  in  my  own  hands,  and 
my  evidence  will  tell  before  a  jury." 

"  Take  him  away,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  addressing  a  policeman ;  and 
after  the  prisoner  was  out  of  hearing,  he  continued,  "  There  is  too  much 
truth  in  what  he  says,  and  we  have  work  before  us  to  discover  who  his 
accomplice  is,  and  bring  him  to  justice.  Even  if  Mr.  Critchet  does 
recover,  it  is  probable  that  he  will  not  be  able  to  identify  his  assailants, 
and  in  that  view  of  the  matter  I  need  not  tell  you  in  what  a  precarious 
situation  you  will  stand." 

We  saw  the  force  of  his  reasoning,  and  looked  to  him  for  advice. 

"  We  must  set  the  police  at  work  to  find  Follet's  accomplice ;  and  I 
will  not  leave  a  stone  unturned  on  '  Gravel  Pit  Hill,'  but  I  will  discover 
him  if  in  Ballarat." 

"  And  is  there  any  way  that  we  can  assist  you  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  inspector  thought  for  a  few  moments  before  he  replied. 

"  If  we  could  but  get  Murden  to  lend  us  Steel  Spring  for  a  week  or 
two,"  he  muttered,  "  I  think  that  we  could  make  that  scamp  serviceable 
to  us." 

"  Murden  will  accommodate  us  in  that  respect,  I  am  sure,  if  we  make 
application,"  I  returned. 

"  If  he  will,  we  can  set  the  fellow  at  work,  and  he  will  be  able  to  get 
information  that  no  policeman  in  Ballarat  could  possibly  obtain.  He 
must  be  supplied  with  a  liberal  amount  of  money,  and  must  represent 
himself  as  being  connected  with  a  gang  of  bushrangers  between  here 
and  Melbourne.  I  will  give  the  '  Traps'  a  hint  not  to  molest  him  unless 
Ve  betakes  himself  to  roguery  again,  and  I  suppose  that  he  will  some  day." 


A    GOLD    HUNTER'S    ADVENTURES.  371 

"  But  won't  suspicion  be  aroused  if  Steel  Spring  is  seen  to  enter  the 
store,  or  hold  communication  with  us  ?  "  we  asked. 

"  Of  course  it  would,"  returned  the  inspector,  with  a  smile,  at  our 
innocence ;  "  of  all  the  persons  in  Biillarat,  you  must  be  the  most 
avoided,  and  when  an  interview  is  needed,  a  rendezvous  must  be  ap- 
pointed where  there  is  no  fear  of  listeners.  Take  my  word  for  it,  in 
less  than  a  fortnight  we  shall  have  the  true  account  of  the  attempted 
assassination,  and  if  Follet's  companion  does  not  leave  the  town,  we 
will  nab  him,  and  'pinch'  him  severely.  Write  to  the  lieutenant  at 
once,  and  don't  fail  to  tell  him  that  your  reputation,  and  perhaps  life, 
depends  upon  the  loan  of  Steel  Spring." 

With  these  parting  words,  the  inspector  left  for  his  office,  and  without 
delaying  for  a  moment,  I  sat  down,  and  briefly  wrote  an  account  of  the 
transaction  in  which  we  were  involved,  and  stated  the  necessity  there 
was  for  the  employment  of  a  spy  of  Steel  Spring's  adroitness.  I  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  my  note  posted  before  the  mail  left  Melbourne,  and 
soon  after  my  return  to  the  store,  the  surgeon  of  the  police  force  made 
his  appearance,  and  examined  the  wounds  of  our  patient  with  some  con- 
siderable skill,  and  did  us  the  honor  of  saying  that  he  could  do  no  more 
than  we  had  already  done ;  and  John  Bull  like,  wondered  where  we  got 
our  knowledge  of  the  art  of  healing.  He  thought  that  there  was  danger 
of  inflammation ;  and  ordered  a  cooling  draught  and  low  diet,  and  then 
said  that  he  considered  we  were  competent  to  attend  the  patient,  unless 
he  was  worse,  in  which  case  we  were  to  send  for  him,  and  not  without. 

And  we  did  attend  the  old  gentleman ;  hour  after  hour,  and  night 
after  night,  we  watched  by  his  side,  barely  taking  rest  ourselves,  for 
fear  that  he  would  suffer  ;  and  although  he  was  unconscious  of  our 
kindness  and  attention,  and  was  wandering  in  his  mind^  many  miles 
away  to  his  family  and  friends  in  busy  London,  yet  we  never  lost  our 
patience,  or  refused  to  gratify  his  wants,  as  far  as  lay  in  our  power. 

Day  after  day  passed,  and  .we  were  impatient  to  hear  from  Murden. 
Mr.  Brown  had  put  his  police  to  work  to  find  out  the  accomplice  of 
Follet,  but  all  attempts  to  discover  him  had  proved  futile. 

Follet  still  remained  obstinate  and  defying  ;  and  to  add  to  our  misery, 
our  patient  was  hovering  between  life  and  death,  and  it  seemed  as 
though  a  feather  would  turn  the  scale  either  way. 

One  night,  soon  after  twelve  o'clock,  and  while  I  was  taking  my  turn 
watching  by  the  bedside  of  Mr.  Critchet,  I  heard  a  gentle  tap  at  the 
door.  I  paid  no  attention  to  the  first  summons ;  and  not  until  a  repe- 
tition warned  me  that  some  person  was  desirous  of  entering,  did  I  cock 
my  revolver,  and  without  disturbing  Fred,  stole  softly  to  the  door,  which 
I  unlocked,  and  discovered  a  man  with  a  long  black  beard  and  slouched 
hat,  standing  on  the  doorsteps,  whistling,  in  a  low  key,  the  popular  negro 
tune,  just  introduced  into  Australia  from  California,  by  a  band  of  negro 
singers,  of  "  Nelly  Bly." 

"  What  is  wanted  ?  "  I  asked,  bringing  my  revolver  up  so  as  to  com- 
mand his  head,  in  case  his  visit  was  hostile. 

"  Can  you  tell  me  the  time  of  night  ?  "  he  demanded,  in  a  tone  so 
gruff  and  guttural,  that  I  thought  he  must  have  slept  in  a  mine  for  a 
week,  and  that  the  dampness  had  gone  to  his  lungs. 

"  Ask  the  first  mounted  policeman  that  you  come  to,"  I  rejoined,  and 


372  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

was  about  to  slam  the  door  to,  when  I  heard  a  peculiar  chuckle  that 
arrested  my  attention. 

"  Veil,  if  this  'ere  isn't  a  go  !  "  the  man  with  the  black  beard  said  ;  "  a 
feller  comes  hall  the  vay  from  Melbourne  to  see  a  friend,  and  gets  the 
door  shut  in  his  face." 

I  knew  the  voice,  and  should  know  it  if  I  met  its  owner  fifty  years 
hence.  I  seized  the  visitor  by  his  collar,  dragged  him  into  the  store, 
shut  the  door,  tore  off  his  black  beard,  and  had  revealed  to  my  eyes 
the  grinning  countenance  of  Sted  Spring  ! 


CHAPTER     LIV. 

THE  WAY  THE  COLONISTS  OBTAIN  WIVES  IN  AUSTRALIA. 

"  VELL,  of  all  the  jolly  things  in  the  world,  if  this  don't  knock  'urn," 
Steel  Spring  said,  with  one  of  his  most  hideous  grins.  "  I  told  my 
friend,  Murden,  and  I  halso  'inted  the  same  thing  to  'is  excellency  the 
governor,  the  last  time  that  I  dined  vid  him,  and  just  as  he  was  axing 
me  to  take  vine,  that  I  would  vager  a  stiff  glass  of  viskey,  vich  you  vill 
ax  me  to  take  by  and  by,  that  you  vouldn't  know  me  on  the  first  occa- 
sion of  my  visit.  '  Steel  Spring,'  said  the  governor,  '  it  can't  be  did ; ' 
and  ven  I  pledged  my  vord  as  a  gentleman  and  a  man  of  probity,  that 
I  vould  vrite  to  him  the  result,  in  a  strict  sense,  he  shook  my  'and,  and 
said  I  was  a  honor  to  the  land  wot  give  me  birth,  and  that  he  'oped  he 
should  never  be  called  upon  to  part  vid  me.  Ven  can  I  'ave  the 
viskey  ?  " 

I  stood  a  few  minutes  surveying  the  ex-bushranger  with  admiration, 
and  hardly  knowing  whether  he  most  deserved  a  kicking  or  a  word  of 
praise  for  his  falsehoods  and  perfect  disguise.  While  I  was  consider- 
ing the  matter,  Fred  joined  us,  being  awakened  by  the  shrill  chuckling 
of  our  visitor. 

"  You  have  not  forgotten  how  to  lie,  at  all  events,"  I  said,  "  and  per- 
haps the  peculiar  talent  that  you  display  in  that  line  may  be  of  some 
service  to  us ;  so,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  in  practice,  all  your 
stories  will  go  undisputed  at  present." 

"  Ven  a  man  is  perfect  in  a  certain  line  of  things,  he  don'  vant  prac- 
tice, unless  he  grows  rusty,  or  is  out  of  employment.  Now,  since  I 
have  been  connected  vid  the  police  force,  I've  almost  forgotten  how  to 
speak  the  truth ;  and,  somehow,  I  don't  think  that  it  agrees  vid  me ;  for 
unless  I'se  honest  I  have  a  fit  of  blues  that  lasts  me  until  I've  made  up 
to  my  reckness.  Ven  can  I  have  the  viskey  ?  " 

I  gave  him  a  glass  of  strong  American  whiskey,  which  would  make 
the  tears  come  into  a  man's  eyes  unless  his  throat  was  sheathed  with 
tin ;  but  Steel  Spring  tossed  it  down,  and  smacked  his  lips,  as  though 
it  was  so  much  water. 

"  Now,  then,  I  feel  like  a  man  vot  has  found  a  nugget  —  perfectly 


A  GOLD  IIUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  373 

happy  for  the  time  being,  but  miserable  as  soon  as  the  excitement  has 
passed  away,  'cos  he  don't  know  when  he  shall  get  another." 

"  When  did  you  reach  Ballarat?"  Fred  asked,  as  soon  as  Steel  Spring 
was  inclined  to  hold  his  tongue. 

"  This  evening.  I've  been  on  the  road  two  days,  but  feel  as  fresh  as 
a  newly-hatched  parrot." 

"  Did  Murden  tell  you  what  we  required  of  you  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  He  said  something  about  my  getting  the  vorst  thrashing  that  I  ever 
had  in  my  life,  unless  I  obeyed  orders.  So  here  I  am,  ready  to  go  to 
vork  and  do  my  best." 

"  Where  are  you  stopping  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Veil,  the  lieutenant  said  that  I  vos  to  play  loose ;  and  pretend  not 
to  go  near  you,  unless  I  vos  so  fixed  up  that  even  my  dear  friend,  the 
governor,  vouldn't  know  me ;  and  I  don't  think  that  he  vould,  had  he 
seen  me  to-night." 

"But  where  are  you  stopping?"  I  again  asked. 

"  Veil,  I  am  at  Dan  Brian's  '  Cricket,'  and  I  must  say  that  my  old 
friend  keeps  tiptop  lush,  and  is  disposed  to  be  civil,"  answered  Steel 
Spring. 

The  "  Cricket "  was  one  of  the  vilest  places  in  Ballarat ;  and  its  pro- 
prietor, Dan  Brian,  one  of  the  most  noted  characters.  He  was  once  a 
convict,  but  made  his  escape,  and  joined  a  gang  of  bushrangers.  For 
two  years  he  lived  in  the  bush,  and  subsisted  by  killing  sheep  and  cattle. 

Soon  after  the  gold  mines  were  discovered,  he  helped  to  rob  a  gov- 
ernment escort  of  dust  on  its  way  to  Melbourne,  and  two  thousand 
ounces  of  gold  fell  to  his  share.  His  ill-gotten  wealth  made  him  long 
for  an  opportunity  to  squander  it ;  and  unknown  to  the  gang,  he  sent 
word  to  the  captain  of  police  at  Melbourne,  and  asked  what  terms  he 
could  receive  if  he  betrayed  his  comrades. 

Of  course  the  police  were  too  ready  to  accede  to  any  proposition  that 
Dan  might  make  to  haggle  about  terms  ;  and  the  Judas  was  promised 
not  only  his  life  and  a  free  pardon,  but  it  was  intimated  that  the  treasure 
in  his  possession  should  never  be  claimed  by  government. 

On  these  considerations  Dan  promised  to  turn  traitor ;  and  one  day 
he  persuaded  the  gang  to  visit  a  spot  which  they  considered  unsafe,  but 
which  Dan  swore  no  policeman  would  ever  dare  to  venture  in.  The 
bushrangers  were  surrounded,  surprised,  and  captured,  and  executed  to 
a  man,  with  the  exception  of  the  betrayer. 

After  this  bloody  piece  of  work,  the  fellow  spent  most  of  his  money 
in  dissipation,  and  when  it  was  nearly  all  gone,  he  determined  to  open 
a  resort  for  thieves  and  assassins  at  Ballarat ;  and  although  the  police 
knew  the  kind  of  house  he  maintained,  yet  they  were  unable  to  break 
him  up  for  want  of  evidence  to  convict  him  and  his  guests. 

Some  went  even  so  far  as  to  say  that  he  furnished  information  to  the 
police  for  certain  considerations,  but  Mr.  Brown  always  denied  the 
imputation  with  great  eagerness. 

"Does  Dan  know  what  brings  you  to  Ballarat?"  I  asked,  resuming 
the  conversation  with  our  visitor. 

"  He's  already  bin  pumping,  but  the  clapper  don't  work.  I  told  him 
I  was  after  a  few  scrags,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  a  gang,  and  taking 
the  bush  agin  ;  and  he  thinks  it's  so,  and  promised  to  help  me.  I  'opes 

32 


374  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

I  don't  forfeit  your  confidence  by  being  compelled  to  tell  a  lie.     It  goes 
agin  me,  you  know." 

We  readily  promised  him  that  all  such  little  failings  on  his  part 
should  be  overlooked ;  and  after  a  second  edition  of  whiskey,  we  laid 
our  trouble  and  plans  before  him,  and  gave  him  full  directions  how  to 
proceed. 

He  was  to  frequent  all  places  where  crime  was  committed  or  planned  ; 
to  converse  with  all  sorts  of  characters,  honest  or  otherwise;  to  avoid 
the  police,  and  pretend  an  intense  hatred  for  them ;  and  when  he 
wished  to  communicate  with  us,  it  must  only  be  done  in  the  night  time, 
and  dressed  in  such  a  disguise  that  none  of  his  gang  would  recognize 
him. 

In  case  of  his  discovering  Follet's  companion  in  the  attempted  assas- 
sination, he  was  to  let  us  know,  so  that  the  fellow's  arrest  could  take 
place  immediately  ;  and  while  we  agreed  to  find  money  for  his  expenses, 
we  promised  a  handsome  gratuity  in  case  he  was  successful. 

Steel  Spring  listened  with  more  patience  than  I  ever  gave  him  credit 
for,  while  we  were  enlightening  his  mind ;  and  although  he  asked  a 
dozen  different  questions,  which  we  considered  at  the  time  as  frivolous, 
we  answered  them  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  and  gave  him  what  insight 
we  were  able  to  regarding  the  company  that  Follet  had  been  in  the 
habit  of  keeping. 

"  There,  that  will  do  for  the  present,"  Steel  Spring  said.  "  Ef  the 
feller  is  in  liallarat,  I  shall  hear  of  'im  afore  long.  Give  me  another 
drink  of  viskey,  and  I'll  be  off,  'cos  a  select  company  of  the  elite  of 
Ballarat  expects  me  to  honor  their  supper  vid  my  presence  in  about  an 
hour's  time,  and  ven  I  gives  my  vord  to  a  gentleman  I  don't  like  to  dis- 
appint  um.  Keep  cool,  and  don't  be  afeerd  of  swinging  on  this  little 
affair,  'cos  there's  no  danger.  Ef  I  thought  there  was,  1  should  cer- 
tainly speak  to  my  friend,  the  governor." 

"  Mr.  Murden  did  not  send  you  here  to  jest,  did  he  ?  "  asked  Fred,  a 
little  sternly. 

"  O,  by  no  means ;  and  I  didn't  mean  any  'arm  by  vot  I  said.  Please 
don't  say  any  thing  to  the  lieutenant." 

We  promised;  and  Steel  Spring  turned  to  go,  quite  satisfied.  Just 
as  he  reached  the  door,  he  stopped,  and  drew  a  very  dirty-looking  letter 
from  his  bosom,  and  handed  it  to  us. 

"  I'd  almost  forgotten  that  Lieutenant  Murden  sent  this  letter  by  me. 
Good  night.  I'll  see  you  again  to-morrow  some  time,  but  it  will  be 
late  in  the  evening ; "  and  with  these  words  he  stole  from  the  store  as 
noiselessly  as  a  serpent  creeping  towards  a  paroquet  sleeping  on  a  gum 
tree. 

We  broke  the  flaming  red  seal  of  our  friend's  letter,  and  read  as 
follows :  — 

MELBOURNE,  Jan.  24th,  18 — . 

MY  DEAR  FHTENPS  :  You  may  believe  that  I  was  astonished  when 
I  got  your  letter.  Such  damnable  scrapes  as  you  two  are  always  getting 
into,  warrants  me  in  saying  that  a  keeper  is  needed  in  your  store  to  take 
the  entire  charge  of  you.  I  wish  that  I  could  get  away  for  a  few  days ; 
I'd  run  up  and  lend  you  a  helping  hand  to  clear  up  that  shocking  aft'air. 

As  I  can't  leave,  I  send  Steel  Spring,  agreeable  to  request.     May  you 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  375 

make  the  most  of  him,  for  such  a  liar  never  went  unhanged.  As  an 
incentive  to  stir  himself  in  your  behalf,  I  thrashed  him  like  the  devil  on 
the  afternoon  that  he  left,  and  promised  a  repetition  unless  he  obeyed 
orders,  and  followed  your  directions  to  the  letter. 

I  find  that  the  oftener  I  lick  him  the  better  he  likes  me ;  and  he 
actually  pretended  to  feel  grieved  at  parting.  I  have  great  hope  that 
he  will  live  long  enough  to  be  honest ;  but  I  have  reasonable  doubts  of 
the  scheme,  and  it  would  not  surprise  me  any  day  to  hear  that  he  had 
taken  to  the  bush.  Still,  I  must  say  that  I  find  him  useful  in  a  number 
of  ways ;  and  a  better  detective  cannot  be  found  in  the  country,  for  no 
matter  what  I  have  placed  him  on,  he  has  followed  it  up  until  the  mys- 
tery was  unravelled. 

Yesterday,  a  ship  load  of  interesting  girls,  many  of  them  in  interest- 
ing conditions,  arrived  from  England,  being  sent  out  by  a  society  for 
the  prevention  of  pauperism,  or  something  like  it.  They  are  intended 
as  wives  for  us  poor  colonists ;  and  I  wish  that  you  had  been  here,  to 
have  seen  the  fun  and  the  rush  for  the  first  choice.  The  ship  was  sur- 
rounded by  boats,  until  at  length  the  crowd  was  so  great  I  had  to  take 
twenty-five  men,  and  hire  a  steamboat  to  c:irry  us  down  the  river,  to 
where  the  vessel  was  lying.  The  uproar  and  confusion  was  great  — 
terrific. 

Men  wanted  their  first  pick,  and  swore  frightfully  when  they  couldn't 
be  gratified.  The  women  all  wanted  stout,  healthy  husbands,  and  rich 
ones  at  that,  and  they  shrieked  some  when  told  that  they  must  take 
them  by  lot. 

However,  sooner  than  go  unmarried,  the  girls  at  length  consented  to 
any  arrangement  that  was  proposed  ;  and  then  what  a  time  we  had  of  it ! 
for  you  are  well  aware  that  delicacy  is  not  a  characteristic  of  Australia. 
Amidst  the  crowd,  struggling  for  a  wife  right  manfully,  did  I  observe 
the  teamster  whom  Smith  has  in  his  employ,  and  who  made  you  one 
visit  with  his  load  of  goods  while  I  was  at  Ballarat.  He  did  honor  to 
the  firm,  for  the  fellow  got  one  of  the  best  looking  (and  I  will  say  at 
the  same  time,  one  of  the  most  vicious,  if  I  am  any  judge  of  faces)  on 
board,  out  of  a  cargo  of  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight. 

I  asked  your  man  what  he  intended  to  do  with  a  wife  in  his  circunu 
stances. 

"  Marry  her,"  he  replied,  "  and  take  her  to  Ballarat,  and  go  into  the 
raining  business." 

So  look  out  for  an  addition  to  the  population  in  a  short  time. 

A  day  was  required  to  get  all  the  girls  married  off;  for  those  who  were 
left  till  the  last  stage  were  not  of  an  enticing  character ;  and  there  was 
a  slight  prospect  of  a  row  between  the  snub-nosed  women,  each  of  whom 
thought  she  was  superior  in  point  of  beauty  to  the  others  ;  and  not  until 
I  sent  on  shore  and  got  three  Victoria  miners,  not  over  scrupulous  in 
taste,  were  they  disposed  to  be  silent. 

You  should  have  been  in  Melbourne  on  the  first  night  of  the  arrival. 
Of  course,  where  so  many  marriages  took  place,  some  little  latitude  was 
allowed  to  the  happy  couples  ;  and  more  carousing  I  hive  not  seen 
since  whiskey  was  only  a  pound  per  gallon.  The  beauty  of  the  arrange- 
ment was  that  the  men  got  drunk,  and  one  half  of  them  could  not  tell 
the  next  morning  whom  they  had  married,  or  whether  they  had  married 
at  all. 


376  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

The  wives  were  in  the  same  state  of  blissful  ignorance,  for  they  had 
not  known  their  husbands  long  enough  to  get  familiar  with  their  fea- 
tures ;  and  you  will  admit  that  where  all  men  wear  their  beards  in  full, 
there  is  some  resemblance  between  us  bipeds. 

Our  police  office  was  besieged  from  morning  until  night,  by  anxious 
husbands  and  inconsolable  wives.  Six  different  times  was  your  friend 
seized  upon  and  claimed  as  the  lawful  spouse  of  six  different  women, 
two  of  whom  were  the  snub-noses  spoken  of  above. 

I  hope  you  will  admire  the  taste  of  your  employee  in  the  selection  of 
a  wife,  and  that  you  will  continue  to  conduct  yourself  in  a  decorous 
manner  after  her  arrival.  Fair  play,  and  don't  take  advantage  —  (the 
balance  of  the  line  was  illegible.) 

I  must  close  my  letter  by  once  more  recommending  you  to  keep  a 
bright  lookout  for  Steel  Spring,  and  to  write  me  information  if  he  does 
not  come  up  to  your  expectations.  Let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as 
practicable,  and  don't  forget  to  send  me  all  the  news  that  is  stirring, 
including  mining  tax  and  other  matters.  By  the  way,  the  artillery 
corps  in  this  place  have  received  orders  to  be  in  readiness  for  instant 
duty  and  marching  order.  They  are  practising  with  their  guns  every 
day.  Their  destination  is  a  secret,  although  I  think  I  can  guess  where 
they  are  to  go. 

Yours  in  purity  and  honesty,  MURDEN. 

The  next  day  we  informed  the  inspector  of  Steel  Spring's  arrival,  and 
the  place  where  he  was  domiciled  ;  and  the  former  hinted  to  his  sergeant 
that  the  latter  should  be  watched  narrowly,  but  was  not  to  be  interfered 
with  unless  something  criminal  was  noted,  in  which  case  he  was  to  be 
arrested  without  delay.  Of  course  Mr.  Brown  did  not  impart  to  his 
subordinates  what  the  ex-bushranger  was  attempting  to  accomplish,  and 
the  matter  always  remained  a  secret  to  them. 

We  saw  nothing  of  Steel  Spring  until  two  days  after  his  arrival,  when 
he  paid  us  a  nocturnal  visit,  disguised  as  usual,  and  gave  us  some  infor- 
mation that  was  of  real  importance. 

"  I'se  getting  along  werry  slowly,"  he  said,  "  'cos  I've  got  to  creep 
afore  I  can  walk.  But  things  is  vorking,  and  no  mistake ;  and  I  'spooled 
ven  I  took  that  horn  of  viskey  the  other  night,  that  it  would  clear  my 
hideas,  and  make  me  find  somethin'." 

"  Well,  what  have  you  found  out  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  That  the  confounded  dust  gets  into  my  throat,  and  keeps  me  dry, 
and  I  think  will  really  drive  me  into  a  galloping  consumption  some 
time.  I'se  dry  now,  and  I  think  that  if  you  had  some  vater  here  vid 
the  brackishness  taken  off  vid  a  little  somethin'  good,  that  it  would  help 
me." 

We  understood  the  hint,  and  gratified  it ;  only  after  we  had  poured 
out  a  tumbler  of  whiskey,  he  refused  to  have  it  spoiled  by  adding  a 
drop  of  water,  as  he  thought  that  the  latter  was  most  toe  salt  to  agree 
with  his  constitution.  He  drained  the  ghss,  smacked  his  lips,  and 
made  up  such  a  hideous  face  that  he  would  have  frightened  a  person  of 
delicate  nerves  into  fits,  had  his  countenance  been  seen. 

"  Now,  then,  for  the  information ! "  I  cried- 

"Veil,  then,  to  business.     I  vant  some  more  money." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  377 

"  You  shan't  have  it  until  you  give  a  good  account  of  yourself,  and 
tell  us  what  you  have  done  with  the  gold  we  already  gave  you." 

"  O,  werry  well,"  the  mutinous  scamp  replied,  moving  towards  the 
door  ;  "  ven  you  get  ready  to  give  me  the  chink,  I'll  be  ready  to  vork 
for  you,  and  not  until  then." 

He  had  already  got  his  hand  upon  the  latch,  and  was  making  a 
motion  to  open  the  door,  when  Fred  sprang  upon  him  by  his  collar,  and 
despite  of  his  long,  spider-like  legs,  hurled  him  to  the  floor,  where  he 
lay  for  a  moment  motionless  and  senseless.  He  raised  his  head,  how- 
ever, after  a  while,  and  attempted  to  get  to  his  feet,  but  Fred  was 
watchi7ig  his  motions,  and  grasping  him  by  his  neck,  choked  him,  until 
the  impudent  fellow  was  almost  black  in  his  face,  and  was  glad  to  beg 
for  mercy. 

"  Will  you  answer  our  questions  now  ?  "  Fred  asked,  giving  him  a 
shake. 

"  I'll  do  any  thing  hereafter,"  he  gasped,  "  that  you  desire  ;  only  don't 
squeeze  the  breath  entirely  out  of  my  body." 

"  Now,  then,  tell  us  what  information  you  have  received,  and  let  us 
have  no  more  of  your  impudence  ;  and  if  you  don't  tell  a  straight  story 
we'll  beat  you  to  death  with  our  horsewhips." 

Steel  Spring  understood  the  meaning  of  the  language  used,  and  he 
saw  that  he  had  men  to  deal  with  who  were  not  disposed  to  submit  to 
his  demands  and  impudence,  as  he  supposed  they  would.  His  confi- 
dent air  was  gone,  and  an  abject  one  assumed  its  place. 

"  Last  night,"  he  commenced,  "  I  vas  sitting  vid  a  few  coves  in  Dan's 
crib,  talking  flash,  ven  von  of  'em  mentioned  the  case  which  I  is  hunt- 
ing up.  I  pretended  that  I  didn't  know  vot  vas  meant,  and  axed  in  a 
careless  sort  of  vay  for  the  particulars.  One  of  the  coves  tells  me  how 
old  Critchet  got  lammed,  and  then  said  that  the  coves  didn't  get  any 
thing,  'cos  the  old  feller  had  carried  all  of  his  money  to  the  government 
office,  and  took  a  paper  for  the  amount.  I  axed  him  how  he  knowed, 
and  he  said  he  seed  the  old  cock  lugging  the  dust  to  the  office,  and  fol- 
lowed him,  thinking  that  if  he  could  get  a  chance  he  would  crack  him 
over  his  head,  and  make  a  raise.  I  didn't  make  many  'quiries,  'cos  I 
thought  I  vould  vate  a  little  vile  until  I  got  'quainted." 

"  And  was  there  any  thing  said  about  the  parties  who  committed  the 
outrage  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  There  vas  a  few  hints,  but  not  enough  to  give  me  a  hold.  How- 
ever, von  of  the  chaps  said  that  he  would  show  me  a  man  vot  helped 
in  the  business  to-morrow  night,  if  I  vished." 

"  And  what  answer  did  you  make  ?  "  we  inquired  eagerly. 

"  I  said  that  I  thought  he  would  make  a  good  pal  for  the  hush,  and 
that  I  would  like  to  know  him,  and  talk  the  matter  over  with  a  few 
good  ones  vot  I  had  already  spoken  to." 

"  And  what  do  you  propose  to  do  in  case  the  assassin  meets  you  ?  " 
we  demanded. 

"  Get  him  to  talk  of  the  matter  —  praise  him  for  his  courage,  make 
him  boast  of  it,  and  then  nab  him,  and  vere  is  he  ?  Ve  have  the  feller 
fast  and  no  mistake,  and  vether  the  old  gent  lives  or  dies  ve  don't  care, 
"cos  ve  shows  the  commissioner  that  you're  hinnocent." 

"  How  many  men  will  be  required  to  act  as  you  state  ?  "  we  asked. 

32* 


378  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OE 

"  As  few  as  possible,"  responded  Steel  Spring,  promptly ;  "  three  be- 
sides myself.  Say  Mr.  Brown  and  both  of  you." 

We  knew  enough  of  Dan's  crib  to  be  certain  that,  if  an  attempt  was 
made  to  arrest  a  noted  character,  there  would  be  a  struggle,  and  possi- 
bly bloodshed  ;  and  we  had  seen  too  many  desperate  battles  not  to  know 
that  a  shot  can  be  fired  by  a  pretended  friend  with  more  coolness  than 
an  enemy,  and  no  one  the  wiser  for  it.  I  scrutinized  Steel  Spring's 
face  to  see  if  I  could  read  his  thoughts,  but  nature  had  given  him  eyes 
of  such  a  peculiar  hue  and  shape  that  I  was  baffled  in  my  attempt. 

"Do  you  mean  honestly  to  assist  us  if  we  agree -to  your  plans?"  I 
asked. 

"  So  help  me  Heaven,"  he  cried ;  and  one  of  his  hands  was  raised  as 
though  swearing  to  the  truth  of  his  words. 

"  We  want  no  oaths,  because  we  know  the  value  that  you  place  upon 
them ;  but  let  me  impress  upon  your  mind  that  to-morrow  night  we 
will  accompany  you  —  that  each  of  us  intends  to  carry  a  revolver,  (and 
you  know  what  execution  we  can  do  with  them,)  and  the  first  shot  fired 
shall  be  at  your  body  if  we  see  any  signs  of  treachery.  Now  go,  and 
meet  us  to-morrow  night  at  any  time  you  see  proper." 

I  opened  the  door  as  Fred  ceased  speaking,  and,  with  a  thoughtful 
brow,  Steel  Spring  passed  out  of  the  room,  and  was  soon  lost  to  view  as 
he  skulked  homeward. 


CHAPTER    LV. 

ADVENTURES  AT  DAN  BRIAN'S  DRINKING-IIOUSE. 

THE  next  day,  anxious  to  test  the  truth  of  Steel  Spring's  state- 
ments, I  made  an  inquiry  at  the  government  reception  office,  and  refer- 
ring to  the  books  a  clerk  informed  me  that  on  the  very  day  before  the 
attack  was  made  upon  Mr.  Critchet  he  had  deposited  one  thousand 
ounces  of  gold,  and  had  received  a  stationary  certificate,  or  note,  acknowl- 
edging that  the  money  had  been  received,  but  was  to  lay  in  the  office, 
and  not  be  forwarded  to  Melbourne  —  a  method  that  was  often  adopted 
to  prevent  loss  by  miners. 

This  was  good  news  to  me,  and  I  felt  warranted  in  calling  upon  the 
commissioner  to  let  him  understand  the  fact,  as  it  would  in  a  measure 
relieve  us  of  suspicion  of  being  implicated  in  the  robbery. 

Mr.  Sherwin  received  me  with  more  kindness,  or  pretended  friend- 
ship, than  I  thought  him  capable  of,  and  invited  me  into  his  private 
room,  an  apartment  about  the  size  of  a  sugar  box,  and  about  as  rough. 
It  contained  two  chairs,  a  desk,  and  a  pair  of  old  boots,  much  the  worse 
for  wear. 

Upon  the  rough  wall  of  the  office  was  a  portrait  of  Queen  Victoria  in 
her  coronation  robes,  done  in  yellow,  and  dear  at  any  price.  On  the 
desk  was  a  print  of  Hobart  Town,  and  beneath  it  was  a  black  profile 
of  the  commissioner  j  at  least,  he  informed  me  that  it  was  intended  as 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  379 

a  surprising  likeness  of  him,  but  I  thought  it  would  astonish  no  one 
but  his  mother,  in  case  the  old  lady  ever  saw  it.  It  was  cut  from  a 
piece  of  black  paper  by  a  man  who  was  before  him  for  being  drunk,  and 
had  no  funds  to  pay  his  fine,  and  so  thought  to  conciliate  his  judge, 
which  he  succeeded  in  doing,  if  report  was  true. 

After  I  had  sufficiently  admired  the  contour  of  the  head,  and  the  other 
striking  features  of  the  paper  counterfeit,  Mr.  Sherwin  invited  me  to  be 
seated,  and  asked  what  I  would  "  take,"  and  appeared  to  be  somewhat 
surprised  when  I  told  him  that  I  didn't  care  about  drinking. 

Notwithstanding  my  refusal,  the  commissioner  unlocked  his  desk  and 
took  out  two  very  dirty  wine  glasses,  and  then  displayed,  with  a  solemn 
flourish,  a  black  bottle  partly  filled  with  a  dark  liquid  which  he  called 
wine ;  but  I  would  have  sworn,  without  tasting  that  it  was  bilge 
water. 

"  Now,"  said  Mr.  Sherwin,  waving  me  to  a  seat  opposite  to  the  desk, 
"  we  can  be  comfortable  and  chatty.  We  have  wine  and  good  fellow- 
ship, and  what  more  can  we  desire  ? 

"  And  how  is  our  friend  Frederick  ?  "  the  commissioner  inquired,  after 
filling  the  glasses  and  re-corking  the  bottle,  as  though  he  feared  the 
strength  of  the  black  stuff  would  evaporate  if  left  exposed  to  the  air. 

I  replied  that  my  friend  and  companion  was  as  "  well  as  could  be  ex- 
pected "  with  such  an  accusation  hanging  over  his  head,  and  that  he 
would  have  accompanied  me  had  his  presence  not  have  been  needed  at 
the  store  to  wait  on  customers,  and  to  attend  to  the  wants  of  the 
wounded  man,  Mr.  Critchet. 

"  Don't  give  yourselves  any  uneasiness  on  that  silly  charge,"  the 
commissioner  said,  with  a  smile  that  was  intended  to  be  engaging,  but  I 
shuddered  at  it,  it  was  so  cold  and  fiendish.  "  I  am  perfectly  satisfied 
that  Follet  lied  to  me,  and  any  time  you  wish  to  proceed  against  him 
for  perjury  I  will  grant  a  warrant,  and  will  also  release  you  and  your 
friend  from  bail." 

"  May  I  ask  what  has  caused  such  a  change  in  your  sentiments  ?  "  I 
inquired,  half  suspecting  that  he  was  setting  a  trap  for  me. 

"  You  know  as  well  as  I  do,"  my  companion  answered,  with  a  wink 
of  his  snaky  eye. 

I  protested  with  some  earnestness  that  I  was  ignorant  on  the  subject, 
and  while  the  commissioner  turned  his  back  to  search  amidst  some  pa- 
pers which  his  desk  contained,  I  slyly  poured  the  contents  of  my  wine 
glass  through  a  crack  of  the  floor,  and  watered  the  soil  of  Ballarat  with 
a  new  species  of  liquor,  such  as  was  never  known  before. 

"  You  see  I  have  heard  from  Melbourne  lately,  and  am  satisfied  how 
the  land  lays,  and  I  am  not  going  to  weaken  the  cause  of  government 
by  suspecting  two  of  its  greatest  defenders."  And  while  the  plotting 
officer  unfolded  a  letter  his  eye  fell  upon  my  empty  glass,  and,  in  defi- 
ance of  my  most  strenuous  denials,  insisted  that  I  should  "  not  be  afraid 
of  the  liquor,  because  there  was  plenty  more  where  that  came 
from,"  (which  the  Lord  forbid  !)  and  once  more  I  had  the  inexpressible 
misery  of  sitting  with  a  wine  glass  full  of  the  strange  compound  under 
my  nostrils,  which  I  dared  not  throw  away,  fearful  that  he  would  see 
me,  and  which  I  dreaded  to  drink. 

"  I  got  a  letter  from  MX.  Murden,  who  is  an  officer  of  some  rank  in 


380  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

the  police  force  at  Melbourne,  a  day  or  two  since,  and  he  tells  me  that  1 
must  be  very  careful  of  you  gentlemen,  as  the  governor  esteems  you 
highly,  and  that  his  excellency  would  be  apt  to  resent  an  act  of  injus- 
tice done  you  while  stopping  at  the  mines." 

I  strongly  suspected  that  the  lieutenant  had  drawn  on  his  imagination 
in  that  letter,  for  he  thoroughly  understood  the  character  of  the  com- 
missioner, and  disliked  him  so  much  that  while  at  Ballarat  he  had  not 
even  called  upon  him. 

"  When  I  obtain  a  position  at  Melbourne  that  I  consider  suitable  for 
a  fair  display  of  my  talents,  I  shall  know  how  to  be  grateful  for  favors," 
the  commissioner  insinuated,  with  a  bland  smile  that  suggested  whole 
volumes  of  bribery. 

The'  subject  was  painful  to  me,  and  to  avoid  making  promises  which 
I  could  not  perform,  I  turned  the  conversation  to  the  theme  which  I 
had  uppermost  in  my  mind,  —  the  discovery  of  Mr.  Critchet's  deposit  at 
the  government  office.  The  commissioner  was  slightly  astonished,  and 
became  more  and  more  convinced  that  Fred  and  myself  were  innocent 
of  any  complicity  in  the  plot. 

"  In  fact,"  Mr.  Sherwin  said,  "  so  convinced  am  I  that  Follet  and  an 
unknown  companion  attempted  the  murder,  that  I  shall  this  day  order 
a  full  discharge  from  our  court  records,  and  of  course  you  will  no 
longer  be  under  bail.  Nay,  I  don't  desire  thanks,"  the  commissioner 
said,  hastily,  as  I  attempted  to  explain  how  grateful  we  should  feel. 
"  There  are  other  ways  besides  words  in  which  a  man  can  certify  his 
good  will." 

I  understood  his  meaning,  but  instead  of  returning  an  answer  I  man- 
aged to  empty  his  so-called  wine  upon  the  floor,  and  then  took  my 
leave,  after  first  hinting  that  we  were  on  the  track  of  Follet's  compan- 
ion. I  felt  easier  and  breathed  freer  after  reaching  the  open  air,  in  de- 
fiance of  the  dust,  which  filled  the  heavens,  and  almost  blinded  me  ;  and 
while  I  was  picking  my  way  through  the  street,  with  half-closed  eyes, 
whom  should  I  meet  but  Mr.  Brown. 

»  Hullo,"  he  shouted,  "  what  is  up  ?  " 

I  briefly  related  the  manner  in  which  I  had  been  received  by  the 
commissioner,  and  the  discovery  that  Steel  Spring  had  made. 

"  And  when  does  that  long-limbed  wretch  propose  to  identify  Follet's 
companion,  so  that  we  can  get  hold  of  him  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  inquired. 

"  To-night,"  I  answered  ;  "  I  intended  to  find  you  in  the  course  of  the 
day,  and  get  you  to  accompany  us  on  the  expedition." 

"  What  time  do  you  start  ?  " 

"  About  midnight.  Steel  Spring  is  to  be  at  Dan's,  and  will  introduce 
us  to  the  company  as  men  afraid  to  look  upon  the  face  of  a  '  Trap,'  and 
4  on  the  square.' " 

"  I'll  be  with  you  before  you  start,  and  during  the  day  I'll  send  two 
disguises  to  the  store  which  will  be  hard  to  rival  in  point  of  ugliness. 
Good  by  for  the  present,  and  don't  forget  to  examine  and  clean  your 
revolvers,  for  we  may  need  them." 

At  about  midnight  we  donned  our  disguises,  and  then  surveyed  each 
other  with  attention.  Fred  had  a  close-cropped  wig  of  a  fiery  red  col- 
or, which  nearly  covered  his  forehead,  and  made  him  look  like  a  prize- 
fighter after  a  hard  battle. 


A   GOLD    HUNTERS    ADVENTURES.  381 

On  his  nose  was  stuck  an  immense  piece  of  adhesive  plaster,  which 
rather  detracted  from  his  personal  beauty ;  and  to  complete  the  adorn- 
ment of  his  person,  there  were  other  strips  of  the  same  material  on  his 
face,  which,  by  the  way,  was  slightly  smeared  with  dirt  to  give  him  a 
healthy  color,  so  that  the  company  which  we  were  about  to  seek  should 
not  accuse  us  of  aristocracy  in  being  too  clean. 

I  also  had  on  a  wig,  but  it  was  one  of  the  fussy  kind,  and  made  my 
head  look  as  though  guiltless  of  a  comb  or  brush  for  many  months. 
To  beautify  my  complexion  I  smeared  it  over  with  soot,  and  when  I  re- 
galed myself  with  a  glance  at  our  six  by  nine  glass,  I  was  satisfied  that 
no  living  man  could  tell  whether  I  was  a  dirty  white  man  or  a  dirty 
negro. 

Our  costumes  consisted  of  blue  flannel  shirts,  with  coarse  canvas 
trousers,  very  much  soiled  and  very  stiff;  but  they  were  made  loose, 
with  very  deep  pockets,  for  the  express  purpose  of  carrying  a  brace  of 
pistols  or  huge  pocket  knives. 

A  few  minutes  past  twelve  o'clock  the  inspector  gave  his  peculiar 
knock,  and  we  admitted  him.  He  had  on  a  suit  of  clothing  that  for- 
merly belonged  to  a  miner  who  had  passed  two  or  three  weeks  under 
ground  digging  through  a  stratum  of  clay,  and  of  course  he  had  not 
spared  his  garments,  for  they  were  so  besmeared  that  it  Avould  have 
puzzled  a  conjurer  to  have  defined  the  original  color  of  the  cloth.  His 
wig  was  black,  and  contrasted  with  his  saturnine  complexion,  and  as 
long  as  he  held  his  tongue  he  would  have  passed  muster  as  a  native  o/ 
Italy. 

"  Well,"  inquired  Mr.  Brown,  surveying  our  disguise  with  approval, 
"  is  every  thing  ready  ?  " 

We  assured  him  that,  as  far  as  we  were  concerned,  we  were,  and  im- 
patient to  set  out  without  delay. 

"  Where  is  Steel  Spring  ? "  Mr.  Brown  asked,  while  sipping  his 
punch,  with  a  gratified  expression  upon  his  face  that  showed  how  highly 
he  enjoyed  it. 

"  We  are  to  meet  him  at  Dan's  at  one  o'clock." 

"  Then  we  had  better  be  moving,"  the  inspector  said,  emptying  his 
glass,  and  rising.  "  I  heard  from  one  of  my  folks  to-night,  and  he  tells 
me  that  the  gathering  is  unusually  large  at  the  '  Cr'cket,'  and  to  prevent 
mistakes,  I  have  stationed  a  small  force  of  trusty  men  within  sound  of  a 
call  in  case  they  are  required." 

We  left  Rover  in  charge  of  the  store  and  the  sick  man.  and  locked 
up,  and  then  picked  our  way  towards  Gravel  Pit  Hill,  where  the 
"  Cricket  "  was  located. 

Mr.  Brown  was  in  high  spirits,  and  once  called  down  the  wrath  of  a 
guardian  of  the  night  because  Mr.  B.  insisted  upon  showing  us  the 
extent  and  volume  of  his  voice. 

At  length  we  gained  "  Gravel  Pit  Hill,"  and  had  no  difficulty  in 
finding  the  celebrated  "  Cricket,"  —  a  house  that  made  some  pretensions 
to  size  and  boards,  for  it  was  two  stories  high,  with  a  large  hall,  or  bar- 
room, on  the  first  floor,  and  three  or  four  smaller  rooms  leading  from 
it.  The  small  rooms  were  for  the  elite  of  the  bushranging  profession, 
and  when  there  was  too  great  a  cry  for  a  notorious  robber,  he  was 
accommodated  with  private  quarters  where  he  could  enjoy  his  lath 


882  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

undisturbed  by  the  thoughts  of  police  officers.  The  "Cricket"  aj> 
peared  to  be  unusually  light  and  brilliant,  for  the  sharp  squeaking  of  a 
violin  was  heard,  and  the  trilling  of  a  clarinet  blended  with  the  catgut 
in  most  discordant  notes. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  the  inspector  said,  stopping  short,  and  laying  his 
hands  upon  our  arms,  "  we  have  got  to  manage  this  matter  with  some 
skill,  or  we  shall  hardly  escape  without  a  blow  from  a  knife,  or  a  pistol 
shot,  two  very  desirable  things  if  we  use  the  weapons  with  which  they 
are  inflicted,  but  bad  if  in  other  hands.  Let  me  caution  you  to  study 
each  word  that  you  utter,  and  to  maintain  perfect  control  over  your 
muscles.  Now,  then,  are  you  ready  ?  " 

We  answered  in  the  affirmative,  and  once  more  strode  on  until  we 
reached  the  stout  door  that  separated  the  "  cricketers  "  from  the  outer 
world.  It  was  closed  as  we  expected,  for  Steel  Spring  had  informed  us 
that  after  a  certain  hour  at  night  all  ingress  had  to  be  made  by  giving  a 
password,  and  he  had  kindly  provided  us  with  the  magic  expression  to 
be  used. 

Mr.  Brown  dealt  a  stout  blow  upon  the  door,  and  while  we  listened 
for  a  response  the  music  ceased,  and  all  was  quiet  as  a  churchyard 
within  the  house.  We  could  hear  whispering  near  the  door  as  though 
debating  our  business,  and  who  we  were. 

Again  did  the  inspector  deal  the  door  heavy  blows,  and  while  he 
rested  a  hoarse  voice  asked,  — 

"  What's  wanted  out  there  ?  " 

"  We  wish  to  come  in  —  open  the  door,  and  don't  keep  us  away  from 
the  lush  all  night,"  responded  the  inspector. 

"  But  who  are  you  ?  "  queried  our  interrogator. 

"  We  is  fakey  kens  and  quiddling  'coves,"  Mr.  Brown  answered, 
adopting  the  flash  language,  most  in  vogue  among  thieves  at  Ballarat. 

"  If  you  is  fakey  coves  you  should  know  the  dig"  was  the  response, 
meaning  that  we  should  know  the  password. 

"  Bush  and  bush,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  promptly,  being  the  words  which 
Steel  Spring  had  informed  us  would  carry  us  into  the  house  without 
delay. 

"  Why  didn't  you  go  for  to  say  so  in  the  fust  place,"  growled  the 
doorkeeper ;  and  we  heard  a  heavy  bar  removed,  and  a  bolt  drawn,  and 
then  the  door  was  opened  just  wide  enough  for  us  to  squeeze  in  one  by 
one,  and  after  we  stood  in  the  large  room,  where  twenty  or  thirty  per- 
sons were  congregated,  it  was  instantly  shut,  and  again  secured,  and 
our  retreat  was  cut  off  had  we  been  disposed  to  have  left  the  choice 
company  before  us  in  a  summary  manner. 

I  had  time  to  glance  around  the  apartment  and  take  a  brief  survey 
of  the  assembly  before  the  ruffian  who  guarded  the  door  had  bolted  it, 
and  I  must  confess  that  my  impression  was  not  very  favorable.  As  I 
said  before,  there  were  between  twenty  and  thirty  persons  in  the  room, 
all  with  such  villanous-looking  countenances  that  a  jury  would  have 
hanged  them  without  a  word  of  evidence  in  regard  to  their  guilt.  The 
very  creme  de  la  creme  of  scoundrelism  was  before  us,  plotting  a  recruit- 
ing from  deeds  of  crime,  and  ready  to  cut  a  man's  throat  for  a  pound. 

The  apartment  was  filled  with  smoke,  for  each  man  had  a  clay  pipe 
in  his  mouth,  and  was  pulfing  away  in  a  state  of  great  enjoyment. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEB'S  ADVENTURES.  383 

Along  the  walls  of  the  room  were  common  pine  tables,  with  rude 
benches  and  but  a  few  rough  chairs.  The  tables  were  nailed  to  the 
floor,  or  confined  by  iron  staples  ;  and  I  afterwards  learned  that  the  plan 
was  adopted  by  the  proprietor  of  the  house  to  save  his  property,  as 
sometimes  his  guests  got  angry,  and  were  in  the  habit  of  breaking 
chairs  over  the  heads  of  adversaries  —  a  custom  which  had  been  dis- 
continued, owing  to  the  shrewdness  of  Dan  in  looking  after  number 
one.  Ol  course,  the  knife  and  pistol  were  the  next  resort ;  but  that  was 
a  matter  of  the  most  supreme  indifference  to  Dan,  who  didn't  care  how 
many  were  killed  or  wounded  as  long  as  they  didn't  injure  him  or  what 
belonged  to  him. 

Every  man  was  drinking,  or  had  a  pot  of  ale  or  a  glass  of  rum  before 
him ;  and  in  one  corner  of  the  apartment  were  half  a  dozen  persons 
asleep,  or  else  dead  drunk,  and  even  beside  them  were  glasses  or  pew- 
ter cups. 

At  the  farthest  end  of  the  room  from  the  street  was  a  small  bar,  be- 
hind which  Dan,  with  coat  off  and  shirt  sleeves  rolled  up,  was  the  pre, 
siding  genius,  and  to  show  his  aristocracy  was  smoking  a  cigar. 

He  scanned  us  with  his  sharp  black  eyes  when  we  entered,  as  though 
wondering  who  we  were ;  but  apparently  satisfied  that  we  were  "  ken- 
kly  coves,"  or  first-class  thieves,  he  turned  his  attention  to  more  con- 
genial matters,  and  refreshed  his  inner  man  with  a  stiff  glass  of  rum, 
diluted  with  but  a  slight  mixture  of  water. 

The  musicians,  who  had  stopped  playing  upon  our  knocking,  now 
made  feeble  signs  of  renewing  their  duties ;  but  still  the  guests  assem- 
bled did  not  remove  their  eyes  from  us,  and  we  could  see  a  number  of 
them  whisper  to  each  other  as  though  making  inquiries  as  to  whom  we 
were. 

I  glanced  around  the  room  in  hope  of  seeing  Steel  Spring,  but  that 
worthy  was  invisible;  and  I  was  just  about  to  utter  an  anathema  on  his 
head  when  a  door  leading  to  the  hall,  or  bar-room,  opened,  and  that 
individual  made  his  appearance.  He  stopped  for  a  moment  to  exchange  a 
few  words  with  Dan,  and  we  could  see  that  he  was  requesting  the  favor 
of  a  drink,  and  that  he  was  promptly  served,  a  sure  sign  that  his  credit 
was  good,  or  that  he  had  not  run  out  of  money. 


CHAPTER     LVI. 

AD VENTURES     CONTINUED. 

"  COME,  ain't  you  covies  agoing  to  move  along  and  get  some  lush,  or 
is  you  goin'  to  stand  here  all  night,  and  hanged  to  you  ?  "  cried  the 
doorkeeper,  who  had  secured  the  door,  and  wanted  to  turn  his  attention 
to  any  amusement  that  might  be  going  on,  including  that  of  being 
asked  to  drink  by  any  good-natured  bushranger  present. 

"  Don't  you  be  in  a  hurry,  you  old  grampus,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  with 


384  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

a  swagger  and  an  indifferent  look,  as  though  he  had  been  used  to  just 
such  society  as  was  present.  "  We  are  strangers  here,  but  we  have 
lived  in  the  bush  for  a  few  years,  and  knows  a  'Trap'  from  an  innocent." 

To  even  claim  the  title  of  a  bushranger  was  sufficient  to  secure  respect 
from  the  common  thieves  who  congregated  around  Ballarat,  as  there 
was  so  much  danger  connected  with  the  pursuit  of  a  robber  who  was 
obliged  to  live  in  the  bush,  and  rarely  show  his  face,  except  to  attack  a 
train,  that  petty  knaves  were  always  awed  when  one  of  the  fierce  rovers 
of  the  prairies  made  his  appearance  and  condescended  to  speak.  The 
doorkeeper's  manners  underwent  an  instantaneous  change,  and  from 
the  fierce  bully  he  softened  to  the  fawning  panderer. 

"  I  axes  yer  pardon,  gents,  'cos  I  didn't  know  ye,  and  'sposed  you  was 
sneaks  from  Melbourne.  Let  me  show  you  to  a  table,  and  supply  you 
with  lush,  and  (here  the  fellow's  voice  subsided  to  a  whisper)  I  knows 
the  bottles  that  holds  the  best  rum." 

"You're  the  fellow  for  us,"  cried  the  inspector,  slapping  him  on 'his 
back  with  pretended  frankness.  "  Bring  on  the  lush,  and  hang  the 
expense.  We're  in  for  a  time,  and  a  jolly  one  at  that." 

Our  cicerone  led  us  across  the  room,  and  while  we  were  walking  every 
eye  was  upon  us,  and  the  least  hesitancy  or  timidity  would  have  betrayed 
and  brought  the  whole  pack  upon  us  before  we  were  ready  to  receive 
them.  Therefore,  without  swaggering,  or  pretending  to  be  very  inde- 
pendent, we  reached  our  allotted  table,  and  called  for  three  bottles  of 
ale  and  three  pipes. 

Just  then  Dan  called  Steel  Spring's  attention,  and  we  could  hear  him 
inquire  in  a  whisper  if  he  knew  us.  The  long-legged  scamp  turned 
deliberately  around,  pretended  to  be  surprised,  hastily  swallowed  his 
rum,  and  then  rushed  towards  us. 

"  Vel,  if  this  isn't  a  surprise  may  I  never  speak  again,  or  make  an 
honest  living  vhile  in  the  bush.  To  think  that  three  of  my  old  pals 
should  turn  up  jist  as  I  vanted  'um,  is  a  vonderful  thing  and  no  mistake. 
If  ye  axes  me  vat  I'll  drink,  I  shall  say  rum." 

We  all  pretended  to  be  pleased  to  see  the  fellow,  and  gave  him  such 
a  rough  welcome  as  we  deemed  his  companions  would  be  likely  to 
bestow,  and  then,  to  his  extreme  gratification,  ordered  the  rum  that  he 
was  so  eager  to  taste. 

"  It's  all  right,"  we  could  hear  the  ruffians,  by  whom  we  were  sur- 
rounded, say.  "  Steel  Spring  knows  'um,  and  that's  'nough  ;"  and  then 
each  man  applied  himself  with  renewed  energy  to  drinking  and  smok- 
ing, and  laying  plans  for  future  robberies. 

"  I  should  never  have  known  you,"  Steel  Spring  whispered,  "  if  you 
hadn't  have  peached  about  the  toggles  vot  you  vas  going  to  vare.  I 
don't  believe  that  your  blessed  mother  would  know  you,  and  as  for  your 
fathers  they  would  be  puzzled  at  any  rate." 

This  was  uttered  in  a  whisper,  and  while  the  doorkeeper  was  gone 
for  the  rum  and  ale;  and  1  suppose  it  was  intended  to  be  compliment- 
ary, although  wo  didn't  look  upon  it  in  that  light. 

"  Is  he  here  ?  "  I  asked,  glancing  around  the  room,  and  endeavoring 
to  imagine  which  of  those  present  was  the  assassin. 

"  Yes,  it's  all  right;  but  I  can't  point  him  out,  'cos  it  would  attract 
attention.  Keep  quiet,  and  drink  your  hale  in  peace." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  385 

We  were  constrained  to  follow  Steel  Spring's  advice,  although  I 
promised  him  a  kicking  for  his  impudence. 

"  Jim,"  cried  a  black  bearded  fellow  who  sat  near  us,  and  who,  Mr. 
Brown  whispered,  had  served  six  years  as  a  convict,  and  who  preferred 
Australia  to  the  old  country,  "  when  is  you  going  to  try  your  hand  at 
the  trade  agin  ?  " 

"  Not  until  the  brads  get  low,  and  when  Dan  refuses  to  trust  me  for 
lush  and  grub,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Isn't  it  a  pity  that  I  haven't  got  the  power  to  arrest  these  fellows, 
and  hang  them  without  a  trial  ?  They  deserve  punishment,  yet  there 
is  no  evidence  by  which  they  can  be  convicted.  Your  California  lynch 
law  would  work  wondei's  here  in  a  short  time." 

The  inspector  felt  as  enthusiastic  as  an  artist  in  the  presence  of  a 
«;reat  painting,  and  Steel  Spring  was  obliged  to  whisper  a  few  words  of 
caution  for  fear  of  a  discovery. 

The  doorkeeper  brought  our  drink,  and  expressed  great  gratification 
when  we  asked  him  to  take  a  drop  at  our  expense ;  but  Dan,  who  was 
watching  the  operation,  looked  much  more  pleased  when  he  saw  Fred 
display  a  few  gold  pieces,  and  pay  for  the  same ;  and  at  length  the 
reserve  of  the  landlord  wore  off,  and  seeing  that  we  were  strangers  and 
had  money,  he  made  an  excuse  to  call  at  our  table,  and  grunt  forth  a 
few  words  of  welcome. 

"  Is  you  from  the  town  or  bush  ?  "  he  asked,  appealing  to  Fred  as 
the  leader,  because  I  suppose  he  had  on  better  clothes  than  the  inspec- 
tor and  myself. 

"  From  the  town ;  but  on  the  lookout  for  a  chance  for  the  bush,"  my 
friend  returned. 

"  Whose  gang  have  you  faked  with  ?  "  was  the  next  interrogation. 

"  Once  we  were  with  Black  Darnley ;  but  most  of  the  time  we  have 
been  together,  picking  up  odds  and  ends,  not  making  big  strides,  for 
fear  of  the  Traps.  We  are  getting  short,  and  came  here  'cos  we  were 
told  that  Steel  Spring  was  going  into  business,  and  wanted  a  little  help." 

If  Dan  had  any  suspicions  that  we  were  not  what  we  seemed,  he  kept 

them  to  himself  at  any  rate,  for  after  drinking  "  confusion  to  all  d d 

Traps,"  he  returned  to  his  old  place  behind  the  bar,  and  left  us  to  do 
what  we  pleased.  We  were  glad  to  get  rid  of  him,  for  he  had  a  wicked 
eye,  and  could  see  through  a  disguise  quicker  than  any  other  man  in 
Ballarat,  robber  or  policeman.  I  afterwards  accused  Mr.  Brown  of 
giving  him  some  private  signal  by  which  he  was  warned  to  hold  his 
tongue,  but  the  inspector  denied  it,  not  so  emphatic  as  I  could  have 
wished,  however. 

"  Go  and  invite  your  friend  to  join  us,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  addressing 
Steel  Spring,  for  the  night  began  to  wear  away.  "  If  we  are  to  pull 
together,  we  want  to  see  what  kind  of  stuff  a  man's  made  of,  so  that 
we  can  know  what  risks  to  run  and  what  to  avoid.  Them's  my  senti- 
ments, and  I  don't  care  a  d who  knows  'um." 

This  was  spoken  in  a  tone  of  voice  loud  enough  for  half  a  dozen 
thieves  to  hear ;  and  as  Steel  Spring  had  given  out  that  he  was  intend- 
ing to  raise  a  gang,  they  did  not  any  longer  feel  suspicious  as  to  our 
movements. 

"  That's  the  kind  of  talk  I  like  a  man  to  spit  out,"  cried  a  huge  black 

33 


386  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

ruffian  who  sat  near  us,  bringing  his  hand  down  upon  his  table  with  so 
much  good  will  that  a  cup  before  him  spilled  out  half  its  contents.  "  I 
like  to  'sociate  with  men  who  have  pluck,  and  know  what  they  is  about. 

D n  a  coward,  dead  or  alive,"  and  with  this  emphatic  declaration  the 

ruffian  drank  what  spirits  remained  in  his  cup,  and  then  called  for  more. 

"  That's  Tom  Benchley,"  whispered  the  inspector,  "  and  in  spite  of 
his  big  words  and  fierce  looks,  an  arrant  coward  at  heart.  He  frightens 
people  by  bouncing,  although  a  boy  of  twenty  could  make  him  eat  his 
words.  You  see  that  he  sits  alone.  Most  of  those  in  the  room  con- 
sider him  a  disgrace  to  what  they  call  a  profession ;  but  the  fellow  always 
has  money,  and  so  Dan  gives  him  the  right  of  entree  to  the  select 
scenes." 

Steel  Spring,  who  had  been  to  the  farther  end  of  the  room,  whisper- 
ing with  a  young  man,  now  returned,  and  introduced  him  to  us  as  Ben 
Jackson.  He  was  not  more  than  twenty-four  years  of  age ;  and  I  saw 
in  a  moment  that  he  had  never  passed  any  portion  of  his  time  at  the 
hulks,  and  that  if  he  had  ever  been  engaged  in  robberies  it  was  only 
recently,  and  that  he  was  not  yet  quite  hardened  to  crime. 

"  Gents,"  said  Steel  Spring,  waving  his  hand  with  an  attempt  to  do 
the  genteel,  "  allow  me  to  introduce  Mr.  Jackson,  a  covey  vot  is  desir- 
ous of  jining  our  select  society,  provided,  as  the  land  sharks  say,  you  is 
villing." 

Jackson  appeared  delighted  with  the  introduction ;  although  I  thought 
that  I  could  detect  a  slight  look  of  disgust  upon  his  face  when  we 
extended  our  soiled  hands  and  shook  his  white  palm. 

"  Our  friend  tells  the  truth  —  I  want  to  join  a  gang  where  I  can  make 
money,  and  then  leave  the  country  without  danger.  I  don't  want  to 
stop  in  Australia  all  my  days  by  a  d d  sight." 

Even  the  profanity  was  forced,  and  did  not  come  from  his  heart.  He 
considered  it  necessary  to  use  an  oath  to  make  himself  appear  an  adept 
in  crime  —  but  I  saw  through  the  disguise,  and  pitied  him. 

"  It  ain't  every  man  that  applies  for  a  chance  can  jine  with  us,"  the 
inspector  answered,  assuming  a  deep  and  bass  tone  of  voice,  and  lan- 
guage suited  to  his  supposed  condition.  "  We  want  men  —  half  a  dozen 
food,  firm  men,  and  then  we  can  roll  the  money  in  without  much  trouble, 
quat  yourself,  and  then  we  can  think  of  this  'ere  subject,  and  find  out 
what  you  can  do  to  help  us  when  we  reach  the  bush." 

"  I  like  to  meet  men,  and  hope  to  prove  myself  one  before  we  part," 
^peaking  in  a  manner  that  showed  he  was  not.  destitute  of  education. 
"  I've  never  been  in  the  bush,  but  I  hope  under  good  guidance  I  shall 
^oon  be,  and  then  if  I  show  a  white  feather  I'll  agree  to  go  without  my 
•share  of  the  prize  money." 

"  That's  fair  talk,"  I  muttered,  "  and  I  think  that  the  kid  will  make  a 
goat.  Let's  trust  him." 

"  I'm  sure  I'm  very  much  pleased  with  your  favorable  opinion,  and  I 
hope  I  shall  deserve  it.  I've  already  done  some  things  that  can't  be 
beat,  although  I'm  not  in  the  possession  of  much  money.  Gentlemen, 
I  must  ask  you  to  drink  at  my  expense,  if  I  can  manage  to  negotiate 
with  Dan  for  credit." 

Jackson  started  for  a  short  conference  with  the  barkeeper,  and  Steel 
Spring  whispered  to  the  inspector  to  "  draw  him  out,  and  hear  him 
talk." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  387 

Dan  apparently  required  some  persuasion  to  give  credit,  but  at  length 
the  representations  of  Jackson  prevailed,  and  he  returned  to  us  ra- 
diant. 

"  The  d d  old  'fence,'"  he  muttered,  "he  is  afraid  of  giving  credit 

as  a  churchman,  and  nearly  as  mean.  The  next  time  I'm  in  Ballarat,  I 
hope  that  I  shall  have  money  enough  to  pay  for  select  lodgings,  and 
then  he  and  his  '  Cricket '  may  go  to  the  devil.  What  are  you  going  to 
take?" 

We  ordered  our  liquor,  and  after  it  was  brought  made  a  show  of 
tasting  it,  but  we  knew  better  than  to  drink  spirit  at  the  Cricket. 

"  By  the  way,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  "  you  was  saying  something  about 
your  not  being  green,  and  that  you  had  tried  your  hand  at  one  or  two 
things.  Now,  if  you  have  no  objections,  we  should  like  to  know  how 
you've  been  employed,  so  that  we  can  judge  of  your  mettle." 

The  young  fellow  paused ;  and  I  could  see  that  shame  was  not  entirely 
banished  from  his  heart,  for  he  colored,  and  then  endeavored  to  crush 
his  feelings  with  a  drink  of  poisonous  spirit. 

"  What  need  I  care,"  he  exclaimed,  at  length,  a  "  short  life  and  a 
merry  one  for  me.  A  fellow  may  as  well  be  dead  as  destitute  of  money, 
and  when  it  can't  be  got  by  hard  work,  I'm  in  favor  of  taking  it  wher- 
ever I  can  get  it." 

"  Them's  the  sentiments,"  cried  the  inspector,  and  then  muttered  in 
an  undertone, "  that  have  hanged  better  men  than  you." 

"  You  see,  gentlemen,"  Jackson  continued,  the  liquor  opening  hia 
heart,  and  making  him  loquacious,  "  that  I  began  life  in  Liverpool,  in  the 
old  country.  I  was  apprenticed  to  a  grocer,  but  I  looked  upon  weighing 
coffee  and  tea  as  not  the  kind  of  employment  for  a  man ;  so  one  day 
I  stepped  out  of  the  store  on  board  of  a  ship  that  was  just  ready  to 
sail  for  Melbourne,  and  started  to  seek  my  fortune  in  this  part  of  the 
world." 

"  Didn't  you  have  any  capital  to  begin  with  ?  "  interrogated  the  in- 
spector, with  a  wink  of  encouragement. 

"  Well,  yes,"  hesitated  the  young  fellow  ;  "  I  forgot  to  say  that  I  had 
five  hundred  sovereigns  in  my  pocket  at  the  time  I  left ;  and  they  were 
intrusted  to  me  by  my  master  to  put  inco  the  Bank  of  Liverpool." 

"  Ah,  that  was  something  like,"  cried  the  inspector,  rubbing  his 
hands.  "  How  old  Slocum  must  have  been  astonished  when  he  found 
that  you  was  gone." 

"  You  knew  my  master,  then,"  cried  Jackson,  starting  up  with  alarm 
depicted  upon  his  countenance. 

"  Of  course  I  didn't  know  him  ;  but  I  can  read,  can't  I?  Didn't  an 
advertisement  appear  in  one  of  the  papers  at  Melbourne,  offering  a 
reward  for  the  arrest  of  one  Charley  Wright.  But  don't  fear  us  ;  go 
on  with  your  yarn.  You've  made  a  good  beginning." 

"  I'm  glad  that  you  think  so,  'cos  I  don't  know  as  you'd  approve  of 
such  kinds  of  pickings." 

"  Approve  of  'em  ?  "  echoed  the  inspector.  "  No  matter  ;  you  go 
on",  and  while  talking  I'll  order  more  lush." 

"  I  didn't  find  so  many  chances  to  make  a  fortune  as  I  expected  here," 
Jackson  continued,  "  but  I  got  employment  in  a  store,  where  I  worked 
daytimes,  and  at  night  I  used  to  do  a  little  on  my  own  account  in  the 


388  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

pasteboard  line  ;  but  I  wasn't  very  successful,  and  somehow  or  othei  1 
think  I  was  cheated." 

"  It's  exceedingly  probable,"  cried  the  inspector,  sotto  voce. 

"  And  when  I  found  that  I  was  cleaned  out  after  a  few  weeks,  1 
attempted  to  retrieve  my  losses  by  borrowing  from  my  employers," 
Jackson  continued. 

"  Without  their  consent  or  knowledge,"  Mr.  Brown  remarked. 

The  young  fellow  smiled  faintly,  and  nodded  his  head  in  token  of 
assent,  and  then  continued : 

"  One  day  I  borrowed  a  hundred  pounds,  thinking  that  I  could 
replace  it  without  its  being  missed,  if  I  was  lucky  at  cards  ;  but  some- 
how I  wasn't,  and  my  employers  began  to  make  a  stir  in  relation  to  the 
matter." 

"  That  must  have  been  exceedingly  disagreeable  to  your  feelings," 
the  inspector  insinuated. 

"  Well,  it  was  rather  hard,  I  will  own,  'cos  I  might  have  been  lucky 
after  a  while,  and  then  I  could  have  paid  the  whole  debt  without 
trouble ;  but  men  in  business  don't  seem  to  have  much  consideration 
for  their  clerks ;  -and  I  think  that  a  good  deal  of  crime  originates 
through  their  obstinacy  and  stupidity. 

"  I  was  obliged  to  leave  the  firm  with  whom  I  was  spending  my  time ; 
and  I  did  it  so  suddenly  that  they  had  no  chance  to  arrest  me,  or  to  in- 
vestigate matters.  I  stepped  out  of  the  store  while  the  partners  were 
holding  a  consultation,  and  in  ten  minutes  time  I  was  on  board  the 
'  Smiling  Queen '  steamboat,  bound  for  Sydney,  aud  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  police. 

"  I  didn't  have  a  recommendation  in  my  pocket,  for  I  didn't  think  to 
ask  for  one  when  I  left  Melbourne ;  and  I  have  always  entertained  some 
doubts  as  to  whether  I  could  have  obtained  one  had  I  requested  it." 

"  Ingenuous  youth,"  muttered  the  inspector,  almost  fascinated  by  his 
impudence. 

"  I  tried  to  get  a  clerkship  in  Sydney,  but  didn't  succeed  ;  and  then 
I  accepted  a  situation  as  marker  in  a  billiard  saloon,  where  I  flourished 
for  a  time  —  but  one  night  a  miner,  who  had  been  drinking  quite  freely, 
lost  about  a  pound  of  dust,  and  was  fool  enough  to  make  a  fuss  about 
it.  I  was  suspected  of  stealing  it ;  and  although  I  pledged  my  word 
that  I  knew  nothing  of  the  matter,  yet  the  gold  was  found  in  my 
pocket,  and  I  was  obliged  to  share  with  the  police  in  order  to  get 
clear." 

Mr.  Brown  endeavored  to  hide  his  chagrin  by  drinking  from  his  glass, 
while  Steel  Spring  could  hardly  contain  himself  he  was  so  delighted  at 
the  expose. 

"A  precious  set  of  wermin  those  police  fellers,  hejrv?"  cried  the 
scamp,  in  defiance  of  all  my  frowns. 

"  O,  they  are  the  most  rapacious  set  of  villains,"  Jackson  continued, 
"  that  ever  lived.  A  man  can't  do  an  honest  day's  work  without  sharing 
with  them.  I  know  'em,  thoroughly." 

"  Perhaps  you  do,"  Mr.  Brown  replied,  carelessly,  and  at  the  same 
time  he  gave  Steel  Spring  such  a  tremendous  kick  on  his  thin  shin 
bone  that  the  poor  devil  was  almost  bent  up  double  with  agony. 

"  I  ax  your  pardon,"  cried  Mr.  Brown  ;  "  I  didn't  know  that  your  foot 
was  there." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUKES.  389 

*  *• 

"Veil,  you've  found  out,"  was  the  reply  of  the  poor  devil,  as  he 
rubbed  his  leg. 

"  After  the  transaction  with  the  miner,  I  heard  that  a  man  could  make 
a  good  living,  if  he  was  any  ways  smart,  at  Ballarat,  so  I  came  here  and 
done  pretty  well,  until  an  unfortunate  occurrence  took  place,  which  has 
been  the  means  of  making  me  fight  shy  for  a  few  weeks  past." 

"You  see  he  used  a  'sticker'  rather  freely,"  cried  Steel  Spring,  in  a 
careless  way,  as  though  stabbing  was  a  meritorious  act,  which  Jackson's 
modesty  was  too  great  for  him  to  disclose. 

i(  I  thought  I  asked  you  to  say  nothing  of  the  matter ! "  exclaimed 
Jackson,  with  a  pallid  cheek,  and  a  frightened  expression. 

"Veil,  so  you  did,  but  vat  of  it?  Ain't  ve  all  friends  ;  and  ain't  it 
right  that  ve  should  know  how  much  pluck  a  man  has  got  ?  " 

"  If  the  gentleman  has  done  any  thing  that  is  gallus,  let's  hear  it," 
grumbled  Fred. 

"  Ah,  that's  the  talk ;  out  with  it  at  once,"  we  all  exclaimed,  although 
in  so  low  a  tone  that  our  neighbors  did  not  hear  us. 

"  Well,  since  the  subject  is  broached,  I  don't  mind  giving  you  an 
account  of  the  most  dangerous  expedition  that  I  ever  undertook  ;  but 

mum  is  the  word,  for  if  that  d d  Brown  should  get  hold  of  me,  I 

should  have  to  swing  for  it." 

"  O,  mum  it  is,"  we  all  repeated ;  and  none  were  louder  than  the 
inspector  in  giving  the  promise. 

"  Well,  the  fact  of  it  is,"  Jackson  continued,  "  soon  after  I  got  here, 
and  began  handling  the  '  pasteboards,'  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  a 
young  fellow  who  was  at  work  mining  with  an  uncle.  I  managed  to 
clean  him  pretty  well  out ;  and  then  he  used  to  steal  pretty  smart  sums 
from  his  relative,  until  at  last  the  old  man  missed  his  dust,  and  remon- 
strated against  such  injustice. 

"  One  day,  after  a  hard  quarrel,  the  nephew  came  to  me,  and  pro- 
posed that  we  should  enter  his  uncle's  tent,  and  take  what  gold  he  had 
left,  and  divide  it  equally  between  us.  I  didn't  like  the  idea,  but  my 
friend  was  so  sanguine  that  a  few  thousand  pounds  could  be  made 
without  much  of  an  effort,  that  I  at  last  consented." 

"  I  'spose  you  mean  that  affair  of  Critchet's,"  the  inspector  said.  "  I 
eould  have  told  you  that  nothing  was  to  be  got  in  that  quarter." 

"  How  —  you  know  of  that  attempt  at  mur " 

He  did  not  finish  the  sentence,  for  the  word  seemed  to  choke  him. 

"  Know  of  it  ?  "  repeated  the  inspector  ;  "  of  course  I  did.  Don't 
I  belong  to  a  gang  that  hears  of  all  such  things  ?  What,  would  an 
organization  be  worth  unless  the  news  was  reported  ?  " 

"But  you  didn't  know  that  I  was  connected  with  the  matter,  did 
you  ?  " 

"  Never  you  mind  me  —  when  you  belong  to  the  association  you  will 
know  as  much  as  I  do.  I'll  give  you  the  credit  of  saying  that  the  job 
you  undertook  was  well  conducted,  and  only  failed  through  the  old  fel 
low's  shrewdness.  Now  drive  on,  and  don't  be  bashful." 

"  We  agreed  upon  a  night,"  Jackson  continued,  "  and  about  one 
o'clock  we  crept  into  old  Critchet's  tent,  and  began  digging  where  we 
supposed  the  dust  was  buried,  but  to  our  disappointment  found  it  was 
gone. 

33* 


390  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OR 

* 

"  My  companion  was  so  enraged  that  he  uttered  an  exclamation  loud 
enough  to  awaken  his  uncle,  and  he  sprang  from  his  bed  and  shouted 
for  help.  We  feared  that  his  cries  would  bring  assistance,  when  we 
knew  that  our  errand  would  be  suspected,  and  that  our  arrest  would  be 
certain.  We  seemed  animated  by  a  kindred  feeling,  and  both  of  our 
knives  struck  the  old  fellow  at  the  same  moment.  He  gave  a  groan, 
and  fell  to  the  ground,  and  then,  fearing  that  he  was  not  finished,  we 
dealt  half  a  dozen  more  stabs,  and  ran,  as  fast  as  our  legs  could  carry 
us,  to  a  gambling  saloon,  where  we  endeavored  to  forget  our  disappoint- 
ment and  terror  by  imbibing  deeply  of  liquor. 

"  A  little  before  daylight  we  stole  back  to  the  tent,  thinking  that  we 
would  raise  an  alarm  in  case  he  was  dead  ;  but  we  discovered  that  the 
old  fellow  had  crept  from  his  tent  to  a  store  kept  by  two  Yankees.  We 
tracked  him '  by  his  blood,  and  feared  that  we  were  lost,  but  Follet 

"Follet  was  the  name  of  your  companion,  hey? "'Fred  asked. 

Jackson  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  continued,  — 

"  I  may  as  well  own  that  it  was,  'cos  I'm  with  friends  who  won't  be- 
tray me.  Follet  said  that  he  would  visit  the  store,  and  by  cross-exam- 
ining the  Yankees,  find  out  what  they  meant  to  do,  and  whether  the  old 
man  had  made  any  revelations.  He  did  so,  and  while  there  managed 
to  drop  a  knife,  which  I  had  bought  from  them  a  week  or  two  before, 
and  which  I  took  care  to  blood  up,  and  then  went  before  the  commis- 
sioner, and  boldly  accused  them  of  murdering  his  uncle. 

"  The  dodge  succeeded  badly  ;  the  d d  fool  of  a  commissioner 

let  the  store  keepers  off  on  bail,  and  shoved  Follet  in  jail,  to  be  held  as 
a  witness.  But  he's  a  good  and  true  one,  and  has  not  once  alluded 
to  me." 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  asked  the  inspector. 

"  That's  all,"  replied  Jackson,  emptying  his  glass. 

"  Well,  now,  let  me  see  your  hands,"  Mr.  Brown  said. 

Jackson  held  out  his  hands,  which  Mr.  Brown  grasped  firmly,  and 
then  I  heard  two  sharp  "  clicks,"  and  to  my  surprise,  and  the  conster- 
nation of  our  companion,  a  pair  of  stout  handcuffs  were  on  his  wrists, 
and  he  was  a  prisoner. 


CHAPTER    LVII. 

MORE     OF     THE     SAME     SORT. 

THE  securing  of  Jackson  was  so  sudden  and  unexpected  that  no  one 
in  the  room  besides  our  party  had  noticed  what  was  going  on,  and  even 
the  prisoner  seemed  not  to  realize  for  some  moments  that  his  tongue 
had  revealed  secrets  which  were  likely  to  cost  him  imprisonment  for 
life.  He  appeared  to  imagine  that  the  handcuffing  was  an  excellent 
joke,  and  a  faint  smile  overspread  his  face ;  but  after  finding  that  no  one 
returned  it,  a  deadly  paleness  chased  the  color  from  his  lips,  and  he 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  391 

trembled  as  though  he  was  already  arraigned  before  a  tribunal  for 
sentence. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?  "  he  stammered  out,  after  moistening 
his  mouth,  which  seemed  parched,  with  his  tongue. 

"  It  means,"  whispered  the  inspector,  "  that  you  are  my  prisoner,  and 
the  first  effort  that  you  make  to  escape  will  result  in  your  death.  Re- 
main quiet,  and  do  as  I  wish  you  to,  and  you  will  fare  well,  but " 

He  pressed  the  barrel  of  a  revolver  against  his  side,  and  the  fellow 
trembled  at  its  touch. 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  Jackson  demanded,  almost  in  an  inaudible  voice. 

"  I  am  that  d d  Brown  whom  you  spoke  of  a  few  minutes  since," 

replied  the  inspector,  with  a  chuckle. 

"  And  these  two  men  ?  "  he  asked,  pointing  to  Fred  and  myself. 

"  The  Americans,  whom  you  thought  to  get  convicted  of  murder. 
You  see  that  they  have  played  you  a  Yankee  trick,  and  have  rather  got 
the  best  of  the  bai>gain." 

The  poor  wretch's  head  fell  upon  his  breast,  and  we  supposed  that 
he  was  completely  crushed  by  his  unexpected  arrest,  but  we  kept  a 
sharp  eye  upon  his  movements,  nevertheless,  for  fear  that  he  should 
convey  intelligence  of  his  situation  to  the  noisy  and  drunken  gang  in 
the  room.  We  knew  that  the  single  word  "  Traps  "  would  cause  them 
to  swarm  around  us  like  hornets,  and  that  many  blows  would  have  to 
be  struck  before  we  could  make  our  way  to  the  street  and  escape  with 
our  prisoner,  whom  we  were  desirous  of  holding  on  to  at  every  hazard. 

"  Steel  Spring,"  whispered  the  inspector,  but  no  Steel  Spring  was 
present  to  respond.  The  fellow  had  stolen  away  unperceived  as  soon 
as  the  handcuffs  were  put  on  Jackson's  wrists,  disliking  the  idea  of 
fighting  his  way  from  the  room.  The  act  was  characteristic  of  the  man, 
and  we  cursed  him  in  our  hearts  for  a  coward  and  a  traitor. 

Here  were  but  three  of  us  to  oppose  nearly  thirty,  and  to  add  to  our 
trouble  it  was  not  only  necessary  that  we  should  get  clear  ourselves,  but 
that  we  should  take  our  prisoner  with  us ;  and  while  we  knew  that  in 
case  of  a  rush  we  would  stand  but  a  slim  chance,  we  determined  that 
we  would  dispute  our  lives  with  the  ruffians,  and  make  every  shot  in 
our  revolvers  tell. 

"If  that  coward  of  a  Steel  Spring  was  only  here,"  muttered  the 
inspector. 

"  He  would  be  of  little  use  to  us,"  I  remarked,  "  for  he  has  not  pluck 
enough  to  fight  a  hedgehog,  if  it  showed  spirit." 

"  I  expected  to  send  him  for  the  reserved  police  force  that  I  have 
posted  near  at  hand.  I  told  them  to  wait  until  they  got  word  from  me, 
and  they  will  obey  orders." 

"  It  is  useless  to  repine,"  Fred  exclaimed.  "  Let  us  make  a  bold  push 
for  the  street,  and  trust  to  our  usual  good  luck  and  boldness  for  an  es- 
cape." 

"  Or,  had  we  better  sit  here  until  morning,  and  pretend  to  drink  as 
hard  as  those  around  us  ?  By  daylight  most  of  those  present  will  be 
either  drunk  or  asleep,  and  then  we  could  get  off  without  much  of  a 
struggle." 

The  advice  of  the  inspector  was  good,  and  perhaps  we  should  have 
adopted  it ;  but  just  at  that  moment  a  burly  fellow  staggered  towards 


392  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

our  table,  and  seemed  determined  to  cultivate  a  more  intimate  acquaint- 
ance. 

"  You  coves  don't  seem  to  drink  as  though  you  liked  our  lush,"  he 
began,  steadying  himself  bv  holding  on  to  the  table  with  one  hand,  and 
pointing  to  the  halt-filled  glasses  before  us.  "  If  the  liquor  isn't  good 
why  don't  you  say  so,  and  be  hanged  to  you,"  he  continued. 

We  made  a  short  reply  that  we  liked  the  liquor  very  much,  and  was 
going  to  drink  our  share  of  it  as  soon  as  we  got  some  business 
arranged. 

"  Well,  let  us  have  a  rousing  drink,  and  I'll  pay  for  it,"  our  trouble- 
some friend  continued,  and  in  spite  of  our  declaration  he  ordered  a  pint 
of  whiskey,  and  then  sat  down  beside  us  as  though  he  was  determined 
to  see  that  full  justice  was  done  to  his  treat. 

I  shoved  Jackson's  hands  under  the  table  so  that  his  bracelets  could 
not  be  seen,  and  then  I  held  them  in  that  position  until  the  liquor  was 
brought,  when  a  new  source  of  trouble  awaited  us.  "  It  was  necessary, 
to  escape  without  a  quarrel,  that  each  of  us  should  honor  the  unex- 
pected treat  by  partaking  of  it ;  but  when  it  came  Jackson's  turn  to 
drink,  we  all  protested  that  he  had  his  reasons  for  not  imbibing,  but  our 
troublesome  friend  overruled  them. 

"  He  shall  drink,  by  G — d,  or  fight,"  roared  the  ruffian ;  and  as  he 
spoke  we  saw,  with  some  misgivings,  that  our  corner  of  the  room  was 
the  centre  of  attraction,  and  that  the  sleeping  thieves  were  waking  up, 
and  listening  to  hear  what  the  row  was  about. 

"  Sit  down,  man,"  cried  the  inspector,  calmly,  "  and  let  me  drink  his 
share.  I'll  drink  glass  after  glass  with  you,  until  daylight." 

"  Not  by  a  d d  sight.  I  want  that  fellow  to  respond  to  my  toast : 

'Death  and  confusion  to  all  policemen! ' "  shouted  the  ruffian,  bringing 
his  glass  down  upon  the  table  with  so  much  force  that  it  was  shivered 
to  pieces,  and  one  of  the  fragments  struck  our  prisoner  on  his  face, 
and  so  startled  him  that  he  sprang  up,  in  defiance  of  the  inspector's 
threat,  and  revealed  what  we  had  attempted  to  conceal,  his  confined 
hands. 

The  secret  was  out,  and  frowns  and  threats  were  in  vain.  We  felt  in 
our  pockets  and  satisfied  ourselves  that  our  revolvers  were  ready,  and 
then  waited  for  the  astonished  ruffian  to  give  an  alarm ;  but  he  seemed 
incapable  of  motion,  for  he  sat  staring  at  Jackson  as  though  hardly  dar- 
ing to  believe  his  eyes. 

"  Make  for  the  door,"  whispered  the  inspector,  and  grasping  the  pris- 
oner by  his  right  arm  he  arose,  an  example  which  we  followed. 

Then  did  the  ruffian,  who  had  insisted  upon  our  drinking  with  him, 
find  his  tongue,  for  with  one  spring  he  cleared  the  rude  bench  upon 
which  he  was  seated  and  rushed  towards  his  comrades  shouting  a  word, 
which,  above  all  others,  was  most  dreaded  by  thieves. 

"  Traps !  "  he  yelled ;  and  at  the  sound  every  thief  started  to  his  feet, 
and  even  those  who  were  lying  in  the  corners  of  the  room,  sleepy  and 
overpowered  with  drink,  sat  up  and  rubbed  their  eyes,  ready  to  fight  in 
self-defence,  or  to  make  an  escape,  just  according  to  the  chances  which 
presented  themselves. 

"  Traps,"  once  more  repeated  the  frightened  ruffian,  and  a  dozen 
voices  demanded  where  they  were,  while  three  or  four  men  opened  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUEES.  393 

shutters  of  the  windows  to  see  if  the  building  was  attacked  on  the  out- 
side. Two  or  three  of  the  most  timid  disappeared  from  the  room 
through  a  small  door,  which  we  afterwards  learned  led  through  a  sub- 
terranean passage  to  a  deserted  mine,  and  from  thence  escape  was  easy 
by  means  of  the  shaft. 

"  Where  are  they  ?  "  roared  a  dozen  voices  all  at  once ;  and  as  the 
ruffians  asked,  we  had  the  disagreeable  pleasure  of  seeing  long  knives 
unsheathed  and  two  or  three  pistols  drawn  ;  but  even  during  the  confu- 
sion we  managed  to  approach  the  door  through  which  we  had  entered, 
and  which  we  prayed  to  leave  without  a  severe  wound. 

"There  they  go  —  we  are  betrayed  —  down  with  them,"  were  the 
cries  that  we  heard ;  but  to  our  satisfaction  a  man  whom  we  had  not 
counted  on  rushed  between  us  and  the  crowd,  his  voice,  clear  and  ring- 
ing, being  heard  above  the  din. 

"  Put  up  your  knives,"  he  shouted,  "  or  you'll  bring  trouble  on  me 
and  my  house.  Let  the  gentlemen  go  —  it's  nothin'  but  a  fadlin'  cove 
they've  got,  and  not  a  bushman.  For  the  honor  of  the  '  Cricket '  don't 
spill  blood  here,"  pleaded  Dan  Brian,  the  proprietor. 

"  Move  on,"  whispered  the  inspector,  "  and  don't  relax  your  hold  of 
the  prisoner.  Keep  your  pistols  in  your  pockets,  and  don't  use  them 
until  I  set  an  example." 

"  It  is  selling  us,  Dan  Brian,  you  are,"  cried  half  a  dozen  voices,  and 
there  were  shouts  and  oaths  of  rage  at  the  thought. 

"  'Pon  my  honor,  I'm  not,"  reiterated  Dan ;  "  I  never  sold  a  pal  in 
my  life,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I  won't.  It's  a  poor  devil  they've 
got  now,  of  no  account  icy  any  of  us." 

"  He's  a  thief,  and  in  the  hands  of  '  Traps,' "  shouted  one,  "  and  if 
we  let  him  go  without  a  blow,  none  of  us  will  be  safe." 

"That's  so,"  yelled  the  crowd,  and  the  most  violent  pushed  Dan 
aside,  or  attempted  to,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  at  us. 

"  We  will  listen  to  nothing,"  roared  the  ruffians,  "  until  the  poor  devil 
is  free,  and  then  we  will  talk  until  daylight,  if  it  will  please  the  police." 

An  almost  imperceptible  signal  was  exchanged  between  the  inspector 
and  Dan,  but  to  no  purpose,  for  our  party  continued  to  retreat,  and  the 
others  advance,  with  many  menacing  gestures,  and  the  only  thing  that 
surprised  me  was  the  reluctance  to  use  firearms  on  the  part  of  our  ene- 
mies. This,  I  afterwards  found,  was  owing  to  the  fear  of  bringing  a 
squad  of  mounted  police  to  the  spot,  large  numbers  of  whom  were  con- 
stantly patrolling  "  Gravel  Pit  Hill "  during  the  night,  and  the  signal 
for  a  disturbance  would  have  been  the  arrest  of  every  one  present,  sim- 
ply by  surrounding  the  house  and  searching  the  underground  passages. 

By  the  time  the  last  demand  was  made,  we  were  at  the  door  and 
all  ready  to  take  down  the  bar,  when  a  rush  was  made  towards  us,  and 
by  the  rather  dim  light  I  saw  a  dozen  long  knives,  such  as  the  stockmen 
of  the  plains  wear  in  their  belts  for  the  purpose  of  killing  cattle,  flash 
from  their  sheaths,  and  grasped  as  though  business  was  intended. 

"  Keep  your  backs  to  the  door,"  cried  the  inspector,  calmly,  not  at 
all  dismayed  by  the  formidable  array  against  us,  "  and  don't  let  a  man 
approach  within  a  yard  without  getting  a  good  shot." 

We  covered  our  prisoner  in  such  a  manner  that  he  could  do  us  no 
harm,  and  then  formed  in  a  triangular  manner,  so  that  our  fronts  and 


394  LIFE   IN   AUSTEALIA,   OE 

sides  would  be  equally  well  guarded,  then  glanced  over  the  excited 
crowd,  in  hopes  that  Dan  would  array  himself  on  our  side  —  but  that 
enterprising  gentleman  had  suddenly  disappeared,  and  left'  us  to  our 
fate. 

"  Stand  back,"  shouted  the  inspector ;  "  it  will  be  the  worse  for  you. 
There's  many  of  you  present  who  know  me,  and  know  that  I  have  a 
large  force  of  policemen  on  hand.  If  you  strike  a  blow,  not  one  of  you 
shall  escape  justice. 

"  Unbar  the  door  as  quickly  as  possible,"  whispered  the  inspector, 
after  getting  through  with  his  threatening  speech. 

I  lifted  the  heavy  gum  wood  bar  from  its  place,  and  then  raised  the 
latch,  expecting  that  it  would  yield,  but  to  my  surprise  it  did  not  —  it 
was  locked,  and  the  key  in  the  pocket  of  the  doorkeeper,  who  had  made 
his  escape  from  the  room  in  company  with  Dan. 

I  almost  uttered  a  groan  of  agony  when  I  made  the  discovery,  and  to 
add  to  the  perplexity  of  our  situation,  the  ruffians  must  have  understood 
our  case,  and  known  that  the  key  was  never  left  in  the  lock,  for  they 
uttered  a  discordant  and  ironical  hoot,  and  then  a  shout  of  sardonic 
laughter. 

"  For  Heaven's  sake,  don't  be  all  night  in  getting  that  door  open," 
cried  Fred,  nervously,  and  I  will  confess  that  I  also  partook  of  the  same 
complaint. 

"  Now  for  a  rush  —  cut  them  to  pieces,"  exclaimed  many  voices ;  but 
I  observed  that  the  cries  came  from  those  who  were  farthest  from  us, 
and  out  of  the  reach  of  our  pistols,  which  we  were  forced  to  display,  in 
hope  of  keeping  the  robbers  at  a  respectful  distance. 

"  Is  the  door  unbarred  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown,  turning  half  round,  and 
exposing  his  side  to  the  knives  of  the  crowd,  and  quick  as  thought,  a 
man  sprang  forward  to  begin  the  work  of  bloodshed ;  but  sudden  as 
were  his  movements,  they  were  anticipated,  for  I  raised  the  heavy  bar, 
which  I  had  not  relinquished,  and  let  it  fall  upon  his  head  with  crushing 
force. 

The  poor  devil  fell  at  our  feet  without  uttering  a  groan,  although 
many  spasmodic  twitchings  of  his  nerves  showed  that  he  was  not  killed 
outright.  His  long  knife  narrowly  missed  the  side  of  the  inspector,  and 
for  the  first  attempt  at  our  annihilation,  it  was  not  to  be  despised. 

The  wretches  uttered  yells  of  rage  when  they  saw  their  comrade  fall, 
but  none  seemed  inclined  to  assume  the  leadership  and  begin  the  attack 
in  earnest. 

Not  one  of  their  motions  escaped  us,  and  as  long  as  they  were  dis- 
posed to  brandish  their  knives  at  a  distance,  we  did  not  choose  to  carry 
matters  to  extremities  ;  but  change  of  tactics  was  suddenly  resorted  to 
on  the  part  of  our  opponents,  that  placed  us  in  no  little  peril. 

All  the  tumblers,  bottles,  and  decanters  of  the  bar  were  taken  posses- 
sion of  by  the  savage  scoundrels,  and  the  first  intimation  that  we  had 
of  the  fact  was  the  crushing  of  a  bottle  (empty,  of  course  —  they  were 
not  the  sort  of  men  to  throw  away  liquor  of  any  kind)  against  the  door, 
just  above  cur  heads. 

The  fragments  were  showered  upon  our  faces  and  shoulders,  but 
before  we  had  time  to  consider  on  the  matter  another  bottle  flew  past 
my  head,  and  hit  our  prisoner  upon  one  of  his  shoulders,  injuring 


«  Now  *>r  »  niKh  —cot  them  to  pieces! n  exclaimed  many  voiws :  but  I  oWrred  that 
the  cries  csiiie  from  tlnnw  who  weie  furthest  from  UK.  and  out  of  tlis  reach  of  our  pis- 
tol»,  which  we  we rp  forced  lo  display,  in  hope  of  ktc-jtini;  the  rubbe/s  at  a.  rospectfu 
dlntanco. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  395 

• 

him  so  severely  that  he  dropped  to  the  floor  as  though  he  had  been 
shot. 

"  Self-preservation  is  the  first  law  of  nature,"  cried  the  inspector, 
in  a  calm  tone,  cocking  his  pistol ;  and  when  he  saw  an  arm  raised  to 
hurl  another  bottle  at  our  heads,  he  fired.  I  saw  the  raised  arm  fall 
suddenly,  and  I  fancied  that  I  could  hear  the  pistol  ball  when  it  struck, 
and  buried  itself  amid  bone  and  muscle. 

"  And  are  we  to  be  shot  down  like  dogs  ?  "  was  the  indignant  ques- 
tion which  some  one  put,  and  a  loud  yell  of  "  No,"  and  a  rush  towards 
us,  was  the  response. 

One  ruffian  struck  at  me,  and  the  point  of  his  knife  entered  my  shirt 
near  the  left  shoulder,  and  inflicted  a  slight  scratch,  or  wound  —  but 
before  he  had  time  to  renew  the  blow,  which  I  escaped  by  dodging,  Mr. 
Brown  had  singled  him  out  as  a  victim,  and  he  fell,  with  a  horrid  im- 
precation upon  his  lips,  dyeing  the  black  and  soiled  floor  with  his 
blood. 

Three  or  four  pistol  shots  were  fired,  and  they  were  barely  sufficient 
to  keep  the  crowd  at  a  distance,  when  I  heard  a  movement  at  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  room,  and  through  the  windows  I  saw  the  well-known 
blue  coats  and  caps  of  the  Ballarat  police  force  pouring  into  the  room. 

We  raised  a  shout  of  welcome,  and  our  cheers  were  answered  by  the 
gallant  fellows,  who  kept  crowding  in  until  about  thirty  were  drawn 
up  in  line,  with  their  long,  heavy  pistols  presented,  and  ready  for 
destruction. 

The  ruffians  were  seized  with  a  sudden  panic,  and  would  have  fled, 
but  their  retreat  was  cut  off,  and  there  was  no  chance  for  escape.  Then 
our  leader,  Mr.  Brown,  seemed  endued  with  the  importance  of  a  dozen 
men. 

"  Down  with  your  knives,"  he  shouted,  "  or  those  who  refuse  shall 
rue  it." 

The  speech  was  one  of  the  most  unfortunate  that  ever  the  inspector 
made,  for  our  opponents  were  in  that  peculiar  state  where  a  mild  word 
would  have  done  no  harm,  and  a  cross  one  much  injury. 

The  robbers  were,  in  fact,  already  conquered,  and  a  policeman  might 
have  passed  from  man  to  man,  and  collected  every  knife  and  pistol  that 
they  possessed  without  danger,  and  with  but  few  sullen  remarks ;  but 
the  words  of  the  inspector  made  them  think  that  no  quarter  was  to  be 
shown,  and  if  that  was  the  case,  they  might  as  well  sell  their  lives  as 
dearly  as  possible. 

With  this  unfortunate  impression,  the  ruffians  replied  to  the  inspect- 
or's words  with  a  shout  Which  sounded  like  the  roar  of  a  wounded  tiger ; 
and  then  commenced  one  of  the  most  shocking  scenes  that  I  ever  wit- 
nessed (with  one  exception)  in  my  life. 

The  robbers  rushed  upon  the  line  of  policemen  with  brandished 
knives,  and  as  they  advanced  they  discharged  the  few  pistols  which 
they  carried  on  their  persons,  and  they  made  every  shot  tell,  for  I  saw 
three  or  four  of  the  government  force  give  sudden  springs,  and  fall 
headlong  to  the  floor ;  and  then  came  the  rattling,  deadly  discharge  of 
the  policemen,  and  I  could  hear  the  heavy  balls  strike  on  the  partition 
behind  me,  and  send  huge  splinters  from  the  woodwork,  and  scatter 
<,hem  upon  our  heads. 


396  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

• 

Seven  or  eight  of  tho  robbers  fell,  mortally  wounded,  and  others,  with 
the  blood  streaming  from  their  hurts,  which  only  appeared  to  inflame 
their  courage,  once  more  rushed  towards  the  blue  coats  in  hopr  of 
cutting  their  way  through  the  line,  and  gaining  the  secret  passage. 

But  what  madness  it  was  to  expect  to  cope  with  men  who  carried  Jong 
sabres,  and  knew  how  to  use  them !  The  knives  of  the  robbers  were 
powerless  against  them,  and  once  more  the  latter  were  driven  back, 
overpowered,  and  with  half  their  number  disabled. 

"  Do  you  surrender  ?  "  demanded  the  inspector. 

There  was  a  sullen  response  in  the  affirmative,  and  knives  were  thrown 
down,  but  there  was  no  cringing  or  supplication  for  mercy ;  and  the 
desperadoes  only  needed  a  lion-hearted  leader  to  have  placed  hors  du 
combat  one  half  of  their  enemies  present.  They  were  about  as  full  of 
pluck  as  English  bull-dogs,  and  about  as  resolute. 

The  police,  without  moving  from  their  positions,  re-loaded  their  pis- 
tols,  and  then  two  or  three  of  them  advanced  and  collected  the  dis- 
carded knives  without  resistance.  Handcuffs  were  then  placed  upon  the 
robbers'  wrists,  and  they  were  secured  in  such  a  manner  that  escape  was 
impossible. 

The  victory  was  won  at  the  expense  of  three  mortally  wounded 
policemen,  and  four  who  were  only  slightly  injured,  while  on  the 
part  of  our  opponents  six  were  dead,  eight  badly  wounded,  and  four 
slightly. 

During  the  battle  both  Fred  and  myself  had  abstained  from  firing  a 
single  shot,  for  we  looked  upon  the  affair  in  the  light  of  a  massacre,  yet 
we  could  not  condemn  Mr.  Brown  or  his  men,  for  they  had  acted  accord- 
ing to  the  best  of  their  judgment,  and  under  the  sincere  impression  that 
our  lives  were  in  danger ;  and  so  they  were ;  but  we  felt  as  though  we 
had  rather  cut  our  way  through  the  villains,  or  have  given  up  our  pris- 
oner, than  to  have  caused  so  much  blood  to  flow,  and  so  many  deaths 
in  an  affair  that  interested  ourselves  alone. 

But  the  battle  was  ended,  and  the  Wounded  required  attention.  We 
left  our  prisoner  where  he  had  fallen,  when  knocked  .down  by  a  bottle, 
and  as  he  did  not  move,  we  supposed  that  he  had  fainted  from  the  effect 
of  fear  or  pain,  and  that  he  would  soon  come  to  his  senses. 

We  were  picking  our  way  across  the  floor,  endeavoring  to  avoid  the 
pools  of  blood,  when  the  rough  hands  of  policemen  were  laid  on  our 
shoulders. 

"  Put  out  your  digets,  and  on  with  the  darbies,"  they  said,  mean- 
ing that  we  should  suffer  ourselves  to  be  handcuffed,  evidently  think- 
ing that  we  were  a  portion  of  the  gang  with  whom  they  had  been 
fighting. 

"  Don't  hinder  us,  Mike,"  I  replied,  addressing  the  officer,  whom  I 
had  seen  a  number  of  times,  and  who  knew  both  Fred  and  myself. 

"  By  the  powers,  it's  hinder  ye'll  get  wid  a  rope  round  yer  neck.  Out 
wid  yer  digets,  and  don't  keep  us  waiting." 

I  saw  that  the  man  was  in  earnest,  and  I  was  surprised  —  but  sud- 
denly I  thought  of  my  disguise,  and  the  mystery  was  explained  it  once. 

"  Don't  you  know  your  friends  when  you  see  them,  Mike  ?  "  I  asked, 
and  while  speaking  I  tore  off  my  wig,  revealing  my  natural  hair. 

"  O,  the  devil !  I  axes  yer  pardon ;  but  who  would  hav«  thought  of 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  397 

seeing  you  here  ?     It's  funny  ye  are  going  from  place  to  place,  where  the 
hard  knocks  are  to  be  had,  and  no  pay  for  it." 

We  did  not  explain  to  the  Celtic  gentleman  the  interest  we  had  in 
being  present,  but  passed  on  to  where  the  bodies  of  the  wounded  bush- 
rangers and  robbers  were  lying.  Mr.  Brown  had  already  sent  for  the 
surgeon  of  the  police  force,  and  a  squad  of  men  was  removing  the 
wounded  soldiers  who  could  go  on  horseback  to  their  quarters,  while 
litters  had  been  ordered  to  carry  off  the  remainder.  No  one  appeared 
to  care  whether  the  injured  robbers  were  attended  to  or  neglected. 

The  poor  fellows  were  suffering  the  most  excruciating  pain ;  but  they 
bore  their  pangs  without  a  murmur,  although  two  or  three  of  them  did 
ask  for  water,  and  when  it  was  brought  drank  eagerly,  and  appeared 
thankful  for  the  favor,  slight  as  it  was. 

Fred  and  myself  made  an  attempt  to  examine  their  wounds ;  but 
before  we  could  strip  off  one  of  their  shirts,  we  heard  a  crashing  and 
roaring  beneath  our  feet,  and  up  through  the  floor  streamed  clouds  of 
smoke,  black  and  suffocating,  as  though  produced  by  pitch  or  tar. 

"  The  house  is  on  fire,"  cried  a  dozen  voices ;  and  in  an  instant  there 
was  a  rush  for  the  doors  and  windows,  and  policemen  and  miners,  who 
had  been  drawn  from  their  beds  by  the  tumult  and  confusion,  were  mixed 
in  a  dozen  struggling  masses,  all  striving  for  escape. 

"  Come  back,"  we  shouted,  "  and  save  the  wounded; "  but  our  words 
were  unheeded.  The  fire  seemed  to  increase  every  moment,  fanned  as 
it  was  by  a  strong  breeze,  which  blew  from  the  south. 

The  materials  of  the  building  were  dry,  and  easily  ignited  ;  and  we 
judged  that  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes  the  house  would  be  one  mass 
of  flames. 

We  expected  to  hear  the  robbers  moan  and  shout  for  assistance ;  but 
to  our  surprise  they  maintained  a  stoical  silence,  and  disdained  to  beg 
for  help. 

We  heard  the  inspector  call  us  by  name,  but  we  determined  to  save 
every  wounded  man  in  the  room  if  possible,  and  therefore  returned 
him  no  answer. 

Carefully,  but  quickly,  we  lifted  one  of  the  sufferers  from  the  floor, 
and  conveyed  him  to  the  nearest  window,  where  a  dozen  willing  hands 
were  stretched  out  to  receive  him ;  but  before  we  could  remove  a  second, 
the  flames  burst  through  at  the  extremity  of  the  room,  near  the  bar, 
and  the  planks  of  the  floor  seemed  to  blister  our  feet,  they  were  so 
heated  by  the  fire  raging  in  the  cellar. 

84 


898  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    Oil 


CHAPTER    LVIII. 

CONVALESCENCE   OF   MR.   CRITCHET,   AND   OUR  DISCHARGE   FROM 
THE  CRIMINAL  DOCKET. 

"Do  you  wish  to  perish  in  the  building?"  cried  the  inspector,  who 
had  made  his  way  through  one  of  the  windows  in  search  of  us. 

"  By  no  means,"  returned  Fred,  hurriedly,  "  but  we  will  not  leave 
until  every  wounded  man  is  saved." 

"You  are  mad.  The  building  will  be  a  mass  of  cinders  in  ten  min- 
utes," exclaimed  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Five  minutes  would  be  sufficient  to  clear  the  room,  if  we  only  had 
help,"  retorted  Fred,  as  cool  as  though  certain  of  being  saved. 

The  inspector  uttered  a  hoarse  growl  of  displeasure;  and  as  we  hur- 
ried to  perform  our  duty  as  men,  he  sprang  to  one  of  the  windows 
where  his  policemen  were  drawn  up,  awaiting  his  orders,  yet  not  making 
the  first  effort  to  save  the  building. 

"  Ho ! "  he  shouted.  "  Will  you  be  outdone  by  strangers.  Where 
are  my  volunteers  ?  Who  will  help  save  a  wounded  enemy  ?  " 

For  the  honor  of  the  blue  coats,  let  it  be  told  that  he  did  not  have  to 
speak  twice.  The  men  threw  away  their  pistols  and  powder,  and  rushed 
in  a  body  towards  the  windows,  from  whence  smoke  was  streaming  of  a 
pitchy  darkness  and  suffocating  odor.  A  number  seized  logs  of  wood, 
and  dashed  them  against  the  door  until  the  lock  gave  way,  and  it  flew 
open.  All  seemed  animated  by  a  spirit  of  rivalry,  as  to  which  should 
perform  the  most  labor  in  the  attempt  to  save  the  wounded  from  a 
horrid  death. 

And  it  was  well  for  us  that  assistance  arrived,  for  human  endurance 
could  go  no  farther.  We  felt  as  though  about  to  suffocate,  and  should 
have  fallen  upon  the  bodies  of  those  whom  we  were  attempting  to  save 
had  not  the  inspector  and  one  of  his  men  carried  us  forcibly  from  the 
room  to  the  open  air,  where  we  quickly  received  aid  by  the  influence  of 
a  bottle  containing  a  quantity  of  Jamaica  rum  mixed  with  water. 

While  we  stood  watching  the  burning  building,  the  inspector  joined 
us.  His  clothes  were  nearly  burned  from  his  back,  and  his  hair  was 
singed  to  a  crisp,  yet  he  made  no  complaint,  nor  appeared  to  regard  his 
numerous  burns. 

"  Rather  a  narrow  escape  this  time,"  he  said  ;  "  a  few  minutes  longer, 
and  you  would  never  have  seen  that  Yankee  land  which  you  boast  so 
much  about." 

"  We  have  to  thank  you  for  our  rescue,  and  we  will  do  so  when  you 
are  prepared  to  listen,"  Fred  said. 

"  Then  I  shall  never  be  ready.  Keep  your  thanks  until  I  have  repaid 
you  a  small  portion  of  the  debt  of  gratitude  which  I  owe  you  for  my 
life.  I  am  not  forgetful,  believe  me." 

"  I  suppose  that  Mike  told  you  about  Jackson,"  Mr.  Brown  continued, 
after  a  moment's  silence,  during  which  we  stood  looking  at  the  fire. 

"  He  did  not  mention  his  name,"  I  replied  ;  "  he  is  safe,  I  trust." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  399 

"  Yes,  his  body  is  saved,  but  his  soul  is  now  before  his  God,  to  be 
judged  and  punished,  or  forgiven,  as  the  Omnipotent  may  decree." 

"  Dead  !  "  we  exclaimed,  in  astonishment. 

"  When  my  men  burst  the  door  of  the  '  Cricket,'  they  discovered  a 
body  lying  against  it,  with  handcuffs  on.  I  was  referred  to,  and  found 
that  it  was  Jackson.  A  pistol  ball  had  passed  through  his  breast,  and 
probably  killed  him  instantly.  His  body  has  been  taken  to  the  station 
house  with  the  dead  and  wounded,  where  you  can  see  it  if  you  de- 
sire." 

But  we  had  no  desire  for  such  a  sight.  We  had  seen  bloody  deeds 
enough  for  one  night,  and  we  felt  sick  at  the  thought  of  what  had  oc- 
curred. 

We  bade  the  inspector  good  night,  and  wended  our  way  home  in  a 
thoughtful  mood.  The  death  of  Jackson,  we  knew,  would  not  prevent 
our  being  declared  innocent,  for  Mr.  Brown  had  heard  his  confession, 
as  well  as  Steel  Spring,  although  we  knew  that  the  latter  would  not  be 
believed  in  a  court  of  justice,  even  if  he  did  speak  the  truth,  which  he 
was  not  addicted  to. 

We  reached  our  store  in  safety,  and  found  Rover  watching  by  the 
side  of  our  patient,  Mr.  Critchet,  who  appeared  to  have  slept  during 
our  absence,  and.  probably  never  knew  that  we  left  him  for  one  of  the 
most  dangerous  expeditions  that  we  ever  ventured  on,  during  a  lengthy 
residence  in  Australia. 

The  "  Bloody  Fight,"  as  it  was  called,  and  is  called  to  this  day,  by 
those  miners  who  were  living  at  Ballarat  at  the  time  of  its  occurrence, 
created  a  profound  sensation  in  the  country;  and  Mr.  Brown  gained 
high  encomiums  for  his  bravery  and  good  conduct  in  ridding  the  country 
of  so  many  notorious  characters  at  one  fell  swoop. 

The  particulars  of  the  melee  were  never  strictly  inquired  into  by  the 
government ;  for  to  speak  plainly,  those  in  authority  did  not  care  a  straw 
whether  Mr.  Brown  was  justified  or  not  in  shooting  down  the  habitues 
of  the  "  Cricket ; "  and  as  our  names  did  not  appear  in  connection  with 
the  affair,  we  were  not  disposed  to  work  against  the  best  friend  we  had 
in  Ballarat.  The  inspector  was  made  a  lieutenant,  and  he  deserved  his 
promotion,  but  not  for  the  parf  he  took  in  the  "  Bloody  Fight,"  and  he 
had  good  sense  enough  to  know  it.  From  that  dreadful  night,  Mr. 
Brown's  name  was  a  terror  to  evil  doers ;  and  bushrangers  and  petty 
thieves  gave  our  miners  a  wide  berth,  as  sailors  express  it. 

We  changed  our  clothes  after  our  return  home,  washed  the  soot  and 
dirt  from  our  hands  and  faces,  and  while  we  were  thus  employed  a 
modest  rap  was  heard  at  the  door,  and  who  should  enter  but  Mr.  Steel 
Spring,  looking  as  important,  defiant,  and  boastful  as  ever. 

"  I's  so  glad  to  know  that  you  is  all  right  —  that  you  is  alive  and 
kicking,  that  it  almost  takes  my  breath,"  the  fellow  said,  sinking  grace- 
fully upon  a  vinegar  barrel,  and  fanning  his  face  with  his  hat. 

"  If  we  are  alive,  we  have  no  thanks  to  offer  you  in  return,"  Fred 
muttered,  rather  testily. 

"  Veil,  if  here  ain't  gratitude,  and  no  mistake.  After  I  does  all  that 
a  cove  can  do  to  find  the  real  assassin,  and  makes  him  tell  his  yarn 
right  afore  ye,  I'm  treated  —  no,  I'm  not  treated,  for  I've  bin  here  five 
minutes,  and  I'm  not  axed  to  drink." 


400  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

We  made  no  response  to  this  gentle  hint,  hut  continued  our  occupa- 
tion. The  fellow  watched  us  in  silence,  and  then  began  again. 

"  I'd  like  to  know  vot  more  a  cove  could  do  than  I've  done  ?  Haven't 
I  hobeyed  all  borders  that  vas  given  ?  Have  I  spent  much  dust  in 
my  vast  researches  ;  and  haven't  I  even  had  to  get  drunk  to  please  ye? 
And  now,  ven  the  vork  is  completed,  I  is  looked  at  coldly  !  " 

The  hypocrite  dug  his  knuckles  into  his  eyes,  and  attempted  to  force 
a  tear,  but  the  effort  was  a  failure  ;  he  knew  it,  and  attempted  to  cover 
his  confusion  by  pretending  to  sob  bitterly. 

"  Hark  you,  Mr.  Steel  Spring,"  Fred  said,  "  if  you  can  explain  why 
you  left  us  so  suddenly,  just  as  we  wanted  your  services,  we  shall  feel 
inclined  to  overlook  your  little  faults,  and  reward  you." 

"  Is  that  all  that  you've  got  agin  me?"  he  asked,  quite  cheerfully. 
"  Vy,  I  really  began  to  think  that  it  was  something  serious  —  some- 
thing calculated  to  hinjure  me  in  the  estimation  of  good  fellows." 

"  Perhaps  leaving  us  to  fight  our  way  out  of  the  room  was  not  a 
serious  matter  in  your  estimation,  but  we  think  differently,"  I  replied. 

"  Vy,  I  left  on  purpose  to  save  ye ;  and  if  I  hadn't  have  gone,  vere 
vould  you  have  been  now  ?  Dead  as  a  sheep,  and  no  mistake.  It  ain't 
the  one  vot  fights  the  most  is  the  bravest,  and  hany  military  man  vill 
tell  you  that.  I  knew  vot  I'd  got  to  do  ;  so  before  the  fuss  began  I 
slipped  out  by  the  underground  vay,  and  vent  in  search  of  the  police 
fellers,  and  didn't  I  bring  'urn  up  in  time  ?  I  told  'em  how  to  get  in, 
but  I  didn't  care  about  goin'  myself,  because  I  knew  that  Lieutenant 
Murden  would  feel  quite  aggravated  if  any  thing  happened  to  me ;  and 
then  the  governor  would  never  have  pardoned  him  in.  permitting  me  to 
leave  Melbourne." 

"  But  you  might  have  entered  with  the  police,  and  found  out  whether 
we  were  dead  or  alive,"  Fred  said. 

"  Didn't  I  know  that  you  vas  veil  able  to  take  care  of  yourselves ; 
and  couldn't  I  do  more  good  outside,  vatching  that  none  escaped  ?  You 
come  to  think  of  the  matter  for  a  minute,  and  you  vill  see  that  I  vos 
right,  and  you  vos  wrong." 

We  did  not  care  to  argue  the  matter  with  the  fellow,  for  we  knew  too 
well  that  he  could  lie  faster  than  we  could  think ;  although,  to  do  Steel 
Spring  justice,  I  will  state  that  he  sent  the  police  to  our  assistance,  but 
it  was  by  accident,  and  not  by  design. 

When  he  found  that  trouble  was  likely  to  arise  between  our  party 
and  the  bushrangers,  he  slipped  quietly  away  from  the  table,  and  escaped 
from  the  building  by  means  of  the  subterraneous  passage. 

The  instant  he  emerged  from  under  ground  he  started  on  a  run, 
with  no  definite  idea  of  where  he  was  going  to ;  although  I  always 
thought  that  he  intended  to  pay  our  store  a  visit  during  our  absence. 

He  had  not  gone  far  before  he  ran  into  a  squad  of  policemen,  who 
were  lying  in  ambush,  awaiting  the  inspector's  orders  ;  and  as  the  guar- 
dians of  the  night  were  about  to  confine  him  as  a  suspicious  person,  he 
suddenly  bethought  him  that  he  could  benefit  us  and  himself  at  the 
same  time.  He  told  of  the  danger  that  Mr.  Brown  was  in,  and  urged 
a  rapid  movement  for  his  relief. 

The  sergeant,  who  had  charge  of  the  men,  had  been  told  by  the 
inspector,  that  a  person  answering  Steel  Spring's  description  would  be 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  401 

sent  to  them  when  their  services  were  wanted ;  and  without  doubting 
that  ever}'  thing  was  "ight,  they  stole  forward  as  quickly  as  possible,  but 
arrived  none  too  soun,  as  the  reader  will  admit. 

The  sergeant  of  the  force  tried  the  front  door,  but  it  was  locked,  and 
all  attempts  to  enter  by  that  way  were  useless. 

Just  then  the  bottles  crashed  against  it,  and  Mr.  Brown's  voice  was 
heard  loud  above  the  confusion. 

That  quickened  the  movements  of  the  men  amazingly ;  and  although 
Steel  Spring  was  watching  an  opportunity  to  run  away  the  second  time, 
yet  he  did  find  sufficient  voice  to  suggest  an  entrance  by  the  windows. 
It  was  necessary,  however,  to  find  articles  to  stand  on,  as  the  windows 
were  eight  feet  from  the  ground ;  but  even  that  difficulty  was  speedily 
overcome,  by  taking  a  number  of  dry  goods  boxes  and  empty  rum  bar- 
rels, which  belonged  to  a  grocer's  store  near  at  hand,  and  which  the 
enterprising  proprietor  had  left  out  over  night. 

By  their  aid  an  entrance  was  effected,  and  we  were  saved,  but  at  an 
enormous  sacrifice  of  life. 

As  soon  as  the  police  disappeared,  Steel  Spring,  who  never  had  much 
love  for  the  smell  of  gunpowder,  speedily  retreated  to  a  safe  distance, 
and,  no  doubt,  laughed  in  his  false  heart,  at  the  struggle  which  was 
taking  place,  for  he  never  appeared  to  experience  much  regret  at  the 
slaughter ;  and  I  suppose  if  we  had  been  killed,  he  would  have  plun- 
dered our  store,  and  then  fired  it,  and  ran  away  by  its  light. 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  now,  that  you  have  finished  our  job  ?  "  I 
asked  of  Steel  Spring,  after  he  had  refreshed  his  inner  man  with  a  drink 
of  what  he  most  loved  on  earth. 

"  I  start  for  Melbourne  within  an  hour,"  he  answered  promptly. 

"  Why  do  you  leave  so  suddenly  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  I  has  my  reasons,  but  I  don't  mind  telling  'em  to  you.  In  the  first 
place,  three  or  four  fellers  made  their  'scape  from  the  '  Cricket '  afore 
the  fighting  began,  and  it's  quite  likely  that  my  company  vill  be  desired 
by  the  gents,  on  the  ground  that  I  vos  the  one  vot  betrayed  'em.  I 
know  that  you  will  consider  it  strange  that  such  an  idea  should  exist, 
and  any  one  wid  half  a  knowledge  of  my  character  vould  laugh  at  the 
thought ;  but  I  think  that  the  best  vay  to  save  my  life  vould  be  to  step 
out  vile  I  am  hable,  and  so  prevent  mistakes." 

"  And  what  reward  do  you  require  for  your  valuable  services  ? "  I 
demanded,  after  commending  him  for  his  prudence  in  leaving  town  so 
soon,  to  escape  the  thrust  of  a  long  knife,  or  a  pistol  shot. 

"  Veil,  I's  one  of  the  most  bashful  men  in  that  respect  that  ever  lived, 
and  couldn't  think  of  naming  a  sum,  and  should  be  glad  to  make  you  a 
present  of  the  trifle,  but  money  is  a  scarce  article  vid  me,  and  so  say 
fifty  pounds,  and  don't  think  that  I'm  hard  on  ye." 

We  made  no  objection  to  the  proposed  sum  ;  and  while  Fred  was 
counting  out  his  money  in  sovereigns,  for  Steel  Spring  entertained  a 
profound  disgust  for  gold  dust,  because  he  couldn't  pay  for  drinks 
without  a  loss  to  himself,  I  sat  down  and  scribbled  a  few  lines  to  Mur- 
den,  telling  him  the  result  of  our  expedition,  and  thanking  him  for  the 
kind,  but  somewhat  deceptive  letter  which  he  had  forwarded  to  the 
commissioner,  relative  to  ourselves,  and  after  intrusting  the  missive  to 
Steel  Spring,  and  loading  him  with  provisions  sufficient  to  last  him  to 

34* 


402  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

Melbourne,  we  saw  him  start  on  his  journey,  profuse  in  his  thanks,  and 
loud  in  his  professions  of  leading  as  honest  a  life  as  his  near  connection 
with  the  police  would  let  him. 

The  next  day  we  saw  the  commissioner  in  company  with  Mr.  Brown, 
and  re-told  the  story  which  Jackson  had  told  previous  to  his  death. 
Mr.  Sherwin  professed  that  he  was  entirely  satisfied  of  our  innocence, 
ordered  our  names  to  be  struck  from  the  docket,  and  excused  our 
bondsman  (the  inspector)  from  being  responsible  for  our  appearance, 
but  insisted  upon  retaining  Follet  in  custody  until  his  uncle's  injuries 
terminated  one  way  or  the  other. 

He  was  not  kept  long  in  suspense,  for  the  morning  after  our  visit, 
very  unexpectedly,  MT.  Critchet  opened  his  eyes,  and  began  talking  in 
a  rational  manner;  and  although  he  was  weak  from  the  effect  of 
his  fever,  yet  he  gained  strength  sufficient  in  two  days  to  sit  up,  and 
give  a  clear  and  impartial  account  of  the  attempt  to  rob  and  murder 
him. 

I  remember  the  day  on  which  his  recovery  was  dated.  I  was  sitting 
by  Mr.  Critchet's  side,  while  Fred  was  dozing  away  the  afternoon  in  the 
shop.  The  invalid  'opened  his  eyes,  looked  around  the  room  in  which 
he  was  lying,  and  then  stared  at  me  in  some  astonishment,  as  though 
wondering  how  it  happened  that  he  had  been  sleeping  under  the  roof 
of  a  house,  instead  of  his  tent. 

"  How  came  I  here  ?  "  he  asked,  raising  himself  from  a  recumbent 
position,  and  sitting  up.  He  did  not  notice,  at  first,  the  many  bandages 
which  were  bound  around  his  arms  and  shoulders. 

"  I  will  explain  all  to  you  in  a  few  days,"  I  replied ;  "  at  present,  you 
are  too  weak  to  listen  to  me." 

"  I  am  not  too  weak,"  the  old  man  exclaimed,  imperiously,  as  though 
accustomed  to  have  his  own  way  all  his  life  time ;  "  why  should  I  grow 
weak  in  a  single  night  ?  answer  me  that,  if  you  can !  " 

"  I  don't  wish  to  answer  you  now,  for  I  fear  that  you  cannot  submit 
to  excitement.  Keep  quiet  for  a  few  days,  and  then  you  shall  know- 
all,"  I  answered,  soothingly. 

"  There  is  some  mystery  connected  with  my  being  here  that  I  must 
and  will  solve.  Where  is  my  nephew  ?  Where " 

He  stopped  suddenly,  and  seemed  to  recollect  something,  for,  after 
remaining  silent  for  a  few  moments,  he  extended  his  hand,  pressed  my 
own,  and  then  fell  back  upon  his  pillow. 

"  I  know  all,"  he  murmured,  in  a  low  voice ;  "  my  memory  is  perfect 
from  the  time  that  I  was  attacked  in  my  tent,  to  the  hour  when  I  fell 
fainting  upon  your  doorstep." 

"  Do  not  agitate  yourself,"  I  whispered ;  "  in  a  few  days  you  will  be 
strong  enough  to  talk,  and  then  all  matters  will  be  set  right." 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  proceed  against  my  nephew,"  Mr.  Critchet  be- 
gan, "  for  the  part  he  has  taken  in  this  matter.  He  is  a  had  youth,  and 
will  some  day  be  punished  for  his  crime.  I  have  attempted  to  make 
an  honest  man  of  him,  and  have  signally  failed.  I  expected  as  much, 
yet  I  am  glad  that  his  hand  was  raised  against  me,  instead  of  one  less 
capable  of  forgiving.  He  is  my  sister's  child,  and  I  promised  to  act  a 
father's  part  towards  him.  I  shall  do  so,  by  attempting  to  procure  his 
discharge,  and  supplying  him  with  money  sufficient  to  reach  some  other 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  403 

portion  of  the  country,  where  his,  crimes  and  character  are  unknown. 
Peace  go  with  him  —  I  have  no  desire  to  see  him  more." 

"  Those  are  the  sentiments  of  a  Christian,v  I  remarked. 

"  They  are  the  feelings  of  a  man  and  a  relative,"  he  exclaimed,  hastily. 

"We  made  no  reply,  and  he  continued,  — 

"  I  had  often  remonstrated  with  my  nephew  against  keeping  late 
hours,  and  in  relation  to  the  company  that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  asso- 
ciating with,  but  my  remarks  were  unheeded ;  and  then  I  bethought 
me  that  I  had  a  large  amount  of  gold  which  should  be  consigned  to  a 
more  secure  place  than  my  tent ;  and  it  was  but  a  few  days  after  I  de- 
posited it  at  the  government  office,  that  I  was  awakened  by  hearing 
whispering  in  my  tent.  I  sprang  from  my  bed,  and  as  I  did  so,  I  heard 
Follet  say,  '  Kill  him.'  I  was  instantly  struck  with  a  sharp-pointed 
knife,  and  as  I  grappled  with  my  enemies,  I  called  upon  my  nephew  to 
spare  me. 

"  Half  a  dozen  blows  were  showered  upon  me  in  answer,  and  then  I 
fell,  fainting,  and  revived  just  sufficiently  to  crawl  to  your  store,  and  by 
that  means,  I  have  no  doubt,  my  life  was  saved ;  although,  if  I  had  sup- 
posed that  you  were  to  be  involved,  I  think  that  I  should  have  remained 
in  my  tent,  and  expired  without  making  known  my  condition.  I  am 
grateful  for  your  kindness  to  me,  and  will  some  day  show  you  how 
highly  I  appreciate  it." 

We  would  not  allow  him  to  talk  more,  and  even  if  he  had  been  so 
disposed  we  could  not  have  stopped  to  listen,  for  a  whip  was  cracked  in 
front  of  the  store  like  the  report  of  a  pistol,  and  then  we  heard  Smith's 
voice,  shouting,  in  no  gentle  terms,  to  his  oxen. 


CHAPTER    LIX. 

OUR  TEAMSTER  BARNEY,  AND  HIS  WIFE. 

THE  burly  form  and  red  face  of  our  partner  was  never  more  welcome, 
for  our  stock  of  goods  was  run  low,  and  our  good  credit  required  that 
we  should  have  an  assortment  on  hand  second  to  none  in  the  town. 
We  had  already  a  reputation  with  the  miners  for  keeping  articles  of 
the  best  quality,  and  our  prices  seemed  to  give  better  satisfaction  than 
the  rates  of  any  other  storekeepers. 

We  grasped  our  diligent  partner  by  his  huge,  hard  hand,  and  wel- 
comed him  to  our  home,  and  asked  a  dozen  questions  in  a  minute, 
regarding  the  state  of  the  markets  in  Melbourne  —  whether  he  had  got 
a  package  of  letters  for  us  —  how  many  newspapers  he  had  with  him  — 
whether  the  roads  were  safe  —  and  a  dozen  other  matters  were  touched 
on,  that  required  all  of  Smith's  patience  and  lungs  to  attend  to. 

"  Just  you  hold  on  a  minute,"  he  said,  "  until  I  can  get  my  cattle  un- 
yoked, and  then  I  will  attend  to  you  and  your  questions." 

We  did  not  wait  for  him  to  carry  his  request  into  effect,  for  we  lent 


404 

him  a  helping  hand  with  the  cattle,  although,  to  tell  the  truth,  the  ani« 
mals  did  not  seem  in  the  least  grateful  for  the  assistance,  and  attempted, 
with  their  long  horns,  to  transfix  certain  portions  of  our  anatomy  that 
we  were  not  disposed  to  have  injured.  At  length,  however,  the  animals 
were  turned  loose,  and  then  Smith  was  at  liberty  to  reply  to  our  inter- 
rogations. 

"  In  the  first  place,  I've  got  a  dozen  or  twenty  letters,  and  about  the 
same  number  of  newspapers  from  the  States.  I'll  tell  you  how  I 
fixed  it." 

"  But  the  papers  ?  "  we  cried. 

"  I'm  coming  to  'em  as  fast  as  I  can.  Just  as  I  got  into  Melbourne, 
a  big  American  ship  dropped  anchor,  and  on  board  I  went.  I  got  hold 
of  the  captain,  told  him  the  news,  and  then  boned  him  for  papers.  I 
informed  him  that  I  wanted  them  for  countrymen  of  his,  and  he  gave 
me  all  that  he  had,  and  here  they  are." 

Smith  pulled  the  precious  documents  from  his  knapsack,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  we  were  absorbed  in  devouring  the  contents  of  letters,  and 
Boston  and  New  York  newspapers. 

We  never  knew  the  name  of  the  captain  who  responded  so  promptly 
to  Smith's  appeal,  but  wherever  his  fortune  may  lead  him,  may  he  have 
fair  winds,  and  high  freights,  and  never  lose  a  spar. 

No  one  can  understand  the  joy  with  which  a  letter  is  received  from 
home,  unless  he  has  travelled  in  foreign  lands,  and  been  without  advices 
from  friends  for  many  months.  The  letters  were  the  first  that  we  had 
received  while  in  Australia,  and  we  prized  them  more  on  that  account, 
perhaps,  than  if  we  had  been  in  constant  communication  with  the 
States. 

We  had  written  from  California,  announcing  our  departure,  and 
directing  that  all  letters  should  be  sent  to  Melbourne  until  further 
notice,  and  the  warm  expressions  which  our  epistles  contained  showed 
that  our  friends  had  not  forgotten  us. 

Smith,  who  seemed  as  fresh  as  the  day  that  he  started  from  Mel- 
bourne, left  us  to  our  letter-feast,  and  prepared  supper  with  that  dex- 
terity which  had  distinguished  him  many  times ;  and  even  when  we  had 
put  our  papers  under  lock  and  key  —  so  greedy  were  we,  and  fearful 
that  some  acquaintance  would  step  in,  and  desire  to  borrow  a  journal 
before  we  had  gleaned  the  news  —  waved  us  back,  and  expressed  hiou 
self  competent  to  perform  his  allotted  task  without  interference. 

"  You  talk  about  home  and  the  news  until  after  supper,  and  leave  me 
alone,  'cos  after  we  light  our  pipes  we  shall  have  business  matters  to 
look  over,  and  figure  up,  unless  the  woman  and  her  husband  gets  along, 
and  then  we  shall  see  fun." 

"  What  woman  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Why,  didn't  I  tell  you  that  Barney  was  married?"  demanded 
Smith. 

"  Of  course  you  did,  and  said  that  he  was  about  five  miles-from  town, 
and  would  be  here  in  two  or  three  hours'  time." 

"  Well,  Barney  has  his  wife  with  him,  and  a  pretty  life  she  is  leading 
him.  I  listened  to  her  scoldings  and  complaints  until  I  couldn't  stand 
gny  more,  and  then  I  whipped  up  my  cattle  and  got  out  of  the  sound 
of  her  tongue,  and  by  good  management  I  have  avoided  her  for  two 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  405 

.days.  She  is  good  looking,  but  has  got  the  spirit  of  the  devil  in  her 
composition." 

We  recollected  that  Murden,  in  his  letter,  alluded  to  the  lady,  and 
although  we  were  not  impatient  to  see  her,  we  knew  that  she  would 
have  some  claims  upon  our  hospitality  for  her  husband's  sake,  and  to 
prevent  her  from  breaking  out  into  open  mutiny,  we  made  some  few 
preparations  to  receive  the  lady  with  becoming  honors.  We  got  out  a 
small  tent  that  we  owned,  and  had  made  on  the  passage  from  San  Fran- 
cisco to  Australia,  and  pitched  it  near  the  store  for  the  express  accom- 
modation of  the  bride  and  groom,  and  then  stocked  it  with  a  mattress 
and  blankets,  and  thought  the  lady  would  be  delighted  at  our  delicate 
attentions.  We  even  kept  back  supper  an  hour,  and  added  a  number 
of  little  luxuries,  on  purpose  to  give  her  an  agreeable  surprise,  and 
show  that  we  were  still  susceptible  of  woman's  influence  and  beauty. 

At  about  seven  o'clock  we  heard  the  rumbling  of  wheels,  and  the 
loud,  quick  crack  of  a  stockman's  whip.  Smith  glanced  anxiously 
towards  the  supper,  and  was  visibly  agitated,  as  though  he  expected  to 
receive  disastrous  news.  Hover,  who  had  been  lying  near  the  door, 
waiting  with  remarkable  patience  for  his  supper,  uttered  a  howl,  and 
retreated  towards  the  horses,  as  though  to  communicate  some  bad 
intelligence. 

"  Why  don't  you  stop  the  team,  if  this  is  the  place,  you  confounded 
fool  ?  "  we  heard  some  one  say. 

"  That's  her,"  groaned  Smith ;  "  I  should  know  that  voice  if  I  was  off 
the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  and  I  almost  wish  that  I  was  at  sea,  or  on  a 
desert  island." 

We  hurried  to  the  door,  to  receive  our  guest,  and  with  our  curiosity 
somewhat  excited  to  see  the  woman  whom  all  appeared  to  dread. 

To  our  extreme  surprise,  we  saw  a  female  not  more  than  twenty  years 
of  age,  dressed  in  the  latest  style  of  Melbourne  fashion,  with  a  frank, 
pleasing  lace,  looking  fresh  and  clean,  which  was  so  extraordinary,  in 
that  part  of  the  world,  that  we  rather  exceeded  good  manners  by  the 
length  of  our  gaze. 

We  little  knew,  at  the  time,  that  the  lady,  for  the  purpose  of  making 
a  favorable  impression  upon  our  susceptible  hearts,  had  insisted  upon 
her  husband's  stopping  his  team,  a  few  miles  from  Ballarat,  while  she 
made  her  toilet,  and  to  do  so,  had  used  all  the  water  in  the  water  kegs, 
to  the  great  distress  of  the  oxen,  who  were  really  suffering  for  a  drink. 

Yes,  the  bride  was  really  handsome,  and  would  be  called  so  in  any 
civilized  portion  of  the  world,  where  beauty  is  recognized  by  the  stand- 
ard of  regular  features,  clear  skin,  white  teeth,  and  a  perfect  form. 
Her  eyes,  too,  were  large,  black,  and  lustrous,  and  she  understood  tho 
use  of  them  as  well  as  the  most  arrant  Spanish  coquette  that  ever  lived. 

I  advanced  to  the  team,  and  extended  my  hand  for  the  purpose  of 
assisting  the  lady  to  alight,  for  her  husband  seemed  occupied  with  his 
cattle,  and  unable  to  afford  her  those  delicate  attentions  which  a  wife 
sometimes  requires. 

"  Who,  in  the  devil's  name,  are  yon  ?  "  she  asked,  in  a  quick,  pert 
manner,  as  though  determined  to  astonish  us  on  the  first  hour  of  her 
arrival. 

I  heard  a  smothered  laugh  in  the  store,  as  though  Smith  was  endeav- 


406  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

oring  to  prevent  an  explosion,  and  even  Fred  had  hard  work  to  retain 
his  countenance. 

"  This  gentleman,  Maria,"  cried  the  woman's  husband,  rushing  to  my 
rescue,  "  is  one  of  my  employers,  whom  I  spoke  to  you  about." 

"  O,  is  he  ?  "  she  asked,  with  a  strong  stare,  first  at  me  and  then  at 
Fred.  "  Well,  I  don't  see  any  thing  remarkable  about  him,  and  he  isn't 
half  as  good  looking  as  the  fellow  standing  in  the  door." 

The  compliment  to  Fred,  at  my  expense,  was  answered  by  another 
suppressed  groan  from  Smith,  while  the  poor  husband  hardly  knew 
whether  to  abuse  his  better  half  or  coax  her. 

"  Don't  talk  that  way  to  strangers,"  the  poor  devil  pleaded,  but  his 
good  nature  was  all  thrown  away 

"  Go  and  attend  to  the  cattle,"  she  ordered,  "  and  let  me  alone.  I 
haven't  had  a  moment's  peace  since  I  married  you,  and  I  almost  wish 
that  I  had  fallen  to  the  stout  miner  who  wanted  me  so  much.  He  was 
something  like  a  man,  and  was  as  big  as  two  of  you." 

"  I  wish,  with  all  my  heart,  you  had,"  muttered  the  bridegroom,  but 
he  took  good  care  not  to  let  her  hear  him. 

"  Well,  give  me  your  hand,"  the  wife  exclaimed,  addressing  me ;  "  I 
see  that  no  one  is  coming  to  my  assistance,  and  a  poor  beau  is  better 
than  none,  as  we  used  to  say  in  Radcliff  Highway."  And  when  I 
extended  my  hand,  she  grasped  it  warmly,  pressed  it  strongly,  and  wjth 
a  display  of  ankles  that  put  my  modesty  to  its  severest  test,  gave  a 
spring,  and  was  on  the  ground  beside  me. 

"  Well,  you  ain't  so  bad  looking  as  I  thought  for,"  Maria  continued, 
flashing  a  wicked  glance  at  me,  with  her  large  eyes,  that  stirred  my 
blood,  in  defiance  of  her  forwardness  and  vulgarity.  "  We  shall  be 
cronies,  I  know.  Only  let  me  have  my  own  way,  and  make  love  to  me, 
and  we  shall  get  along  quite  pleasantly." 

"  But  you  forget  your  husband,"  I  insinuated,  seeing  that  that  worthy 
individual  began  to  look  rather  black  at  the  idea  of  having  a  rival  in  his 
wife's  affections. 

"  O  Lord  !  what's  the  use  of  mentioning  Barney  ?  He's  a  poor  coot, 
and  will  soon  get  used  to  my  ways ;  won't  you,  deary  ?  " 

The  husband  didn't  make  an  audible  reply,  but  I  understood  him  to 
say  "  Damn,"  quite  distinctly. 

"  What  have  you  got  for  supper ! "  our  female  visitor  asked.  "  I'm 
hungry  enough  to  eat  a  two-year-old  baby.  Let  me  have  something, 
that's  a  good  feller,  and  then  we'll  talk  about  other  matters." 

I  didn't  admire  her  impudence,  but  as  Fred  was  inclined  to  keep  in 
the  background,  and  Smith  wouldn't  respond,  I  had  to  do  the  honors 
of  the  house  with  as  much  dignity  as  possible.  I  seated  her  at  our 
rough  table,  and*  helped  her  liberally,  and  was  pleased  to  see  that  ab- 
sence from  her  haunts  in  London  had  not  diminished  her  appetite,  or 
caused  a  regretful  feeling  in  her  heart. 

"  I'm  glad  I  accepted  the  chance  to  visit  this  country,"  she  said,  "  for 
I  begin  to  like  it.  The  old  fogies  promised  that  I  should  have  a  hus- 
band as  soon  as  I  arrived,  and  they  kept  their  word,  but  I  wished  that 
I'd  got  a  larger  one.  1  don't  like  little  men,  and  never  did." 

Her  husband  was  heard  to  observe  that  he  preferred  a  quiet  woman  to 
a  noisy  one,  but  the  remark  didn't  seem  to  make  much  of  an  impression. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  407 

"  By  the  way,"  Mrs.  Barney  cried,  "  where  am  I  to  sleep  to-night  ? 
in  that  little  room  ?  " 

Before  we  could  answer  her,  she  arose  from  the  tabLe  and  ran  towards 
it,  and  saw  our  patient  lying  upon  the  bed. 

"  Hullo  !  "  she  exclaimed,  in  astonishment,  "  what  is  that  old  fellotf 
doing  there  ?  I  can't  have  him  with  me  !  " 

I  explained  to  her  that  a  bed  had  been  provided  in  a  tent  but  a  fe\* 
feet  from  the  store,  where  she  and  her  husband  could  make  themselves 
comfortable,  if  they  were  so  disposed,  but  she  would  not  listen  to  me. 

"  Do  you  s'pose,"  she  cried,  "  that  I'm  such  a  fool  as  to  sleep  out 
under  a  tent,  where  I  shall  be  liable  to  be  eaten  up  by  the  savages? 
My  old  man  can  sleep  there,  but  I'm  going  to  pass  the  night  in  the 
store." 

We  assured  her  that  we  could  not  consent  to  any  such  arrangement. 
That  all  our  papers  and  every  thing  that  we  possessed  in  the  world  was 
in  the  store,  and  that  we  could  not  think  of  leaving  under  any  consid- 
eration whatever. 

"  Well,  who  wants  you  to  leave?  "  she  demanded,  with  a  flash  of  her 
amorous  eyes,  that  would  have  told  powerfully  on  men  of  more  nerve 
than  ourselves ;  "  there  can  be  no  harm  if  I  stay  here.  You  are  men 
of  honor,  I  suppose  ?  " 

Again  did  her  large,  black  eyes  fall  upon  me,  but  I  was  blind  to  her 
blandishments  and  arts  ;  and,  at  length,  Maria  appeared  to  entertain  the 
same  opinion,  for  she  threw  out  signals  to  Fred,  and  when  she  found 
that  they  were  not  answered,  she  commenced  the  practice  of  a  thousand 
arts,  which  a  woman  knows  so  well  how  to  use,  to  make  him  feel  an 
interest  in  her  welfare.  But  all  her  play  was  useless,  and  even  when 
she  pretended  that  her  hair,  long,  black,  and  wavy,  fell  around  her 
shoulders  accidentally,  and  when  she  laughed,  and  threw  it  back  from 
her  fresh,  child-like  face,  we  were  not  melted,  for  we  remembered  that 
she  had  a  husband,  and  that  his  rights  were  sacred. 

Her  bold  challenge  was  unheeded,  and  Maria  felt  that  she  was 
defeated,  even  where  she  was  sure  of  victory.  She  had,  apparently,  en' 
tertained  a  different  idea  respecting  us,  and  for  a  few  minutes  she  safc 
looking  humbled,  but  not  ashamed.  It  seemed  a  pity  that  one  so  fail 
should  be  so  rude  and  vile ;  but  the  streets  of  London  soon  corrupt,  an$ 
the  haunt  from  whence  Maria  graduated  is  notorious  for  its  wantons. 

We  pitied  her  husband,  although  we  had  only  known  and  employee? 
him  for  a  short  time,  yet  we  had  found  him  honest  and  industrious,  and 
apparently  disposed  to  do  well.  I  could  see  that  he  felt  grateful  foi 
the  course  which  we  had  pursued,  and  I  determined  to  have  a  long  talk 
with  him,  upon  the  first  favorable  opportunity,  in  regard  to  his  futurb 
prospects. 

"  Well,"  Maria  muttered,  after  sitting  in  silence  for  a  short  time, 
suddenly  starting  up,  "  if  I  am  to  be  turned  out  of  doors,  I  suppose  that 
I  must  go  without  delay.  Come  along,  old  man,  if  you  are  coming,"  she 
continued,  addressing  her  husband,  and  the  latter  obediently  followed  to 
the  tent,  which  we  had  been  to  some  pains  to  prepare  for  her. 

"  Thank  Heaven,  she  has  gone,"  said  Smith,  fervently,  raising  his 
head,  like  a  camel  after  a  cloud  of  dust  had  passed  over  a  desert ;  "  only 
think  what  my  wife  would  have  said,  if  she  had  insisted  upon  sleeping 


408  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OK 

in  the  same  room  with  us.  And  yet  I  feared  that  she  would  carry  her 
point,  for  she  is  as  determined  a  vixen  as  ever  assumed  the  form  of 
woman." 

The  matrimonial  life  of  poor  Barney  was  not  a  lengthy  one ;  and  I 
may  as  well  follow  it  to  a  close,  while  I  am  writing  upon  the  subject. 
At  his  request  we  paid  him  off,  and  hired  another  man  to  drive  the 
second  team.  He  had  money  enough  to  commence  housekeeping,  or 
rather  tent-keeping,  on  a  very  respectable  scale,  and  with  the  funds 
which  he  had  left,  purchased  a  mining  claim,  nearly  worked  out  to  be 
sure,  but  still,  considerable  sums  of  gold  had  been  taken  from  it,  and 
quite  a  number  of  nuggets  of  fair  size  had  been  secured. 

The  claim  was  very  near  our  store,  so  that  our  advice  was  frequently 
required  by  poor  Barney,  who  led  rather  a  hard  life  of  it,  toiling  as  he 
did  all  day  under  ground,  in  wet  and  cold  places,  and  when  night 
arrived,  half  of  the  time  he  would  have  to  get  his  own  supper,  his 
amiable  wife  being  on  visits  of  privacy  to  people  in  the  neighborhood. 

For  the  first  few  weeks  of  their  residence  at  Ballarat  the  ill-matched 
couple  did  all  of  their  trading  at  our  store,  until  at  length  so  many 
stimulating  luxuries  were  purchased  by  Maria,  that  Barney  requested 
us  to  refuse  her  credit,  which,  in  compliance  with  his  wishes,  we  did, 
and  received  such  a  torrent  of  abuse  from  the  wife  for  so  doing,  that  we 
wished  her  back  to  her  old  haunts,  in  Radcliff  Highway,  and  had  serious 
thoughts  of  attempting  to  recover  damages  from  the  "  Moral  Emigra- 
tion Society"  which  exported  her.  For  a  woman  with  so  fair  a  face, 
she  had  the  vilest  tongue  that  I  ever  heard. 

After  the  credit  system  was  abolished,  Maria  transferred  her  favors 
to  a  store  on  Gravel  Pit  Hill,  where,  for  a  time,  she  was  quite  a  favor- 
ite, and  thrived  wonderfully  ;  but  her  husband  got  wind  of  her  doings, 
and  threatened  to  shoot  the  first  man  that  he  saw  taking  improper 
liberties  with  his  property,  and  that  rather  dashed  the  spirits  of  the 
gallants,  for  Barney  was  bold  as  a  lion,  and  carried  a  pair  of  very  good 
pistols  in  his  belt,  in  addition  to  a  bowie  knife  of  wondrous  keenness. 

The  poor,  depraved  woman,  finding  that  she  was  watched,  and  that 
her  male  companions  kept  aloof,  after  the  threat  which  Barney  made, 
got  up  a  clandestine  correspondence  with  a  young  fellow  who  was  smit- 
ten with  her  pretty  face,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  it  Barney  was  obliged  to 
break  one  of  his  rival's  arms  with  a  pistol  bullet,  one  morning,  just  as 
he  was  putting  a  letter  under  a  log  that  stood  in  front  of  his  tent. 

The  wife,  for  the  first  few  days,  refused  to  be  comforted,  and  then  she 
apparently  forgot  the  matter,  and  seemed  to  care  no  more  about  it. 
To  her  husband's  surprise,  she  paid  more  attention  to  his  comfort  than 
usual — remained  at  her  tent  uhile  he  was  absent,  forsook  the  company 
of  strange  men  entirely,  no  longer  run  in  debt,  and  such  a  complete 
change  was  observed  in  her,  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Blackburn  ventured  to 
call  once,  and  inquire  if  her  sinful  heart  had  melted.  What  answer 
Maria  returned  is  unknown,  as  the  reverend  gentleman  never  divulged ; 
but  it  was  noticed  that  he  left  her  tent  walking  quite  rapidly,  and  that 
he  never  ventured  there  a  second  time. 

I  think  that  it  was  about  six  weeks  after  Barney  had  broken  the  gal- 
lant's arm,  that  he  suddenly  presented  himself  in  the  store,  his  face 
radiant  with  happiness. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  409 

"  I've  got  some  good  news  for  you,"  he  said,  rubbing  his  hands  with 
satisfaction. 

'  What  is  it,  Barney  ?  "  I  inquired  ;  "  have  you  found  a  nugget  ?  " 

'  Better  than  that,"  he  cried. 

1  Then  you  have  found  a  chunk." 

'No;  something  better  than  that  —  ten  times  better." 

'  Well,  relate  it.  We  are  impatient  to  learn  what  good  has  befallen 
you." 

"  You  would  never  guess,"  Barney  said,  in  a  mysterious  manner,  as 
though  what  he  had  to  impart  would  bear  keeping  for  some  time ; 
"  but,"  and  here  his  face  once  more  beamed  with  smiles,  "  my  wife  has 
cut  stick." 

"  What  do  you  mean  —  ran  away  ?  "  I  asked,  surprised  at  the  intelli- 
gence. 

"  That  is  what  I  mean.  She  has  run  off  with  the  fellow  whose  arm 
I  broke  some  time  since ;  and  she  not  only  took  her  clothes,  but  she 
seized  every  thing  of  value  I  had  in  the  tent.  They  have  got  six  hours 
the  start  of  me,  but  I  think " 

He  paused,  and  seemed  to  consider  for  a  moment. 

"  YJU  think  that  you  can  overtake  them,"  I  suggested;  "I  have  no 
doubt  but  that  you  can,  and  the  best  horse  that  we  own  is  at  your  dis- 
posal." 

"  O,  bless  your  heart,  I  was  not  considering  the  subject  in  that  light," 
he  answered,  "  I  was  thinking  whether  I  should  advertise  that  I  would 
not  be  responsible  for  any  debts  that  she  contracts." 

I  told  him  that  I  thought  he  need  give  himself  no  uneasiness  on  that 
score ;  but  Barney  was  a  mathematical  body,  and  always  desired  to  do 
business  on  the  square ;  and  as  he  seemed  so  set  upon  writing  an  adver- 
tisement, I  furnished  him  ink  and  paper,  and  after  a  laborious  process, 
he  wrcte  the  following,  which  I  copy  verbatim. 

"NOTICE.  —  My  wife,  Maria  Barney,  the  ugliest  woman  that  ever 
lived,  has  left  my  tent  and  board  without  any  justifiable  cause,  'cos  I 
use  to  do  all  that  I  could  do  to  make  her  pretty  comfortable,  and  in  spite 
of  my  wishes,  she  would  cut  up  like  the  devil,  and  run  after  other  men. 

Now,  I  want  all  men  to  notice  this  act  of  mine.     I  won't  pay  a  d d 

cent  of  her  debts,  and  I  hope  no  one  will  return  her  to  me,  'cos  I  don't 
want  her.  JIM  BARNEY." 

I  persuaded  Barney  that  the  announcement  would  be  valid  in  law,  if 
he  only  stuck  it  up  in  the  store,  where  it  could  be  read  by  the  miners, 
aad  it  may  be  there  until  this  day,  for  all  that  I  know. 

85 


410  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

CHAPTER    LX. 

MIKE  FINDS  THE  LARGE  "NUGGET." 

WHAT  trifles  will  sometimes  change  the  destiny  of  a  man ! 

Barney,  after  his  wife  had  left  him  so  unexpectedly,  earnestly  desired 
to  give  up  mining  and  return  to  his  first  love,  —  the  driving  of  cattle  and 
teaming.  We  tried  to  persuade  him  to  stick  to  his  claim ;  but  he  was 
resolute,  and  declared  that  if  we  would  not  purchase  his  mine  he  would 
sell  to  the  first  adventurer  who  made  an  offer ;  and  to  prevent  the  man 
from  sacrificing  his  property,  we  purchased  on  speculation,  and  paid 
him  just  the  price  he  had  given.  Even  after  we  came  into  possession, 
we  did  not  know  what  to  do  with  the  mine,  for  we  had  no  desire  to 
work  it  ourselves ;  and,  as  a  large  portion  of  the  allotted  ground  had 
been  dug  over,  old  miners  were  shy,  and  strangers  did  not  bite  readily 
at  the  temptations  which  we  held  out  to  them. 

For  a  number  of  days  the  mine  was  neglected ;  and  during  that 
period  it  filled  with  water,  and  that  was  another  good  reason  why  it 
could  not  be  sold ;  and  jokes  were  cracked  at  our  expense  by  friends, 
who  lounged  in  the  store  purchasing  trifling  articles,  in  regard  to  our 
speculation,  as  they  termed  it.  We  took  all  in  good  part,  until  one  day 
a  man  made  an  application  to  us  for  something  to  eat.  We  supplied  his 
wants,  and  upon  inquiry  found  that  he  was  willing  and  anxious  to  go  to 
work  at  a  cheap  rate.  I  proposed,  partly  in  jest,  and  partly  in  earnest, 
that  he  should  be  employed  baling  out  and  cleaning  out  our  mine. 
Fred  assented,  when  we  showed  the  man  what  we  wanted  done,  and  left 
him  at  work,  not  expecting  that  he  would  make  much  headway ;  but  in 
this  we  were  disappointed,  for  our  employe"  made  such  diligent  use  of 
his  time,  that  in  the  course  of  the  afternoon  the  mine  was  free  of  water 
and  dirt,  and  Mike  announced  that  he  could  commence  digging  in  the 
morning  if  he  had  a  few  "  shores "  and  boards  to  prop  up  the  places 
where  excavations  had  been  going  on.  These  we  readily  granted,  and 
began  to  take  an  interest  in  our  claim  that  we  had  not  felt  before. 

"  Mike,"  I  said,  at  supper  time,  addressing  our  new  acquaintance, 
"  we  will  give  you  one  quarter  of  the  gold  which  you  find,  and  board 
vou  into  the  bargain,  but  we  will  not  pay  you  wages." 

Mike  thought  of  the  proposition  for  a  moment,  and  announced  his 
intention  of  accepting  it  without  restriction,  and  at  daylight  the  next 
morning  he  was  at  work  many  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  earth,  pick- 
ing away  the  dirt,  and  examining  it  carefully,  as  though  he  expected  to 
find  a  nugget  in  every  gravel  stone  that  he  met  with.  Once  or  twice 
in  the  course  of  the  day,  we  walked  over  to  the  spot  and  lent  a  helping 
hand,  for  "the  purpose  of  freeing  the  place  of  water,  and  when  night 
arrived,  we  had  no  need  to  ask  questions  in  regard  to  the  luck  of  Mike. 
His  face  proclaimed  that  he  had  found  nothing ;  but  I  think  that  he  was 
more  disappointed  on  our  account  than  on  his  own. 

"  No  luck  to-day,  Mike  ?  "  said  I. 

"  Divil  a  ha'penny  of  goold  have  I  found  sir ;  but  there's  no  telling 
what  may  come  on  yet.  I  don't  despair." 


A   GOLD    HUNTEIt's    ADVENTURES.  411 

Neither  did  we ;  although  we  had  but  few  hopes  of  ever  getting  our 
money  back.  The  next  morning  Mike  was  promptly  at  his  post,  and 
we  did  not  hear  from  him  until  about  two  o'clock ;  I  was  dozing  on  a 
lounge,  Fred  was  asleep  on  the  counter,  and  Mr.  Critchet  was  mending 
stockings,  —  about  the  first  work  that  he  attempted  to  do,  —  when  Mike 
rushed  frantically  into  the  store,  threw  himself  upon  his  knees,  and 
began  talking,  laughing,  and  crying  at  the  same  moment. 

"  Glory  to  God  and  all  the  saints  !  "  he  exclaimed,  after  he  had  recov- 
ered his  breath,  and  then  he  began  to  laugh  frantically,  swaying  his  body 
back  and  forth,  as  though  it  was  an  impossibility  to  keep  still. 

"  It's  my  opinion,"  said  Fred,  without  rising  from  his  recumbent 
position,  "  that  you  are  a  little  out  of  your  head,  or  else  you  have  been 
drinking." 

"  Divil  a  bit  of  whiskey  have  I  touched  for  two  days ;  but  I'll  have  a 
drop  now  for  the  purpose  of  drinking  long  lives  to  your  honors.  It's 
me  head  that  is  affected,  and  well  it  may  be.  O,  it's  little  did  I  think 
that  I  should  come  to  this.  Glory  to  God  —  it's  plazed  the  old  woman 
and  the  childers  will  be.'i 

He  made  a  dive  at  the  whiskey  cask,  and  drank  a  pretty  stiff  nipper 
before  he  could  compose  himself.  We  did  not  interfere,  because  we 
did  not  know  but  that  the  fellow  might  have  escaped  from  the  mine 
while  it  was  caving  in,  —  accidents  of  that  kind  happening  quite  fre- 
uently,  —  and  that  fright  had  turned  his  brain. 

"  Now,  Mike,  be  kind  enough  to  tell  us  what  has  happened,"  I  said, 
thinking  that  he  had  mystified  us  long  enough. 

"  O,  such  news,"  he  exclaimed,  springing  upon  his  feet,  and  execut- 
ing a  wild  sort  of  shuffle  that  would  have  delighted  the  hearts  of  the 
'  finest  pisantry '  in  the  world,  had  they  been  present,  to  have  seen  his 
antics. 

"  Well,  what  is  the  news  ?  "  I  demanded,  while  Fred,  too  indolent  to 
speak,  lay  upon  the  counter,  and  laughed  a  sleepy  sort  of  laugh,  with- 
out changing  his  position. 

"  Murderation,  who  would  have  thought  of  it  ?  It's  a  rich  man  ye 
will  be,  Mike,  ye  lucky  divil.  What  will  the  old  folks  say,  when  they 
hear  of  it  ?  Glory  to  St.  Patrick,  but  won't  the  boys  stare,  and  call  me 
Mr.  Mike ! " 

I  began  to  have  an  inkling  of  the  man's  meaning.  I  sprang  from  my 
seat,  caught  Mike  by  his  collar,  and  shook  him  for  a  few  seconds,  until 
I  thought  that  his  senses  were  returned  before  I  put  a  question. 

"  Mike,  you  devil,"  I  exclaimed,  "  you  have  found  a  nugget." 

"  Whoop ! "  he  yelled,  springing  up,  and  striking  his  feet  together 
•with  excess  of  joy,  "  I  found  the  granddaddy  of  lumps." 

"  What's  that  ?  "  cried  Fred,  starting  from  his  recumbent  position, 
and  beginning  to  take  an  interest  in  the  conversation. 

"  It's  a  lunfy  as  big  as  my  head  I've  found,"  roared  Mike,  making 
another  dive  for  the  whiskey  barrel,  but  we  choked  him  off,  and  made 
him  stick  to  his  text. 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  have  found  a  nugget  of  gold  as  large  as  your 
head  ?  "  demanded  Fred,  eagerly. 

"  To  the  divil  wid  yer  nuggets  —  what  do  I  know  about  nuggets  ? 
It's  a  lump  of  pure  goold  I've  found ;  as  big  a  lump  as  my  head,  and 
ten  times  as  heavy." 


02  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OE 

We  could  hardly  believe  the  news  Mike  imparted  to  us  was  true ;  but 
his  eagerness  convinced  us  that  he  had  stumbled  upon  something, 
although  we  feared  it  was  a  lump  of  quartz,  with  a  few  streaks  of  gold 
running  through  it,  such  as  was  often  found  in  Ballarat,  and  which,  for 
the  want  of  a  good  quartz-crushing  machine,  was  thrown  aside  as 
being  worthless. 

"  Come  and  see  for  yourselves,"  yelled  Mike,  almost  out  of  patience 
at  our  obstinacy  in  not  placing  implicit  reliance  upon  his  word  in  regard 
to  the  matter. 

"  Will  ye  come  and  look  at  the  beautiful  piece  of  goold  wid  me  ?  and 
thin  perhaps  ye'll  belave  without  further  words.  But  remember  —  one 
quarter  is  mine." 

We  told  Mike  that  we  would  stick  to  our  word,  and  that  he  should 
have  his  share  even  if  he  had  found  a  lump  as  large  as  his  body.  The 
assertion  satisfied  him,  that  we  intended  to  deal  honestly  by  him  ;  and 
leaving  Mr.  Critchet  to  tend  the  store,  we  walked  towards  our  claim, 
the  purchase  of  which,  on  our  part,  had  excited  the  ridicule  of  more 
than  one  of  our  friends. 

On  our  way,  Mike  related  the  manner  in  which  he  found  his  treasure. 
He  said  that  he  had  worked  steadily  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  had  not 
found  the  first  sign  of  gold,  and  that  he  stopped  for  a  while  to  rest  and 
smoke  his  pipe,  and  also  to  trim  his  lamp ;  that  he  fell  asleep,  and  slept 
for  an  hour  or  two,  and  dreamed  that  he  was  sitting  on  a  nugget  of  gold 
that  was  as  large  as  his  father's  mud  cabin  in  Ireland,  and  that  he  was 
wondering  how  he  could  get  it  up  the  shaft,  when  he  was  awakened  by 
a  drop  of  water  which  trickled  from  the  ground  overhead,  striking  him 
on  his  nose. 

He  started  up,  and  thought  how  pleasant  it  would  be  if  his  dream 
would  only  come  true ;  and  rather  by  accident  than  design  he  let  the 
point  of  his  pick  fall  into  the  earth  where  he  had  been  sitting.  The 
dirt  gave  way,  and  he  thought  by  the  dim  light  of  his  lamp,  that  he  saw 
something  glisten. 

Once  more  he  struck  the  ground,  threw  aside  a  little  dirt,  and  then 
he  imagined  that  his  dream  had  come  true,  for  the  bright  gleam  of  gold 
was  before  him. 

"  Me  heart  was  in  me  mouth,"  Mike  continued,  "  and  I  did  not  pretend 
to  use  me  spade  or  me  pick  for  fear  that  the  goold  would  vanish  from 
me  sight.  I  threw  myself  upon  me  knees,  and  dug  with  me  fingers, 
and  hardly  dared  to  breathe  for  fear  that  I  should  lose  it ;  and  when  I 
had  freed  it  from  the  dirt,  and  attempted  to  lift  it  up,  O !  didn't  it  seem 
good  to  have  it  howld  back,  as  though  it  didn't  like  being  dragged  from 
its  bed  so  early  in  the  morning ! 

"  I  worked  it  clear  of  the  soil,  and  then  me  heart  was  too  full  to  stay 
there  any  longer.  I  had  to  run  to  the  store  and  ease  me  heart.  But 
mind,  honeys !  Fair  play  in  the  division,  ye  know.  Mind  the  honor  of 
an  Irish  gentleman,  who  is  too  modest  to  spake  for  himself." 

Mike's  idea  of  modesty  was  about  on  a  par  with  the  natives  of  Austra- 
lia, who  think  they  are  in  full  dress  when  the  only  article  of  wearing  ap- 
parel that  they  can  boast  of  is  a  hat,  or  a  cast-off  stocking,  thrown  on 
the  roadside  by  some  blister-footed  adventurer  on  his  way  to  the  mines. 

We  pacified  the  man  a  second  time ;  and  by  this  .period  we  were  at 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  413 

the  shaft,  and  ready  to  descend.  Fred  insisted  upon  going  first,  and 
after  him  the  Irishman,  while  I  hailed  a  passing  patrolman,  and  got  him 
to  extend  the  same  favor  to  myself,  when  I  got  ready  to  be  lowered  in 
the  bucket. 

"  Well,  Fred,"  I  shouted,  "  have  we  been  hoaxed  or  not  ?  Is  it  a 
blarney  stone  or  a  lump  of  gold  that  Mike  has  found  ?  " 

"  Pull  up,"  yelled  Fred,  and  I  heard  some  heavy  substance  thrown 
into  the  bucket. 

"  I'll  see  you  hanged  first,"  I  retorted.  "  You  are  not  going  to  make 
me  draw  up  a  fifty  pound  piece  of  quartz,  and  then  laugh  at  me  for  my 
labor." 

"  Pull  up  quick,"  cried  Fred,  in  an  eager  voice ;  and  I  heard  a  howl 
from  the  Irishman  at  my  obstinacy. 

"  In  the  name  of  the  saints,  up  wid  it,  good  master  Jim,"  pleaded 
Mike ;  but  I  rather  hesitated,  strengthened  in  the  view  which  I  took  in 
the  matter  by  the  policeman. 

"  It's  little  gold  that  was  ever  taken  from  this  claim,  sir,"  he  said, 
"  although  it  has  paid  one  or  two  proprietors  by  speculation.  The  soil 
is  not  of  the  right  kind  for  large  nuggets." 

"  How  big  is  it  ?  "  I  asked,  addressing  those  who  were  some  thirty 
feet  below  me. 

"About  as  large  as  your  head,"  was  Fred's  reply. 

"  Is  it  solid  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  It  looks  to  be !  But  don't  stand  there  asking  questions,  when  you 
can  satisfy  yourself.  Hound  up  the  bucket." 

I  began  to  think  that  the  Irishman's  dream  was  true,  and  that  the 
whiskey  had  not  taken  possession  of  his  senses. 

Fred  was"  not  in  the  habit  of  indulging  in  practical  jokes ;  and  I 
finally  concluded  that  I  might  as  well  satisfy  myself  whether  a  stone  or 
a  lump  of  gold  was  in  the  bucket.  I  wound  up  the  windlass,  while  the 
policeman  peeked  down  the  long,  dark  shaft,  eagerly  watching  for  the 
bucket,  to  see  what  it  contained. 

"  Do  you  see  any  thing  ?  "  I  asked,  when  I  thought  that  it  was  neaf 
enough  to  get  a  glimpse  of  its  contents. 

Before  I  could  repeat  the  question,  the  eyes  of  the  patrolman  glared 
as  though  starting  from  their  sockets,  and  his  face  flushed  scarlet. 

"  Up  with  it,  in  the  name  of  goodness,"  my  companion  shouted,  lean- 
ing over  the  shaft,  and  grasping  the  rope  that  held  the  bucket  in  one 
hand,  and  attempting  to  pull  it  up,  regardless  of  the  rough  windlass 
that  I  was  working  at. 

"  Can  you  see  it  ?  "  I  demanded,  resting  from  my  labor  for  a  moment, 
and  glancing  down  the  shaft. 

"  Don't  stop,  sir,"  cried  the  policeman ;  "  up  with  it,  or  the  devil  may 
carry  it  off  before  our  eyes." 

I  did  not  feel  so  superstitious ;  and  in  spite  of  the  warning  managed 
to  get  a  glimpse  of  the  lump  that  had  almost  turned  the  brains  of  the 
Irishman  and  Fred. 

At  the  first  glance,  I  almost  let  go  my  hold  of  the  windlass,  I  was  so 
overpowered.  My  eyes  appeared  to  blur  over,  and  my  brain  grew 
dizzy.  I  did  not  seem  to  possess  the  strength  of  an  infant,  and  for  a 
moment  I  paused,  and  tried  to  rally  my  senses. 

35* 


414  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OB 

My  heart  beat  so  wildly  that  I  thought  it  would  burst,  for  the  single 
glance  that  I  had  cast  towards  the  bucket  revealed  to  me  a  sight  that 
would  have  driven  half  the  miners  of  Ballarat  crazy,  and  the  remaining 
portion  frantic  with  delight,  provided,  of  course,  they  had  seen  and 
owned  what  I  saw. 


CHAPTER    LXI. 

THE  RESULT  OF  GROWING  RICH  TOO  RAPIDLY. 

MY  officious  friend  lifted  the  nugget  from  the  bucket  and  laid  it  be- 
fore me,  and  for  a  few  minutes  I  gloated  over  and  passed  my  hand  over 
its  unequal  surface,  and  weighed  it  in  my  imagination  until  I  was  roused 
from  my  reverie  by  those  in  the  shaft. 

"  Send  down  the  bucket,  so  that  we  can  get  up,"  shouted  Fred ;  "  we 
don't  want  to  stop  here  all  night !  " 

I  hurried  to  relieve  my  friend,  and  by  the  time  that  he  was  safe  out 
of  the  shaft,  and  the  bucket  had  re-descended  for  Mike,  I  was  compar- 
atively calm. 

Fred  and  myself  shook  hands  over  our  prize,  and  then  lifted  it,  and 
sought  to  form  some  idea  of  its  weight,  in  which  we  were  aided  by  the 
official  of  the  law. 

"  It  will  weigh  forty  pounds,"  cried  Fred,  after  a  moment's  handling. 

"  More  than  that,  sirs,"  answered  the  policeman,  with  a  dogmatical 
air  that  was  charming  to  us,  because  every  additional  ounce  made  us 
richer. 

"  I've  seen  a  few  nuggets  since  I've  been  stationed  here,  and  I  had 
oughter  know  about  such  things,"  he  continued,  turning  our  prize  over 
and  over,  and  scrutinizing  it  with  the  air  of  a  connoisseur.  "  Do  you 
see,  there's  not  an  ounce  of  quartz  stuck  to  the  whole  piece,  and  gold  is 
awful  heavy  when  it  comes  in  the  lump  style." 

"We  assented  to  his  remarks  without  a  word  of  opposition.  We 
could  have  listened  to  him  for  hours,  it  seemed  so  good  to  have  him 
extol,  instead  of  depreciate,  the  nugget. 

"  How  much,  then,  do  you  think  that  it  will  weigh  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  Well,"  replied  the  officer,  after  a  moment's  pause,  and  another  lift- 
ing operation,  "  I  should  say  about  fifty  pounds,  if  my  opinion  was 
asked. 

"  If  my  advice  was  asked,"  the  officer  continued,  in  a  patronizing 
manner,  "  I  should  say,  take  that  nugget  to  the  government  reception 
office  without  delay,  and  after  it  is  weighed,  get  a  certificate  of  deposit. 
That  is  my  advice,  but  my  opinion  may  not  be  worth  much,  one  way  or 
the  other." 

We  agreed  that  his  advice  was  good,  and  that  it  would  be  wisdom  on 
our  part  to  accept  of  it  without  delay,  for  it  was  rather  dangerous  hav- 
ing so  much  gold  in  a  store,  when  the  town  was  swarming  with  thieves. 

There  was  one  person,  however,  who  did  not  seem  to  like  the  propo* 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  415 

i 

eition,  and  that  was  Mike.  He  had  a  faint  suspicion  that  the  project 
was  intended  to  defraud  him  of  his  rightful  claim  to  one  quarter  of  the 
nugget,  and  his  face  showed  the  feelings  of  his  heart,  while  we  were 
talking  of  the  matter. 

"Is  it  moving  ye  intend  to  do?"  he  demanded,  eyeing  the  gold  as 
though  it  had  been  guilty  of  a  treacherous  act. 

"  We  are  going  to  remove  it  to  the  government  office  for  safety,"  I 
replied.  - 

"  For  safety  ?  "  repeated  Mike.  "  Where  could  it  be  more  safe  than 
under  me  eye,  or  under  me  head  while  I  slept.  Ough !  don't  bother, 
but  let  me  carry  it  to  the  store,  where  we  can  cut  it  up,  and  I  can  get 
me  quarter." 

"  You  wouldn't  spoil  such  a  nugget  as  that  by  cutting  it  up,  would 
you  ?  "  cried  the  policeman ;  "  it  is  the  finest  specimen  of  gold  that  I  ever 
saw,  and  should  be  preserved." 

"  Faith,  if  that  is  the  case,"  muttered  Mike,  "  it  might  just  as  well 
have  remained  in  the  pit,  for  I  don't  see  what  good  it  will  do  us." 

We  succeeded  in  explaining  to  the  capricious  gentleman  what  we  in- 
tended to  do,  and  pacified  him  by  promising  that  he  should  have  his 
share  in  ready  money  before  night,  if  he  desired  it ;  and  I  will  do  Mike 
the  justice  of  saying  that  he  did,  most  emphatically,  and  other  men 
would  have  acted  in  the  same  way. 

By  the  time  that  we  had  concluded  to  deposit  our  treasure  at  the 
government  office,  considerable  of  a  crowd  had  collected  in  the  vicinity 
of  our  claim,  and  was  admiring  the  nugget,  and  wishing,  with  all  their 
hearts,  that  it  belonged  to  them,  and  that  they  could  be  so  fortunate. 
We  even  began  to  receive  proposals  for  our  claim,  and  prices  were 
offered  that  we  never  dreamed  of  asking. 

"  Now  is  the  time  to  sell,"  whispered  our  tempter,  in  the  shape  of  the 
policeman. 

"  Don't  dispose  of  the  mine  for  any  consideration,"  cried  Mike ;  "  I'm 
sartin  that  I  know  where  another  nugget  is  hid,  and  I'll  have  him  out, 
by  the  blessing  of  St.  Patrick." 

"  Sell  while  the  excitement  lasts,"  continued  the  tempter ;  "  I  never 
knew  of  two  nuggets  being  found  close  together." 

"  It's  our  fortunes  we'll  make  out  of  the  mine,"  Mike  exclaimed. 
"  I'll  go  back  to  Ireland,  buy  land,  and  be  called  '  the  squire,'  and  drink 
buttermilk  twice  a  day,  and  ate  paraties  every  meal.  I'll  have  a  still 
of  me  own,  and  make  the  real  poteen  whiskey,  and  drink  punch,  instead 
of  water,  and  smoke  'bacca,  instead  of  cabbage  leaves.  Won't  I  keep 
open  house,  and  none  shall  be  more  welcome  than  an  Australian  miner!" 

"  Will  you  have  a  pig  ?  "  asked  some  one  in  the  crowd. 

"  A  pig ! "  repeated  Mike,  with  intense  scorn ;  "  I'll  hare  a  dozen  of 
them,  and  each  one  shall  be  fatter  than  ye." 

A  roar  of  laughter  followed  Mike's  sally,  and  the  questioner,  who 
thought  that  he  could  ridicule  the  honest  Hibernian,  instantly  subsided, 
and  was  seen  no  more. 

We  intended  to  send  to  the  store  for  the  purpose  of  getting  a  stout 
bucket,  into  which  we  could  put  our  nugget  and  carry  it  to  the  office; 
but  Mike  would  not  listen  to  the  suggestion  for  a  moment.  He  shoul- 
dered the  precious  lump  of  gold,  and  marched  through  the  streets,  as 


416  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

proud  of  his  charge  as  though  the  whole  of  it  belonged  to  him,  and  he 
knew  where  he  could  get  another  just  like  it. 

A  crowd  of  miners  followed  at  our  heels,  and  such  a  mixture  of 
tongues  was  never  heard,  except  at  the  construction  of  the  tower  of 
Babel. 

Followed  by  this  motley  crew,  we  passed  along  the  streets,  amidst 
shouts  and  congratulations,  until  we  gained  the  government  reception 
office. 

"  There,"  cried  Mike,  throwing  down  his  load  upon  the  counter  of 
the  office,  much  to  the  astonishment  of  the  clerks ;  "  plase  weigh  that, 
and  see  how  much  it  conies  to,  for  I  want  me  quarterings." 

The  clerks  did  not  comprehend  his  words,  although  they  did  under^ 
stand  the  meaning  of  his  action ;  and  while  a  couple  of  police  officers, 
who  were  stationed  at  the  building,  drove  from  the  room  all  those  not 
interested  in  the  matter,  we  watched  the  large  scales  that  were  to  tell  us 
to  a  farthing  how  much  the  nugget  was  worth. 

"  Well,"  cried  Mike,  "  can't  ye  spake,  and  let  us  know  how  much  me 
quarterings  come  to  ?  " 

The  clerk,  who  was  figuring,  looked  at  the  speaker  with  silent  con- 
tempt, and  did  not  even  condescend  to  reply,  much  less  hasten  his 
movements. 

"  Your  nugget,"  said  the  clerk,  at  length,  addressing  Fred  and  myself, 
"  weighs  just  fifty-one  pounds  two  ounces,  and  if  there  is  no  quartz  in 
the  interior  of  the  lump  —  and  I  think  that  there  is  not  —  at  the  pres- 
ent price  of  gold  it  is  worth,  in  round  numbers,  about  two  thousand  five 
hundred  pounds  sterling.  A  pretty  good  day's  work,  sirs." 

"  Say  it  again,"  cried  Mike,  all  ready  for  another  Irish  break-down. 

The  clerk  repeated  the  amount  with  much  amiability.  He  had  just 
learned  that  Mike  had  an  interest  in  the  nugget,  and  his  respect  for  the 
man  increased  in  proportion  to  his  wealth. 

"  Two  thousand  five  hundred  pounds  sterling,"  repeated  Mike,  in 
amazement.  "  Who  would  have  thought  that  there  was  so  much  money 
in  the  world?  I'll  ate  nothing  but  paraties,  and  drink  nothing  stronger 
than  buttermilk  and  whiskey  hereafter.  Two  thousand  pounds  and  five 
hundred  of  'em  to  make  the  figures  look  a  little  odd.  Ough !  murder, 
•won't  the  old  woman  and  the  childers  be  plased  to  see  me  riding  home 
in  an  illegant  coach  and  four,  dressed  like  a  lord ! " 

The  subject  was  one  of  so  much  importance  that  Mike,  in  defiance 
of  the  dignified-looking  clerk,  indulged  in  a  hornpipe,  and  was  only 
brought  to  his  senses  when  told  that  he  would  be  locked  up  by  the  po- 
licemen as  a  lunatic,  unless  he  was  more  quiet. 

"  I'll  be  like  a  lamb,"  he  replied ;  and  then,  after  a  moment's  quiet, 
he  leaned  over  and  whispered  to  the  clerk,  in  a  confidential  manner,  — 

"  If  the  nugget  is  worth  two  thousand  five  hundred  pounds  sterling, 
pray,  what  is  me  quarterings  worth  ?  Answer  me  that,  if  ye  can." 

We  did  not  give  the  clerk  time  to  make  the  calculation,  but  offered 
Mike,  on  a  venture,  a  sum  equivalent  to  two  thousand  seven  hundred 
dollars  for  his  quarterings,  while  we  concluded  to  run  the  risk  of  the 
interior  of  the  nugget  being  filled  with  quartz.  Mike  accepted  the 
proposition  without  delay,  and  merely  taking  a  certificate  of  deposit,  we 
returned  to  the  store,  counted  out  in  sovereigns  the  amount  that  was 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  417 

due  Mike,  made  him  put  his  cross,  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Critchet,  to  a 
paper  certifying  that  he  had  been  paid  in  full,  and  with  the  gold  in  his 
pocket,  oil  he  started  for  hie  nearest  countrymen,  for  the  purpose  of 
treating  every  Irishman  that  he  met,  and  getting  rid  of  his  sudden 
tvealth  as  soon  as  possible. 

I  urged  him  for  half  an  hour  to  let  the  larger  portion  of  his  funds  re- 
main in  our  hands,  but  he  was  obstinate,  and  feared  trickery.  I  then 
endeavored  to  persuade  him  to  deposit  all  but  a  hundred  sovereigns  in 
the  government  office,  but  strange  to  say,  he  was  more  fearful  of  the 
government  concern  than  he  was  of  our  firm.  At  length  I  got  out  of 
all  patience,  for  I  saw  that,  instead  of  devoting  his  fortune  to  his  rela- 
tives, he  was  determined  to  have  a  spree,  and  I  let  him  go  without 
another  word  of  remonstrance. 

He  conducted  himself  precisely  as  I  anticipated.  For  one  week  two 
thirds  of  his  countrymen  suspended  work,  and  drank  cheap  whiskey  at 
Mike's  expense.  His  gold  vanished  like  snow  on  the  top  of  Mount 
Alexander  at  midday,  and  although  many  of  the  better  class  of  Irish 
visited  our  store  every  day,  and  begged  that  we  would  interfere  and  help 
save  a  portion  of  his  wealth,  we  declined  to  do  so ;  and  even  Mr.  Brown, 
who  was  appealed  to,  shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  mado  an  oft-quoted 
remark  that  "  a  fool  and  his  money  were  soon  parted."  Tho  most  that 
we  would  do  was  to  promise  that  Mike  should  not  buy  a  single  sixpence 
worth  of  liquor  at  our  store,  and  we  kept  our  word,  for  which  we  got 
most  heartily  abused  by  our  late  employee's  friends ;  and  one  day  we 
were  obliged  to  have  two  or  three  arrested,  owing  to  a  display  of  pugil- 
ism which  they  made. 

All  things  must  have  an  ending,  and  to  follow  out  Mike's  fortunes,  I 
may  as  well  state  that  he  soon  lost  all  of  his  money,  was  deserted  by 
those  who  called  themselves  his  friends,  and  that  he  was  left  without  the 
means  of  buying  a  loaf  of  bread,  or  a  glass  of  whiskey  to  keep  off  the 
delirium  tremens.  He  applied  to  us  for  employment,  and  we  gave  him 
something  to  do ;  but  the  thoughts  of  his  folly  weighed  heavily  on  his 
mind,  and  one  morning  we  found  Mike  hanging  by  his  neck,  in  the  rear 
of  the  store  where  we  stabled  our  horses. 

Had  he  but  adhered  to  his  first  resolve,  of  returning  to  Ireland,  and 
living  in  peace  for  the  remainder  of  his  days,  his  gold  would  have  been 
of  some  use,  not  only  to  him,  but  to  the  community ;  but  as  matters 
transpired,  the  finding  of  the  nugget  was  his  greatest  misfortune. 

But  to  return  to  the  day  when  our  wealth  was  increased  by  a  lucky 
stroke  of  the  pickaxe,  and  when  we  began  to  think  seriously  of  mining 
claims  as  means  of  making  fortunes.  In  this  connection  we  were 
advised  by  Mr.  Critchet,  who,  although  not  of  a  sanguine  temperament, 
had  made  considerable  money  in  speculation  as  well  as  in  digging,  and 
was  enthusiastic  when  he  learned  that  we  had  been  amply  repaid  for  all 
funds  which  we  had  advanced. 

"  Now  is  the  time  to  sell,"  he  said,  when  he  heard  half  a  dozen  appli- 
cants make  inquiries  regarding  the  terms  for  our  now  famous  claim. 
"  Don't  hold  back,  and  say  that  you  don't  believe  that  the  mine  contains 
another  nugget.  That  won't  do  in  Ballarat.  Speak  up  with  confidence, 
and  tell  about  the  richness  of  the  mine,  and  your  disinclination  to  sell. 
That  will  only  make  people  more  eager,  and  you  will  get  better  terms." 


418  LIFE   IN   AUSTEALIA,   OK 

"  But  we  don't  believe  that  the  claim  will  ever  pay  another  dollar,"  1 
replied. 

"  What  is  that  to  you  ?  "  he  retorted.  "  Didn't  you  buy  without  ex^ 
pectations,  and  haven't  you  ever  purchased  a  lottery  ticket  and  drawn  a 
blunk?  A  claim  is  a  lottery,  and  one  of  the  most  treacherous  kind. 
Sell  whSe  you  can,  and  try  another  site." 

We  remembered  of  a  purchase  that  we  had  made  in  California,  when 
a  shrewd  fellow  sold  us  his  worked-out  claim  for  two  hundred  dollars, 
and  we  were  laughed  at  for  our  greenness.  We  felt  a  desire  to  retali- 
ate, but  we  had  been  taught  in  New  England  schools  that  two  wrongs 
did  not  make  one  right,  and  we  banished  the  plan  from  our  minds  of 
urging  people  to  buy  our  mine  on  the  plea  that  it  was  rich  beyond  com- 
parison. If  it  was  desired,  we  determined  that  it  should  be  bought 
without  extolling  claptrap,  of  any  kind. 

While  we  were  in  this  frame  of  mind,  a  stranger  entered  our  store, 
and  expressed  a  desire  to  see  the  nugget  which  had  turned  half  tho 
heads  in  Ballarat. 

He  manifested  no  disappointment  when  told  that  it  was  at  the  gov- 
ernment office,  and  after  asking  a  few  questions,  boldly  made  an  offer 
for  our  claim  that  was  greatly  in  advance  of  what  we  had  anticipated. 

There  was  a  moment's  hesitation  on  our  part,  and  we  were  strongly 
tempted  to  close  the  bargain ;  but  better  thoughts  came  to  our  aid,  and 
we  declined  the  offer,  on  the  ground  that  he  offered  more  money  than 
the  mine  was  really  worth,  and  more  than  he  could  possibly  get  back. 

"  That,"  replied  the  would-be  purchaser,  "  is  my  lookout.  I  know 
the  condition  of  the  mine,  and  what  has  been  taken  from  it.  If  my 
offer  is  accepted  I  am  willing  to  pay  the  price  that  I  mention,  and 
whether  it  repays  me  or  not  is  none  of  your  affair." 

It  would  have  been  cruel  to  disappoint  the  man,  and  as  money  was 
our  object,  and  he  was  so  anxious  to  do  us  a  service,  we,  with  great 
magnanimity,  accepted  of  one  thousand  dollars  in  gold  dust,  and  gave 
the  purchaser  a  deed  of  the  claim. 

"  A  good  day's  work ! "  cried  Fred,  rubbing  his  hands,  as  soon  as  the 
stranger's  back  was  turned.  "  A  dozen  or  twenty  more  such,  and  then, 
hey  for  home ! " 

We  had  made,  as  Fred  said,  a  good  day's  work  for  the  firm,  for,  of 
course,  Smith's  interest  was  equal  to  our  own,  and  he  shared  in  any 
speculation  that  we  might  enter  into ;  but  while  I  am  on  the  subject,  I 
may  as  well  tell  of  a  money-making  operation  that  entirely  eclipsed  the 
above  transaction,  even  including  the  finding  of  the  nugget. 

I  was  in  Melbourne,  one  time,  having  run  down  from  the  mines  for  the 
purpose  of  buying  a  few  articles  which  we  wanted  forwarded  by  express, 
and  while  I  was  dodging  from  one  store  to  another,  I  saw  that  the  stock 
of  flour  was  rather  low,  and  that,  unless  fresh  arrivals  soon  augmented  the 
small  quantity  on  hand,  the  price  must  go  up.  I  made  a  few  cautious 
inquiries,  and  found  that  the  dealers  at  Sydney  were  not  n.uch  better  off 
than  those  at  Melbourne,  and  it  occurred  to  me  .that  soon  a  speculation 
movement  would  begin,  and  that  we  might  as  well  have  a  hand  in  it  as 
to  let  others  make  all  the  money. 

As  I  said  before,  I  made  careful  inquiries,  and  discovered  that  two 
ships  were  daily  expected,  one  from  Chili,  and  the  other  from  Ne\r 


A  GOLD  HUNTERS  ADVENTURES.  41$ 

Vork,  and  both  were  loaded  with  flour.  No  vessel  was  expected  from 
England  with  grain  on  board,  although  it  was  not  known  for  certainty. 

Upbn  this  intelligence  I  pondered  for  an  hour  or  two,  and  then 
resolved  to  try  my  luck  in  the  way  of  speculation.  Flour  was  selling 
at  fair  prices,  I  think,  although,  owing  to  the  no n- publication  of  a  price 
current,  and  to  the  absence  of  an  exchange,  no  two  merchants  sold 
alike. 

After  I  had  made  up  my  mind  what  I  intended  to  do,  I  went  to  the 
bank  where  we  had  five  thousand  pounds  lying  to  our  credit,  drew  out 
the  money,  and  then  began  my  purchases.  In  each  case  I  stipulated 
that  the  flour  should  remain  in  store  one  week,  until  I  could  get  teams 
to  cart  it  to  Ballarat.  To  this  a  ready  assent  was  given,  and  the  mer- 
chants expressed  themselves  pleased  to  transact  business  with  me.  In 
some  instances  I  paid  cash,  especially  where  the  quantity  bought  was 
very  slight,  not  amounting  to  more  than  fifty  barrels,  or  one  hundred 
sacks ;  but  where  I  bought  two  or  even  three  hundred  barrels,  I  claimed 
the  privilege  of  one  month's  credit,  after  paying  twenty  per  cent,  of  the 
amount  down. 

In  two  hours  I  had  engaged  nearly  every  barrel  and  sack  of  flour  in 
Melbourne,  and  then,  and  not  till  then,  did  I  begin  to  tremble  for  the 
result  of  my  speculation.  A  dozen  times  during  the  night  did  I  wan- 
der through  the  streets  of  the  city,  and  down  to  the  water's  edge,  for 
the  purpose  of  seeing  how  the  wind  blew,  and  each  time  did  I  find  that 
it  was  favorable  for  vessels  entering  the  harbor.  I  consulted  an  aged 
mariner,  with  tar  plentifully  sprinkled  upon  the  seat  of  his  trousers,  and 
the  son  of  Neptune  told  me,  with  many  grave  shakes  of  his  head, 
that,  — 

"  You  can't  always  tell  about  these  things ;  sometimes  the  wind  blows 
one  way  here  in  this  bloody  hole,  and  sometimes  it  blows  different  on 
the  ocean." 

The  next  day  I  despatched  two  large  teams  to  Ballarat  loaded  heavily 
with  flour,  and  sent  a  letter  by  the  mail,  telling  Fred  what  I  had  done, 
and  advising  him  to  put  the  price  up,  but  to  first  frighten  the  merchants 
by  bantering  them  with  offers  for  their  stock.  I  knew  that  that  course 
would  startle  them  into  asking  at  least  one  third  more  than  they  had 
been  demanding,  and  that  a  dozen  of  the  most  prominent  ones  would 
start  for  Melbourne  without  a  moment's  delay  for  the  purpose  of  seeing 
what  the  movement  meant. 


CHAPTER     LXII. 

THE  FLOUR  SPECULATION.  —  MR.  CRITCHET'S  STORY. 

AFTER  I  had  written  to  Fred,  and  started  the  teams,  I  felt  a  little 
easier,  although  no  change  had  taken  place  in  the  market.  I  knew  that 
dealers  had  sent  to  Sydney  for  a  supply  of  flour,  and  I  feared  that  their 
arders  would  be  filled,  but  in  this  I  was  agreeably  mistaken.  Flour  aJ 


420  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

Sydney  was  ten  shillings  per  barrel  higher  than  at  Melbourne,  wiln  an 
upward  tendency ;  while  not  a  sack  could  be  obtained  of  the  few  fanoers 
who  raised  wheat,  short  of  eighty  pounds  per  ton, — just  double  what  I 
had  paid. 

Two  days  after  my  bargain,  and  still  no  ships  were  signalized.  I  felt 
a  little  more  confidence  in  myself,  and  in  the  bold  scheme  that  I  was 
attempting  to  carry  out.  A  dozen  teams  were  in  the  city,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  carrying  provisions  to  Ballarat  and  other  mines,  but  they  were 
delayed,  owing  to  their  inability  to  get  flour.  I  heard  the  price  of  the 
article  quoted  at  fifty  pounds  per  ton,  and  I  debated  whether  I  should 
hold  on  longer,  or  sell. 

Twice,  during  the  day,  a  rumor  was  started  that  a  large  American 
ship  was  signalized,  and  that  she  was  loaded  to  her  scuppers  with  grain ; 
but  I  quickly  proved  the  falsity  of  the  report,  and  then  made  my  appear- 
ance in  the  store  of  the  largest  grain  dealers  in  Melbourne,  Messrs. 
Hennetit  &  Co.,  since  failed,  and  didn't  pay  their  English  creditors  but 
sixpence  on  the  pound,  and  I  strongly  suspect  that  American  firms  suf- 
fered worse,  even,  than  that. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  Mr.  Hennetit,  coming  forward  and  shaking  my 
hand  with  great  cordiality,  "  I  have  so  desired  to  see  you ! " 

"  May  I  ask  on  what  account?  "  I  replied,  with  the  utmost  sangfroid, 
although  I  was  almost  bursting  with  anxiety. 

"  Why,  to  tell  you  the  truth  —  and  I  am  almost  ashamed  to  confess 
it  —  we  sold  you  more  flour  than  we  intended,  having  several  orders  to 
fill,  and  I  thought  that  if  it  made  no  difference  to  you,  we  would  borrow 
one  hundred  barrels,  and  repay  you  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two  at 
farthest.  It  is  not  of  much  importance,  but  I  concluded  that  I  would 
speak  to  you  in  regard  to  the  subject." 

Even  while  conversing,  he  led  me  to  his  neat  and  commodious  private 
room,  as  though  the  sight  of  his  wealth  would  soften  my  heart,  and  awe 
me  to  subjection  to  his  will. 

"  You  see,  my  dear  sir,  it  is  such  a  trifling  matter,  tnat  I  am  almost 
ashamed  to  make  the  request.  I  am  positively  mortified  to  tfyink  that 
we  made  such  a  mistake  as  to  dispose  of  our  whole  stock.  However,  a 
ship  will  be  here  in  a  few  days,  and  then  we  can  supply  the  country  at 
greatly  reduced  rates." 

I  did  not  interrupt  him,  but  sat  patiently,  while  he  was  endeavoring 
to  wheedle  me  out  of  my  speculation.  He  displayed  the  anxiety  that 
he  felt,  to  carry  his  point,  while  speaking,  and  I  knew  that  one  of  his 
restless  eyes  was  on  me,  to  read  my  thoughts,  during  the  interview. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  I  cannot  accommodate  you  in  this  instance,"  I 
answered,  "  because  I  bought  for  the  Ballarat  market,  and  the  people 
of  that  section  of  the  country  are  in  want.  Flour  at  the  mines  is  sell- 
ing for  sixty  pounds  per  ton,  a  large  advance  upon  what  I  paid." 

"  O,  I  don't  mind  allowing  you  a  small  margin  for  your  trouble.  You 
paid  forty  pounds  per  ton.  I  will  give  you  forty-five  for  a  hundred  bar- 
rels." 

"  My  dear  Mr.  Hennetit,  it  really  grieves  me  to  think  that  I  must 
refuse  your  offer,"  I  replied,  "  but  I  couldn't  think  of  selling  below  the 
market  rates.  If  you  wish  a  hundred  barrels  at  fifty-five  pounds  pel 
ton,  I  shall  be  exceedingly  happy  to  accommodate  you." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  421 

"  Pooh,  pooh ! "  he  muttered ;  "I  can't  consider  such  a  thing.  If  you 
think  to  speculate  in  flour  in  this  country,  you  will  miss  it,  and  lose 
your  money." 

"  Perhaps  I  shall ;  but  as  flour  has  risen  in  price  since  I  purchased, 
I  don't  see  why  I  should  not  reap  the  benefit  of  it." 

I  bowed  courteously  to  the  merchant,  replaced  my  veil,  (for  during 
the  summer  months,  when  the  ground  is  dry,  and  the  wind  blows 
strong,  it  is  necessary  to  wear  a  veil,  to  protect  the  eyes  from  the  dust 
which  rises  in  heavy  clouds,  and  at  times  obscures  the  sun  like  a  thun- 
der squall,)  and  walked  off,  hoping  that  I  should  hear  his  voice  calling 
me  back,  but  in  this  I  was  disappointed.  Mr.  Hennetit  thought  that  I 
would  repent,  and  come  to  hte  terms,  and  so  determined  to  stand  the 
pressure  one  day  more,  at  all  hazards. 

I  walked  directly  to  the  river,  and  found  that  the  wind  was  blowing 
off  shore  like  great  guns.  This  elated  me,  although  I  remembered  the 
words  of  the  tarry  mariner,  and  wondered  how  it  was  out  upon  the 
broad  ocean. 

For  two  days  I  had  not  slept  an  hour's  time,  or  eaten  more  than  a 
crust  of  bread ;  but  when  I  saw  how  the  wind  was  blowing,  I  returned 
to  my  hotel,  and  supplied  my  nearly  exhausted  system  with  food. 

No  sooner  had  I  finished  dinner  than  I  was  told  that  a  gentleman 
wished  to  speak  to  me  in  the  bar  room.  I  went  there,  and  saw  one  of 
the  merchants  from  whom  I  had  purchased  one  hundred  sacks  of  Chilian 
flour,  and  one  hundred  barrels  of  American  brand. 

"  Well ! "  he  exclaimed,  shaking  hands  with  some  warmth,  "  you  have 
dished  us,  and  no  mistake !  Who,  in  the  devil's  name,  would  have  sup- 
posed that  those  two  ships  could  have  made  such  long  passages  —  did 
you  ?  "  and  then,  without  waiting  for  me  to  answer,  he  marched  up  to 
the  bar  and  called  for  drinks,  and  I  must  confess  that  I  gratified  him, 
and  pleased  myself,  in  taking  a  very  good  glass  of  wine  and  water  at 
his  expense. 

"  Come,  now  to  business,"  my  acquaintance  said,  wiping  his  lips  on  a 
richly  embroidered  handkerchief,  imported  from  Manilla. 

"  Very  well,  to  business  it  is,"  said  I. 

"  You  have  got  all  the  flour  in  the  market  in  your  hands,"  he  began. 

"  I  know  it,"  I  answered. 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  that  you  do,"  he  said,  dryly ;  "  now,  I  want  the  flour 
that  I  sold  you,  and  which  still  remains  in  my  store.  What  is  the  figure, 
sir  ?  " 

Here  was  a  man  that  I  could  trade  with,  and  not  resort  to  art.  He 
was  never  schooled  in  diplomacy,  and  his  blunt  nature  rejected  all 
subterfuge.  I  saw  that  he  was  willing  to  allow  me  to  make  all  that  I 
could,  knowing  that  he  would  have  done  the  same,  had  he  been  situated 
as  I  was. 

"  Fifty-five  pounds  per  ton,"  I  answered. 

"  I'll  take  it  at  that  figure,"  he  replied,  promptly ;  "  come  with  me  to 
the  store,  and  I  will  settle  the  amount  immediately." 

I  did  not  require  to  be  invited  a  second  time ;  and  after  I  had  re- 
ceived my  money,  I  calculated  how  many  more  tons  I  should  have  to 
dispose  of  before  I  could  call  my  funds  whole. 

In  the  midst  of  my  calculation,  I  was  disturbed  by  a  message  from 

36 


422  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

Messrs.  Hennetit  &  Co.  They  desired  \^>  see  me  immediately,  and  re. 
quested  to  know  when  it  would  suit  my  convenience  to  call  on  them. 
I  replied,  in  half  an  hour ;  and  when  I  wr :  leaving  the  store  to  keep  my 
appointment,  my  blunt  friend  stopped  me. 

"  Hennetit  &  Co.,"  he  said,  "  have  received  a  number  of  orders  for 
flour,  and  they  must  fill  them.  Don't  sell  for  less  than  what  I  paid 
you  ;  perhaps  you  can  get  more." 

I  thanked  my  acquaintance  for  his  hir  %  and  acted  on  it.  When  Mr. 
Hennetit  talked  about  purchasing  a  few  barrels,  I  put  him  off  by  reply- 
ing that  it  was  hardly  worth  while  to  rete'\  them,  and  that  I  had  received 
proposals  for  all  that  I  held,  and  that  I  probably  should  accept. 

This  information  rather  startled  the  cautious  gentleman,  and  the 
question  was  put  to  me  without  equivocation,  — 

"  How  much  advance  did  I  demand  for  the  flour  which  they  held  for 
me?" 

"  Fifty-six  pounds  per  ton,"  I  replied,  promptly  and  firmly. 

"  Would  I  not  take  fifty  pounds  ?  " 

«  No." 

"  Would  I  sell  all  that  I  held  in  the  city  to  the  firm  of  Hennetit  & 
Co.  for  that  price  ?  " 

I  replied  that  I  would,  provided  the  transaction  was  cashed  that 
afternoon. 

There  was  a  short  discussion  among  the  members  of  the  firm ;  and  I 
saw  the  junior  partner  go  out  in  grea'  haste.  He  returned  in  a  few 
minutes,  and  reported,  I  knew  what  he  went  after.  He  desired  to 
learn  the  direction  of  the  wind  before  completing  the  bargain.  Fortune 
favored  me.  It  was  blowing  a  gale  directly  off  shore. 

"  Will  you  take  a  check  on  the  bank,  or  do  you  desire  gold  dust  ?  " 
•was  Mr.  Kenneth's  polite  interrogatior 

I  replied  that  I  preferred  the  dust,  if  it  was  clean,  and  had  been  re- 
ceived from  the  government  office.  It  "vas  warranted  free  of  sand ;  and 
while  the  weighing  commenced,  I  drew  up  orders  for  the  delivery  of 
flour  held  by  the  several  firms  in  the  city.  By  the  time  that  I  had  con- 
cluded, the  dust  was  put  into  bags,  ma.ked  with  my  name,  the  amount 
in  each  bag,  and  I  found  myself  the  possessor  of  ten  thousand  pounds 
in  hard  cash,  or  nearly  fifty  thousand  d  Uars. 

In  less  than  an  hour  the  money  was  safely  locked  up  in  the  vaults  of 
the  bank ;  and  then  I  began  to  feel  as  though  I  had  passed  through  an 
ordeal  that  had  left  me,  at  least,  ten  years  older  than  I  really  was  ;  and 
I  almost  made  a  solemn  vow  never  to  attempt  another  speculation ;  hut 
I  am  glad  that  I  hesitated,  because  before  I  left  Australia  I  indulged  in 
many ;  and  while  some  were  unfortunate,  others,  I  am  happy  to  state, 
turned  out  well,  and  enable  me  to  livt  at  the  present  time,  a  life  of 
such  comparative  idleness,  that  I  almost  repent  being  a  bachelor,  and 
sometimes  think  that  the  sea  of  matri  lony  would  relieve  my  life  of 
ennui. 

I  owe  an  apology  to  the  reader,  perHps,  for  thus  taking  so  much 
space  to  relate  a  transaction  that  made  some  noise  in  Melbourne,  owing 
to  the  boldness  of  my  strike,  and  the  success  that  attended  it.  It  was 
a  lottery,  with  the  chances  in  my  favor,  >.ud  hud  I  not  improved  it  there 
were  others  who  would. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUBES.  423 

The  vessels  expected  did  not  arrive  for  three  days  after  I  sold  out ; 
yet  the  Messrs.  Hennetits  &  Co.  made  money  out  of  the  operation,  and 
whenever  I  met  them,  after  our  business  relations  were  ended,  always 
joked  me  about  selling  to  them  for  so  low  a  price,  while  they  were  pre- 
pared to  give  me  at  least  five  pounds  more  per  ton. 

But  I  will  retrace  my  steps,  and  return  to  our  store  at  Ballarat,  from 
which  place  I  took  flight  on  the  very  day  that  we  found  our  nugget. 

"  I  think,"  said  Mr.  Critchet,  as  we  sat  smoking  our  pipes  after  tea 
the  store  being  closed  for  the  night,  "  that  I  shall  be  well  enough  in  a 
few  days  to  go  to  work  myself.  I  feel  the  spirit  in  me,  but  the  flesh  is 
yet  weak." 

"  You  will  not  be  fit  for  a  day's  work  in  the  mines  for  a  month  yet," 
returned  Fred. 

"  I  can't  remain  idle  for  that  length  of  time,"  Mr.  Critchet  said ;  "  I 
have  already  trespassed  on  your  hospitality,  and  am  laboring  under  a 
debt  for  kind  attention,  that  I  shall  have  hard  work  to  repay.  I  am 
not  rich,  but  if  the  few  thousand  pounds  which  I  have  accumulated, 
and  which  are  on  deposit  at  the  government  office,  can  recompense  you, 
they  are  yours." 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Fred,  re-filling  his  pipe,  lighting  it,  and  then  puffing 
away  vigorously,  "  that  you  imagine  that  it  is  best  to  surrender  all  your 
property  in  the  most  gracious  manner  possible.  If  that  is  your  opinion, 
you  misjudge  us." 

"  My  dear  young  friend ! "  cried  Mr.  Critchet,  "  I  certainly  did  not 
entertain  any  such  opinion.  I  have  been  treated  as  kindly  and  carefully 
as  though  you  were  my  own  sons ;  and  through  your  exertions  and 
attentions  my  life  has  been  saved.  I  feel  as  though  I  cannot  repay  you 
with  empty  thanks,  for  I  have  caused  an  expenditure  of  much  time  and 
money.  Let  me  feel  as  though  I  had  endeavored  to  requite  your  kind- 
ness." 

"  So  you  can,"  returned  Fred,  composedly. 

Mr.  Critchet  brightened  up.  I  looked  at  my  friend  anxiously,  and 
feared  that  he  had  forgotten  our  agreement  on  the  subject  under  dis- 
cussion. 

"  The  fact  is,"  said  Fred,  knocking  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  "  if  you 
wish  to  deserve  our  friendship,  never  speak  again  in  reference  to  the 
subject  of  a  recompense." 

"  But "  exclaimed  the  old  man. 

"  No  buts  about  it.  You  sought  our  house  as  a  refuge  for  safety,  and 
if  you  found  it,  none  can  be  more  satisfied  than  ourselves.  The  first 
night  I  saw  your  gray  hairs  I  thought  of  my  dead  father,  and  I  deter- 
mined to  do  all  that  I  could  for  the  honor  of  his  name.  God  bless  hio 
memory  —  he  was  a  good  man,  and  I  am  certain  that  if  his  spirit  is 
allowed  to  visit  this  earth,  it  would  approve  of  my  conduct." 

"  Then  all  recompense  is  refused  ? "  demanded  our  guest,  after  a 
moment's  silence. 

"  Decidedly  so." 

"  Then  let  me  make  a  proposition  to  this  effect :  My  claim  is  lying 
idle,  and  is  probably  half  full  of  water.  I  feel  that  I  am  not  strong 
enough  to  work  it,  and  will  tend  the  store  until  well,  and  one  or  both 
of  you  can  take  my  mine  and  carry  it  on,  and,  if  you  choose,  divide  tho 


424  .LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

profits  between  us  three.  By  such  a  process  you  will  be  spared  from 
being  under  pecuniary  obligations  to  me,  and  I  shall  feel  as  though  1 
was  in  some  measure,  however  slight,  repaying  the  expense  of  my  board 
and  lodging." 

How  carefully  the  old  gentleman  concealed  the  fact,  that  the  mine 
which  he  owned,  and  had  partially  worked,  was  one  of  the  most  valua- 
ble in  Ballarat.  and  that  if  we  consented  to  the  arrangement  we  should, 
in  all  probability,  make  two  or  three  thousand  pounds  with  but  a  trifling 
amount  of  labor ! 

"  If  you  will  do  as  I  wish,"  Mr.  Critchet  continued,  "  I  shall  feel  as 
though  I  was  not  intruding  upon  your  privacy,  or  upon  your  generosity. 
If  my  offer  is  not  accepted,  then  to-morrow  I  return  to  my  tent,  and 
trouble  you  no  more." 

"But  consider,"  I  said,  "you  have  no  knowledge  of  storekeeping, 
and  will  make  but  a  poor  clerk  for  attending  upon  these  rough  miners." 

"  My  dear  boy,"  our  guest  exclaimed,  "  before  you  were  born,  as  a 
British  merchant,  I  sold  thousands  of  pounds'  worth  of  West  India 
goods ;  and  should  now,  if  I  had  my  rights,  be  in  possession  of  a 
princely  fortune.  Do  not  think  that  I  am  speaking  boastingly,  for  I 
am  humble.  All  pride,  excepting  the  love  of  honesty,  and  a  desire  to 
see  my  family  once  more  in  comfortable  circumstances,  has  left  me ; 
and  now  I  labor  for  love  of  my  children,  at  whatever  business  I  can 
make  the  most  money." 

"  You  have  a  family,  then  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  old  gentleman  nodded ;  and  through  the  tobacco  smoke  I  saw 
that  his  -^yes  grow  moist  at  the  question.  We  sat  silent  for  a  few  min- 
utes, for  we  did  not  wish  to  interrogate  him  in  relation  to  his  family 
affairs,  although  I  must  confess  that  I  felt  something  of  a  Yankee's 
curiosity  in  regard  to  his  position  in  life. 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  keep  from  you  my  story,"  Mr.  Critchet  said, 
"  although  it  may  not  interest  you,  and  is  but  a  repetition  of  trust  and 
wrong  —  of  confidence  and  betrayal.  Such  as  it  is,  however,  I  will  con- 
fide to  you,  and  hope  that  it  may  prevent  you  from  being  shipwrecked 
on  the  same  sea." 

The  old  gentleman  moistened,  his  lips  with  a  drink  of  cold  tea,  and 
began :  — 

"  My  father  was  a  merchant  before  me,  and  dealt  largely  in  West 
India  and  India  goods ;  and,  when  I  was  of  sufficient  age,  I  occupied  a 
stool  in  his  counting  room,  and  learned  the  mysteries  of  buying  low 
and  selling  high,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  his  place  when  he  felt  rich 
enough  to  retire. 

"  When  he  did,  which  was  at  a  ripe  old  age,  I  was  left  in  possession 
of  two  thirds  of  his  property,  it  being  shared  by  my  sister  and  my- 
'  self;  and  when  my  sister  married,  which  she  did  without  my  consent, 
and  almost  before  I  knew  her  husband  by  reputation,  I  paid  over  to  her 
every  penny  that  belonged  to  her,  and  wished  her  God  speed  on  her 
journey  through  life.  We  were  nearly  strangers  to  each  other,  owing 
to  the  death  of  our  mother  during  her  infancy,  when  an  aunt  had  volun- 
teered to  assume  the  control  of  her  education,  and  that  was  one  reason 
why,  perhaps,  my  advice  was  not  listened  to  in  regard  to  the  choice  of  a 
husband. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  425 

"  Well,  time  passed  on,  and  at  length  I  too  married,  and  was  blessed 
'irith  a  daughter,  and  then  1  renewed  my  exertions  for  wealth  for  my 
child's  sake ;  for  then  I  was  a  silly  and  ambitious  man,  and  hoped  that 
I  could  connect  myself  bw  marriage  with  some  peer  or  lord,  or  even  a 
baronet.  That  was  eighteen  years  ago,  my  friends,  and  since  that  period 
I  have  grown  wiser,  and,  as  you  see,  older.  If  I  can  live  to  see  my 
daughter  wedded  to  an  ho^  3st  man  my  ambition  will  be  satisfied." 

I  began  to  reflect  and  ponder  over  those  words.  How  did  I  know 
but  that  I  might  suit  her  fancy !  I  looked  at  Fred,  and  would  have 
sworn  that  he  was  debating  the  same  subject.  I  already  began  to  feel 
jealous ;  for  an  English  girl,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  is  not  to  be  passed 
by  without  a  kind  consideration.  I  wondered  if  she  was  handsome,  but 
supposed  that  she  must  be,  judging  from  the  appearance  of  her  father. 

"  I  rarely  saw  my  sister,"  Mr.  Critchet  continued,  "  after  her  marriage, 
but  I  heard  from  her  frequently  ;  and  seldom  looked  at  the  Morning  Post 
without  seeing  her  name  announced  as  having  been  present  at  a  party 
the  night  before.  I  did  no4  envy  her  her  life  of  dissipation,  for  I  pre- 
ferred to  secure  happiness  in  a  different  course ;  but  still  I  could  not 
help  wondering  how  her  husband  managed  to  support  such  extrava- 
gance. Too  soon  did  I  learn  the  secret ;  for  one  day  he  sought  me  out, 
and  with  a  gloomy  brow,  announced  that  his  purpose  in  visiting  me  was 
to  obtain  money  to  meet  notes  which  were  maturing. 

"  I  did  not  feel  surprised,  and  neither  did  I  question  him  in  regard  to 
his  circumstances.  I  listened  patiently  to  his  expressions  of  regard, 
gave  him  a  check  on  my  bankers  for  two  thousand  pounds,  and  after  he 
left  my  counting  room  I  busied  myself  with  my  accounts,  and  tried  to 
forget  an  unpleasant  impression  that  his  interview  had  left  upon  my 
mind.  A  few  days  after  I  received  a  note  from  my  brother-in-law,  Mr. 
Follet " 

"  Follet  ? "  I  cried,  in  surprise ;  "  then  the  young  man  who  is  still 
held  by  the  commissioner  is  his  son,  and  your  nephew  ?  " 

Mr.  Critchet  gave  a  token  of  assent,  and  continued:  — 

"  In  which  he  requested  a  further  loan  to  meet  some  pressing  engage- 
ments. I  complied  with  the  den  and,  although  I  felt  that  I  was  wrong- 
ing myself  to  do  so.  A  few  weeks  passed,  and  I  was  unmolested ;  but 
one  morning  I  received  a  hurriedly  written  letter  from  my  brother,  and 
I  saw  with  grief  that  it  was  dated  Fleet  Street  Prison,  and  that  he  had 
been  arrested  the  night  before  for  debt,  and  now  called  on  me  in  piteous 
expressions  to  save  his  name  from  disgrace.  I  went  to  see  him,  and 
found  that  his  wife  was  unacquainted  with  his  situation,  and  that  she 
v/as  making  preparations  to  have  a  grand  party  that  night,  at  which  she 
expected  half  the  notables  of  London.  He  pleaded  long  and  earnestly, 
and  at  length  I  paid  the  claim  that  was  brought  against  him,  although 
it  .took  many  thousand  pounds  to  do  so. 

"  Three  days  afterwards  I  was  visited  by  my  sister,  in  company  with 
her  boy,  a  young  man  with  dark  eyes  and  a  sinister  expression  of  coun- 
tenance, that  too  nearly  resembled  his  father's  to  be  pleasing  to  me ; 
although  God  knows  I  have  tried  to  love  the  boy,  and  should  have  ulti- 
mately succeeded  had  he  not  behaved  like  a  barbarian. 

"  My  sister  requested  a  private  interview,  which  I  readily  granted ; 
and  then  with  tears,  and  groans,  and  lamentations,  told  me  thaf  her 

36* 


426  LIFE   TO   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

husband's  fate  rested  in  my  hands,  and  that  if  I  wished  to  kill  her  1 
could  by  pursuing  a  harsh  course.  I  begged  her  to  explain,  but  she 
threw  herself  upon  her  knees  and  vowed  that  she  would  never  rise  un- 
til I  had  promised  to  do  as  she  wished.  I  declined  to  make  a  profes- 
sion that  I  did  not  understand,  and  at  length  I  drew  from  her  that  her 
husband,  the  man  whom  she  had  married  in  opposition  to  my  wishes, 
had  forged  my  name  to  bills  amounting  to  nearly  fifty  thousand  pounds, 
and  that  I  was  expected  to  save  him  from  a  public  death,  or  transporta- 
tion for  life,  to  conceal  the  crime.  I  indignantly  refused,  but  I  did  not 
know  how  hard  a  woman  can  plead.  I  was  promised  my  sister's  prop- 
erty that  was  settled  on  her  at  the  death  of  my  father,  and  she  gave  me 
an  order  to  sell  out  her  stock  in  the  public  funds,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
imbursing me,  although  I  found  that  I  should  suffer  to  the  extent  of 
twenty-five  thousand  pounds  by  the  transaction ;  but  sooner  than  wit- 
ness her  tears  I  consented,  and,  in  consequence,  was  made  almost  a 
beggar." 

The  old  man  brushed  away  a  tear  that  coursed  down  his  rugged 
cheeks,  and  for  a  few  minutes  seemed  lost  in  thought.  At  length  he 
continued :  — 

"  I  assume^  the  forged  notes  and  paid  them  as  they  matured,  but  the 
public  discovered  that  I  had  made  many  sacrifices  in  my  business  to 
meet  the  spurious  paper,  and  then  came  doubts  and  suspicions,  and  at 
last  a  run  upon  my  house,  and  to  save  myself  I  called  upon  my  sister 
for  her  fortune.  God  of  heaven !  how  I  felt  when  I  discovered  that  the 
villain,  her  husband,  had  already  used  her  name,  drawn  her  money  from 
the  funds,  and  had  left  for  some  part  of  the  world  where  we  could  not 
trace  him. 

"  I  sank  beneath  the  blow,  and  when  I  rallied  my  business  was  swept 
away,  and  the  firm  of  Critchet  was  known  only  by  its  debts.  I  strug- 
gled for  a  time  against  the  stream,  but  I  could  not  gain  a  foothold,  and 
at  last  yielded  and  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  resuming  business.  My 
family  was  supported  by  a  small  settlement  of  one  hundred  pounds 
which  had  been  left  to  my  wife  by  an  aunt,  and  by  music  lessons  which 
my  daughter  was  enabled  to  give,  and  thus  we  struggled  along,  until  at 
length  my  sister,  who  could  not  bear  up  under  her  disgrace,  died  and 
left  me  her  child  to  provide  for.  Well,  I  undertook  the  task,  and  when 
I  had  failed  to  resuscitate  my  fortunes  in  England,  I  left  for  Australia 
and  brought  him  with  me." 

"  And  you  have  never  heard  of  his  father  since  ?  "  I  asked. 

"No." 

"  Hullo,  house  —  grocers  —  let  me  in ! "  shouted  a  voice  at  the  door, 
and  a  heavy  kick  was  bestowed  on  the  wall  to  attract  our  attention. 

Mr.  Critchet  started  from  his  seat,  and  then  sank  back  to  the  Hoot 
•with  a  groan. 


-A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  427 

^ 

CHAPTER     LXIII. 

THE  SAME,  CONTINUED. 

"  ARE  you  sick  ? "  we  demanded,  springing  towards  the  prostrate 
man  and  helping  him  to  a  chair. 

"  I  know  not,"  he  replied,  wildly ;  "  but  unless  I  am  dreaming,  I  heard 
a  voice  demanding  admittance  to  the  store.  Do  not  open  the  door,  for 
mercy's  sake.  I  cannot  bear  to  look  upon  his  face  again." 

"  Poor  man,"  muttered  Fred ;  "  his  story  has  affected  him  to  such  a 
.degree  that  his  mind  wanders.  Let  us  put  him  to  bed  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, for  fear  of  a  return  of  the  fever." 

"  You  are  mistaken,  young  men,  if  you  think  that  fever  or  a  diseased 
imagination  has  caused  my  emotion.  See,  I  am  perfectly  calm." 

In  fact,  he  didn't  seem  as  though  afflicted  with  his  late  sickness,  for 
his  flesh  was  cool,  and  his  face  pale,  but  for  all  that  he  trembled  vio- 
lently, and  as  though  attacked  with  the  ague. 

"  I  thought  that  I  recognized  the  voice,"  our  patient  said,  in  a  half 
whisper,  and  in  a  listening  attitude,  "  but  I  may  have  been  mistaken." 

"  Hullo,  within  there  —  open  the  door,  and  sell  me  a  quart  of  the  best 
quality,"  cried  the  rough  voice  on  the  outside,  accompanied  by  another 
violent  shake  of  the  door  that  made  every  thing  jar  again. 

Rover  uttered  a  threatening  howl,  and  pawed  at  the  door  as  though 
desirous  of  inserting  his  teeth  into  the  body  of  the  brawler. 

"  I  was  certain  that  I  could  not  be  mistaken,"  exclaimed  Mr.  Critchet, 
in  a  hoarse  whisper. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Will  you  iet  me  have  the  liquor?  Say  yes  or  no,"  cried  the  impa- 
tient fellow  on  the  outside,  with  an  oath. 

"  I  am  positive  that  that  is  the  voice  of  my  brother-in-law,"  Mr. 
Critchet  said.  "  I  have  not  heard  him  speak  before  for  six  years,  yet 
there  are  some  things  that  I  cannot  forget.  What  shall  I  do  ?  How 
shall  I  act?" 

"  Do  you  wish  to  speak  to  him  ?  "  I  asked ;  "  if  so,  we  will  admit  him, 
and  trust  to  our  arms  for  security.  Not  a  hair  of  your  head  shall  be 
injured,  even  though  you  tell  him  disagreeable  truths." 

"  What  say  you  ?  Are  you  awake  ?  Shall  I  have  the  rum  ?  "  con- 
tinued our  midnight  visitor. 

I  waited  for  the  old  gentleman  to  come  to  some  conclusion,  and 
although  he  was  intensely  agitated  at  the  thought  of  an  interview,  he 
gave  a  token  of  assent. 

"  Call  off  the  dog  and  let  him  come  in,"  said  Fred,  "  and  do  you  keep 
in  the  background  for  the  present,"  addressing  our  guest. 

I  quieted  Hover  with  a  word,  and  then  unbolted  and  unbarred  the 
door  and  threw  it  open,  feeling  some  curiosity  to  see  the  man  who  had 
had  the  audacity  to  commit  extensive  forgeries,  and  yet  escape  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  law,  especially  when  the  criminal  code  of  England  is  so 
rigid  that  rank  or  station  in  life  is  not  respected. 


428  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Well,  sleepy  heads,  have  you  woke  up  ?  "  was  the  impudent  question 
that  first  greeted  me,  and  through  the  door  strode  a  tall,  powerful-built 
man,  with  dark  whiskers  which  covered  his  face  almost  to  his  eyelids, 
and  long,  black  hair  plentifully  sprinkled  with  gray.  He  wore  a  short 
monkey-jacket,  such  as  sailors  are  in  the  habit  of  adopting  as  a  con- 
venient overcoat  for  working  aloft  on  shipboard  —  a  blue  flannel  shirt, 
with  large  collar  turned  over  and  confined  to  his  neck  with  a  black  silk 
handkerchief — a  pair  of  fancy  colored  pants,  somewhat  soiled  and 
worn,  yet  a  little  better  than  the  majority  of  the  miners  were  accustomed 
to  wear  at  Ballarat  —  and  lastly,  the  visitor  had  on  his  head  a  felt  hat 
of  ample  proportions,  such  as  the  stockmen  and  shepherds  of  Australia 
have  adopted  to  protect  their  heads  from  the  noonday  heat,  and  eyes 
from  the  bright  sun,  while  scouring  the  plains  in  search  of  cattle. 

"  You  are  late  in  your  purchases,"  I  remarked,  in  a  conciliatory  tone, 
as  the  stranger  entered. 

"  A  man  with  money,  and  a  desire  to  spend  it,  can  choose  his  own 
time  to  trade,  I  suppose,  can't  he  ?  "  the  black  visitor  asked,  in  a  gruff 
manner ;  and  as  he  moved  his  arm  to  emphasize  his  words,  I  saw  the 
butts  of  two  pistols  protruding  from  his  coat  pockets  —  a  discovery  that 
did  not  alarm  me,  although  I  was  gkd  that  their  possession  was  re- 
vealed. 

"  That  depends  upon  two  things,"  I  replied.     "  First,  whether " 

"  Pshaw !  don't  bother  me  with  your  homilies,"  he  exclaimed,  impa- 
tiently, as  I  closed  the  door  and  turned  the  key. 

"No,  I  won't,  for  you  are  homely  enough  in  all  conscience,"  I 
answered,  pretending  to  think  that  he  referred  to  personal  beauty. 

The  stranger  turned  on  me  like  lightning,  and  his  sinister  eyes  were 
expressive  of  intense  rage,  but  I  pretended  not  to  notice  his  actions. 
Rover,  however,  became  slightly  alarmed  for  my  welfare,  and  placed 
himself  between  us,  and  showed  his  strong  teeth  with  perfect  frank- 
ness. 

"  Call  off  your  dog,"  our  visitor  said,  finding  that  it  was  useless  to 
intimidate,  "  or  I  will  make  short  work  of  him,  and  sell  him  to  the  Chi- 
namen as  a  luxury." 

"  You  would  never  have  another  chance  to  trade  with  the  Celestials," 
I  answered,  carelessly. 

"  Why  ?  "  demanded  the  black  ruffian,  with  a  grim  smile,  as  he  walked 
towards  that  portion  of  the  store  where  Fred  was  sitting,  Mr.  Critchet 
having  entered  his  room. 

"Because,  if  you  harmed  my  dog,  I  should  take  the  liberty  of  shoot- 
ing you  without  a  moment's  delay." 

"  Well,  that  is  a  question  that  two  would  have  to  study  over,"  tho 
stranger  answered,  in  a  more  subdued  tone,  and  with  less  inclination  to 
swagger.  "  I  suppose  that  you  little  think  that  I  carry  these  things 
about  me,  and  that  they  sometimes  bark  when  I  say  the  word,  and  more 
to  the  purpose  than  any  dog  you  ever  owned."  And  he  tapped  the 
butts  of  his  pistols  with  a  confident  air,  but  the  announcement  was  not 
such  as  he  had  anticipated. 

"  We  sometimes  do  a  little  in  that  line  ourselves,"  I  answered,  "  and 
we  take  care  that  the  tools  we  use  shall  be  the  best  that  money  can  ob- 
tain. When  this  speaks  it  means  something." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  429 

i  quietly  drew  from  my  coat  pocket  a  revolver,  and  held  it  before  him, 
:jid  then  as  quietly  returned  it  to  its  resting-place. 

"  I'm  satisfied  with  your  word,"  the  dark-haired  stranger  said,  a  grim 
smile  spreading  over  his  face.  "  When  gentlemen  meet  they  should 
know  how  to  treat  each  other  with  courtesy.  By  your  weapon  I  judge 
that  you  are  an  American." 

"  My  friend  and  myself  both  claim  that  country  as  the  land  of  our 
births,"  I  replied,  pointing  to  Fred,  who  sat  smoking  his  pipe  for  the 
purpose  of  keeping  the  insects,  attracted  by  our  light,  at  a  distance. 

"  O,  I  didn't  see  that  you  had  a  companion,"  the  stranger  exclaimed, 
spying  Fred  for  the  first  time,  which  somehow  rather  disconcerted  him ; 
but  he  quickly  rallied,  and  continued  to  converse  in  a  free  and  easy 
manner,  like  a  man  who  had  seen  much  of  the  world,  and  had  opportu- 
nities of  enjoying  it. 

"  I  am  glad  to  know  that  you  are  Americans,  for  I  have  visited  that 
country,  and  was  kindly  treated  by  those  with  whom  I  came  in  contact. 
A  great  and  fast  country,  as  I  can  bear  witness,  for  while  travelling  in 
the  southern  part  I  suffered  a  railroad  collision  and  a  steamboat  explo- 
sion on  the  same  day,  and  yet  escaped  with  whole  bones.  Were  I  not 
an  Englishman  I  would  be  an  American,  to  use  the  words  of  Alexander, 
altered  to  suit  the  occasion." 

"  May  I  ask  if  you  belong  here  in  Ballarat  ?  "  I  demanded,  with  the 
intention  of  finding  out  what  his  business  and  prospects  were. 

"  To  tell  you  the  truth,  I  am  here  on  what  your  countrymen  call  a 
'bender;'  a  freak  that  assails  me  about  once  in  three  months,  and  after 
it  is  over  I  return  to  my  stock-house  and  think  how  great  a  man  can  be, 
and  yet  how  little." 

"  Then  you  are  a  stockman  ?  "  I  said. 

"  That  is  not  what  I  am  termed,"  he  cried,  with  an  expression  of  pride 
upon  his  dark  face.  "  I  employ  stockmen  to  look  after  my  cattle,  but  I 
am  called  a  proprietor." 

"  I  always  supposed  that  proprietors  preferred  to  live  in  the  large 
cities,  and  trust  their  flocks  and  herds  to  employees,"  Fred  said,  dryly. 

"  What  is  it  to  you  what  I  prefer  ?  "  he  demanded,  turning  on  Fred 
fiercely.  "  Have  I  not  a  right  to  do  as  I  please  as  long  as  I  am  my  own 
master,  and  pay  those  who  work  for  me  ?  " 

"  No  one  denies  it,  I  believe,"  exclaimed  Fred.  "  I  only  made  a  sup- 
position. Some  men  dislike  to  be  seen  in  cities,  while  others  would  go 
mad  if  obliged  to  live  on  the  plains.  I  sometimes  think  that  it  depends 
entirely  upon  the  conscience  which  every  man  is  supposed  to  have 
locked  within  his  breast,  although  my  arguments  are  liable  to  be  refut- 
ed, on  the  ground  that  there  are  some  men  destitute  of  such  an  article." 

"  Death  and  the  devil !  do  you  refer  to  me,  you  babbler  ?  "  shouted 
the  stranger,  his  hands  again  seeking  the  pockets  where  his  pistols  were 
nestling. 

"  Don't  get  enraged  at  a  few  words,"  I  said,  half  soothingly  and  half 
ironically.  "  My  friend  didn't  mean  to  cut  you  with  his  remarks." 

"  We  won't  quarrel  over  an  unmeaning  word,"  he  said.  "  Give  me  a 
quart  of  good  whiskey,  and  I  will  go  back  to  the  tent  where  I  have 
agreed  to  stop  for  the  balance  of  the  night.  I  was  told  that  I  could  get 
Ihe  best  liquor  here  of  any  place  in  Ballarat." 


430  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  Raising  cattle  is  considered  a  profitable  business  in  Australia,"  1 
hinted,  while  pretending  to  be  attending  upon  his  wants. 

"  I  find  it  satisfactory,"  he  returned,  shortly,  as  though  determined 
to  baffle  my  inquiries. 

"  I  have  some  thoughts  of  engaging  in  the  business,"  I  continued, 
"  and  would,  if  I  could  buy  a  tract  of  land  on  the  banks  of  the  Loddon 
or  the  Campaspe.  All  the  pasturing  that  is  desirable  within  sighf  of 
Mount  Macedon  skirt  is  already  sold,  I  suppose." 

"  I  should  think  it  was,"  he  answered,  with  a  grin ;  "  but  I  am  open 
for  an  offer." 

"  How !  do  you  wish  to  sell  ?  "  I  asked,  apparently  in  surprise. 

"  If  I  can  get  my  price,  yes." 

"  How  long  have  you  occupied  your  tract  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"For  four  years,  and  during  that  time  my  flocks  have  increased 
threefold,  and  now  I  count  my  sheep  by  thousands  and  cattle  by  hun- 
dreds." 

"  And  your  range  is  located  on  the  banks  of  the  Loddon  ?  "  I  asked. 
"  How  much  land  have  you  taken  up  ?  " 

"  Five  thousand  acres  of  as  good  pasturage  as  can  be  found  in  the 
country,  well  watered,  and  free  of  bogs  and  quicksands." 

"  Why  do  you  desire  to  sell,  if  the  raising  of  cattle  is  so  pro- 
ductive ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  None  of  your  business.  If  you  wish  to  buy,  say  so,  and  I'm  open 
for  a  trade.  Come  and  see  me  some  day,  and  I'll  talk  with  you  on  the 
matter ;  at  the  present  time  I'm  in  a  hurry." 

"  I  think  that  I  know  a  man  who  will  take  the  station  off  your  hands 
without  delay.  Wait  a  moment  and  I'll  bring  him  to  you." 

I  left  the  cattle  raiser  wondering  at  the  suddenness  of  my  exit,  and 
entered  the  small  room,  where  I  found  Mr.  Critchet  suffering  with  ner- 
vous agitation. 

'  Have  you  heard  all  ?  "  I  asked. 

'  Yes,  all." 

'  And  do  you  think  that  you  recognize  the  voice  ?  " 

'  It  is  Follet,"  he  whispered. 

1  Dare  you  face  him,  and  demand  restitution  for  your  wrongs  ?  "  I 
inquired. 

"  Why  should  I  fear  to  meet  him,  and  strike  terror  into  his  guilty 
heart  ?  Let  me  go  at  once." 

"  Then  roll  the  collar  of  your  coat  over  your  face,  and  slouch  your  hat 
over  your  eyes,  and  keep  them  there  until  I  ask  you  to  remove  them. 
Now  keep  up  a  stout  heart,  and  trust  to  fortune  for  the  result." 

Mr.  Critchet  followed  me  from  the  room  without  another  word.  His 
agitation  seemed  to  have  left  him,  and  he  displayed  all  the  "  pluck " 
which  characterizes  the  representatives  of  Great  Britain,  when  placed 
in  situations  that  require  nerve  and  courage. 

"  Hullo !  is  that  the  man  you  have  selected  to  purchase  my  stock  ?  " 
cried  the  stranger,  with  a  hoarse  laugh  ;  "  why,  a  horseback  ride  of  ten 
miles  before  breakfast  would  finish  him  for  the  day,  and  if  bullocks 
should  get  sight  of  his  thin  form,  they  would  break  into  open  rebellion, 
for  they  know  that  it  requires  a  powerful  arm  to  use  a  stock-whip. 
Take  your  old  granddaddy  back  to  bed,  and  send  me  a  customer  that 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  43v 

can  keep  the  saddle  all  day,  and  sleep  in  a  pond  of  water  all  night,  ii 
need  be." 

"  He  is  not  so  feeble  as  he  looks,"  I  replied,  giving  Fred  a  quiet  sig- 
nal, which  he  understood,  and  therefore  rose  and  sauntered  near  the 
counter,  so  that  he  could  be  in  the  rear  of  the  stockman,  in  case  he  was 
disposed  to  use  violence. 

"  See,"  I  continued,  removing  the  hat  of  Mr.  Critchet,  and  throwing 
back  his  collar,  "  he  does  not  look  so  very  weak,  after  all." 

I  noticed  the  stranger  gave  a  convulsive  start  when  he  saw  that  pale 
face,  so  full  of  mild  reproach ;  I  heard  him  utter  an  exclamation  which 
sounded  like  an  oath,  and  then  he  turned  and  rushed  frantically  towards 
the  door ;  but  before  he  reached  it,  he  was  attacked  by  an  enemy  in  his 
rear  that  he  little  counted  on. 

Hover,  who  had  been  lying  quietly  at  our  feet,  watching  the  move- 
ments of  the  stranger  with  distrust,  yet  apparently  determined  to  give 
the  man  a  fair  hearing  before  he  made  up  his  mind  in  regard  to  his 
character,  uttered  a  yell  when  he  saw  our  visitor  turn  to  fly,  and  before 
he  reached  the  door  the  faithful  dog  had  seized  a  portion  of  his  gar- 
ments on  that  section  of  his  body  where  the  strain  is  supposed  to  be  the 
strongest,  and,  with  defiant  growls,  held  him  fast. 

"  Call  off  your  dog,"  shouted  Follet,  with  an  oath,  "  or  I'll  send  a  ball 
through  his  lean  carcass." 

"  If  you  but  offer  to  lay  your  hand  upon  a  pistol  you  are  a  dead 
man  !  "  exclaimed  Fred  ;  "  remain  quiet,  and  you  are  safe." 

"  Why  should  I  obey  you  ?  "  demanded  Follet,  with  a  sudden  jerk 
of  his  body,  for  the  purpose  of  freeing  himself  from  the  jaws  of  the 
dog,  in  which  he  was  unsuccessful,  for  Rover  took  a  double  grip,  and  I 
think  that  his  teeth  grazed  the  forger's  flesh,  for  he  attempted  to  apply 
his  hands  to  the  spot,  but  was  not  able,  and  therefore  they  once  more 
sought  the  formidable  pistols  which  his  pockets  contained. 

"  Curse  you  and  your  dog !  Do  you  think  I'm  a  bullock,  to  be  thus 
dragged  down,  and  make  no  resistance  ?  " 

He  was  in  the  act  of  cocking  the  pistol  when  a  slight  blow  upon  his 
arm,  near  the  elbow,  with  the  butt  of  a  stock-whip,  made  him  drop 
it  as  suddenly  as  though  his  limb  had  been  paralyzed  from  wrist 
to  shoulder. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  rob  or  to  assassinate  me  ?  "  cried  Follet,  rubbing  his 
arm,  and  looking  dangerous. 

"  Neither,"  we  replied ;  "  but  we  require  you  to  be  patient,  and  to 
make  atonement  for  some  of  the  wrong  that  you  have  done.  This  you 
shall  do,  or  be  lodged  in  a  prison  and  returned  to  England." 

"  Do  you  take  me  for  a  child,  that  I  should  be  thus  lectured  by  boys 
and  a  gray-headed  idiot  ?  You  don't  know  me  yet ! " 

The  desperate  man  suddenly  turned,  while  talking,  and  with  one  of 
his  heavy  boots  kicked  the  hound  upon  his  head ;  but  the  noble  brute 
did  not  even  utter  a  whimper,  although  the  blow  brought  blood  upon 
his  glossy  coat.  But  dearly  did  the  fellow  pay  for  his  cruelty,  for,  as  he 
dashed  towards  the  door,  for  the  purpose  of  escaping,  Rover  sprang 
upon  him,  seized  him  by  his  neck,  and  bore  him  headlong  to  the  floor, 
where  he  held  him,  despite  of  his  struggles  and  cries. 

We  let  them  fight  it  out  without  interference,  but  a  few  minutes  were 


432  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

sufficient  to  produce  cries  for  quarter  frotu  Follet,  although  before  w« 
listened  to  them  we  disarmed  him  of  his  knife  and  remaining  pistol. 

"  Get  up,"  I  said,  addressing  the  prostra' ••-,  man,  "  and  remember  that 
acts  of  cruelty  sometimes  bring  immediate  punishment." 

He  arose,  sullen  and  angry,  yet  not  dariner  to  manifest  it  by  deeds  and 
words.  I  motioned  him  to  a  place  near  tim  stove,  where  Mr.  Critchet 
was  seated,  and  from  whence  he  had  witnessed  all  that  had  transpired, 
without  remark  or  interference. 

"  Why  am  I  treated  in  this  manner  ?  "  demanded  Follet,  hesitating, 
before  he  complied  with  my  request. 

"  Because  we  think  that  it  is  necessary  for  you  to  make  reparation  for 
wrongs  that  you  have  committed  during  a  1;i'etime." 

"  Who  accuses  me  ?  "  he  asked,  after  a  pause. 

"  I  do ! "  said  Mr.  Critchet. 

"  I  never  saw  you  before  in  the  whole  course  of  my  existence ! "  cried 
the  forger,  with  a  degree  of  effrontery  that  was  characteristic  of  the  man. 

"  Do  you  deny  that  you  married  my  si?  :r,  and  that  I  lent  you  mon- 
ey, besides  taking  up  your  forged  paper  to  save  your  neck  from  the 
«ommon  hangman  ?  "  demanded  Critchet,  °arnestly. 

"  I  do,"  replied  the  prisoner,  without  a  moment's  hesitancy ;  "  and  I 
will  also  add,  that  if  you  think  that  I  am  to  be  robbed  with  impunity, 
you  are  mistaken.  What  money  I  have  bout  me  I  shall  hold  on  to ; 
and  when  I  do  gain  my  liberty  look  to  yourselves,  for  there  is  law  to  be 
obtained  in  Ballarat." 

We  consulted  apart  with  Mr.  Critchet,  and  found  that  he  was  posi- 
tive that  the  man  who  had  wronged  him  so  basely  was  in  our  power, 
and  we  had  too  great  confidence  in  the  judgment  of  the  old  gentleman 
to  believe  that  he  would  tell  a  lie,  or  endeavor  to  deceive  us  in  the 
premises. 

"  How  old  was  young  Follet  when  his  father  left  London  ? "  Fred 
asked  of  Mr.  Critchet. 

"  About  sixteen,"  was  the  answer. 

-    "  Then  we  can  settle  this  matter  in  the  morning,  without  trouble,  or 
further  debate." 

"How?" 

"  By  confronting  the  son  with  the  father  " 

We  determined  to  try  the  experiment  at  all  hazards,  and  as  there  was 
no  law  by  which  we  could  be  reached  for  detaining  a  supposed  criminal 
without  a  warrant,  I  suggested  that  a  pair  of  irons  should  be  slipped 
upon  his  wrists,  for  the  purpose  of  insuring  his  security  during  the 
night,  and  that  in  the  morning  we  should  c  nsult  with  Mr.  Brown,  and 
be  governed  by  his  advice. 

My  proposition  was  accepted,  and  the  matter  was  communicated  to 
Follet,  who  swore  many  strange  oaths,  ana  ^ould  have  resisted,  but  he 
found  that  it  was  useless ;  and  to  add  to  his  terror,  Rover  sat  within  a 
few  feet  of  him,  displaying  his  ivories,  and  ready  to  avenge  his  affront 
upon  the  first  symptom  of  hostility. 

The  stranger  at  length  complied  with  o"r  terms,  and  while  we  pro- 
vided a  bed  for  him,  we  did  not  fail  to  intimate  that  Rover  was  to  watch 
by  his  side,  and  give  an  alarm,  in  case  he  meant  mischief  during  the 
night,  of  which  we  were  not  much  afraid. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTUUES.  433 

At  daybreak  we  were  all  astir,  and  ready  for  business.  We  provided 
a  substantial  breakfast  for  our  prisoner,  and  then  I  sought  the  presence 
of  the  inspector,  and  laid  the  whole  matter  before  him. 

He  agreed  with  me  that  it  was  only  right  and  just  that  Follet  should 
make  reparation  for  the  wrongs  that  he  had  inflicted,  but  thought  that 
it  was  hardly  fair  to  make  the  son  betray  the  father. 

After  studying  over  the  matter  some  time,  the  inspector  visited  the 
prison,  and  got  the  young  man  to  give  a  description  of  his  parent,  and 
so  perfect  was  the  likeness  that  there  could  be  no  doubt  of  his  identity. 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  did  we  tell  the  forger  that  he  had  a  son  near 
him,  who  was  held  to  answer  for  an  attempt  at  murder.  The  feelings 
of  the  man  were  obliged  to  yield  before  the  intelligence,  but  how  much 
more  intense  was  his  sorrow,  when  told  that  his  son  had  nearly  mur- 
dered the  very  man  who  had  stepped  forward  to  save  him  from  star- 
vation ! 

"  He  came  honestly  by  the  disposition,  so  don't  blame  your  son,"  said 
Brown,  bluntly.  "  Consider  how  much  injury  you  have  caused  the  old 
gentleman,  and  ask  your  heart  if  there  is  not  an  opportunity  to  make 
some  redress ! " 

"  What  would  you  have  me  do  ?  "  demanded  the  forger,  sullenly. 

"  You  own  a  well-stocked  tract  of  land ;  you  must  give  him  a  deed 
of  it,  and  then  leave  this  part  of  the  country  forever,"  Mr.  Brown  said. 

"  But  then  I  shall  have  to  begin  the  world  without  a  penny,  and  I  am 
growing  old,"  pleaded  the  forger. 

"  So  did  your  victim  ;  and  yet  his  age  is  greater  than  yours.  When 
stripping  him  of  wealth  you  had  no  misgivings,  and  as  you  showed  no 
mercy,  neither  shall  we." 

"  Give  me  time  to  consult  with  my  friends,"  pleaded  Follet ;  but  Mr. 
Brown  was  deaf  to  his  entreaties. 

"  Either  go  with  me  before  the  commissioner,  and  give  a  title  to  your 
property,  or  else  you  go  to  prison  and  wait  the  return  of  a  ship  to  Eng- 
land, where  you  will  be  tried  for  forgery,  and  probably  condemned. 
You  can  take  your  choice  —  a  life  at  the  hulks,  or  freedom  and  poverty." 

"  This  is  a  d— — d  trap ! "  yelled  the  forger,  "  but  I  will  not  be  caught 
so  easily." 

"  As  you  please,"  returned  Mr.  Brown,  carelessly ;  "  I  have  a  greater 
desire  to  see  justice  executed  on  men  of  your  stamp  than  to  attempt 
to  compromise  matters.  Come  with  me." 

He  passed  his  arm  through  Follet's,  and  beckoned  Mike  to  do  like- 
wise ;  but  before  the  trio  had  taken  three  steps  towards  the  door  the 
forger's  heart  began  to  soften. 

"  Am  I  to  be  locked  up  ?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Ay,  in  the  darkest  cell  in  the  prison,"  returned  Mr.  Brown,  firmly. 

"  One  moment ! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  will  you  agree  to  let  me  go  free  if 
I  comply  with  your  request  ?  " 

We  gave  the  required  pledge,  and  in  less  than  three  hours'  time  we 
had  the  satisfaction  of  placing  in  Mr.  Critchet's  hands  a  deed  of  all  the 
property  owned  by  Follet ;  and  although  the  amount  was  not  near  the 
sum  that  the  former  had  expended  to  save  the  latter's  neck,  yet  it  was 
sufficient  to  place  the  old  gentleman  in  affluent  circumstances  for  the 
remainder  01  his  life. 

37 


434  LITE   IN   AUSTI1ALIA,  OB 


CHAPTER    LXIV. 

MR.  BROWN'S  DISCHARGE  FROM  THE  POLICE  FORCE* — BILL  SWIN 
TON'S  CONFESSION. 

MR.  BROWN,  who  had  interested  himself  so  successfully  in  Mr. 
Critchet's  affairs,  to  be  sure  that  Follet  did  not  return  to  his  stock- 
house,  sent  two  men,  old  and  experienced  shepherds,  to  take  charge  of 
the  stock  and  exercise  a  general  supervision  over  the  property  until  Mr. 
Critchet  was  disposed  to  sell  it  for  the  most  that  he  could  get,  and  he 
did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  an  offer ;  for  one  day  the  old  gentleman 
astonished  us  by  imparting  the  information  that  he  had  got  a  letter 
from  a  person  in  Melbourne  who  was  anxious  to  buy,  and  desired  an  in- 
terview immediately.  Our  friend  left  the  same  day  in  the  stage  line, 
but  before  he  went  he  made  us  a  present  of  his  claim,  and  a  munificent 
gift  it  was. 

We  saw  the  old  gentleman  no  more  in  Australia,  but  when  in  Lon- 
don, on  our  way  home,  via  the  overland  route  from  China  and  the  Indies, 
we  had  the  satisfaction  of  once  more  shaking  his  hand,  and  fighting 
our  battles  over.  His  daughter  was  as  handsome  as  she  was  accom- 
plished, and  her  gratitude  towards  us  for  the  kindness  which  we  had 
shown  her  parent  would  undoubtedly  have  caused  her  to  look  with  some 
degree  of  favor  upon  our  suits,  had  we  been  disposed  to  demand  the 
sacrifice.  Fred  was  too  modest,  and  I  lacked  confidence,  and  between 
us  both  we  left  London  without  daring  to  propose  for  the  lady's  hand. 
She  is  still  unmarried,  and  her  father  writes  me  that  she  shows  no  dis- 
position for  matrimony.  If  I  was  not  fearful  of  meeting  with  a  rebuff, 
there  would  be  one  bachelor  less  in  the  world,  or,  as  the  stage  heroea 
say,  I  would  "  perish  in  the  attempt." 

"  I  am  tired  of  this,"  the  inspector  said,  one  day,  entering  the  store, 
and  throwing  his  weary  form  upon  a  mattress.  "  For  nearly  a  week  1 
have  hardly  had  an  opportunity  to  close  my  eyes,  and  my  men  are  in  the 
same  exhausted  condition  as  myself.  I  have  warded  off  the  blows  as 
long  as  possible.  But  now  I  see  no  way  of  escaping  a  collision." 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  Resign  my  position,  and  let  the  commissioner  take  the  responsibility. 
I  have  written  thrice,  asking  to  be  exchanged,  but  at  head-quarters  they 
appear  to  be  deaf  to  my  prayers.  You  may  think  that  it  is  cowardly  to 
thus  attempt  to  escape  my  share  of  the  work,  but  you  have  been  in  too 
many  exciting  frays  not  to  know  me  better,  and  to  feel  that  where  a 
blow  is  to  be  struck  in  a  good  cause  I  am  never  backward." 

We  assured  the  inspector  that  we  never  entertained  a  doubt  of  his 
courage,  and  that  whatever  course  he  decided  on  would  meet  with  our 
approval. 

"  I  cannot  stay  here  and  order  men  to  fire  upon  miners  whom  I  have 
known  for  many  months,  and  whom  I  entertain  a  sincere  regard  for. 
Besides,"  and  here  the  inspector  lowered  his  voice  and  whispered  confi- 
dentially, "  the  miners  are  in  the  right,  and  I  don't  blame  them  for 


A" GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  435 

standing  out  against  a  tax  that  is  levied  upon  all  without  regard  to  the 
amount  of  gold  obtained." 

"  Had  you  not  better  remain  as  long  as  possible,  and  perhaps  delay 
will  enable  the  government  to  see  the  suicidal  course  that  they  are 
attempting.  If  you  leave,  and  Mr.  Sherwin  is  allowed  full  sway,  I  will 
not  answer  for  peace  twenty-four  hours,"  Fred  said. 

"  I  have  already  made  more  sacrifices  to  my  sense  of  dignity  and 
manhood  in  the  vain  attempt  to  keep  Mr.  Sherwin  within  bounds  and 
moderation  than  the  country  will  ever  give  me  credit  for ;  and  yet  I  am 
blamed,  and  accused  of  not  doing  my  duty,  because  I  do  not  fill  the 
prison,  and  load  with  chains  every  person  who  utters  a  word  against  the 
government.  If  I  had  a  sensible  man  to  deal  with  instead  of  the  com- 
missioner, I  think  that  this  storm  would  blow  over,  or  at  least  be  delayed 
for  some  months,  until  advices  could  be  received  from  the  Home  Secre- 
tary. But  as  it  is " 

Mr.  Brown  stopped  talking  suddenly;  and  when  I  looked  up  to 
learn  the  cause,  I  saw,  to  my  surprise,  that  Mr.  Sherwin  had  entered 
the  store  unperceived,  and  had  probably  heard  a  portion  of  the  conver- 
sation. 

There  was  an  embarrassing  silence  for  a  few  moments ;  although  Mr. 
Brown  did  not  look  at  all  frightened  by  the  presence  of  his  superior 
officer.  I  expected  a  scene,  and  I  was  not  disappointed,  for  ill  feeling 
had  long  been  engendered  between  them,  partly  owing  to  the  mining 
tax,  which  Mr.  Sherwin  was  supposed  to  have  induced  government  to 
believe  was  just  and  equitable,  and  partly  owing  to  conciliatory  meas- 
ures instead  of  harsh  ones,  which  Mr.  Brown  had  judged  best  to  adopt 
for  the  purpose  of  keeping  Ballarat  quiet. 

"  I  need  not  suggest,"  said  Mr.  Sherwin,  with  one  of  his  most  sar- 
castic smiles,  "  that  this  store  is  hardly  the  place  to  squander  time  in 
when  so  many  disloyal  men  are  plotting  against  the  government,  and 
when  an  outbreak  is  threatened  every  hour." 

"  You  are,  undoubtedly,  addressing  your  conversation  to  me,"  Mr. 
Brown  exclaimed,  with  a  lazy  yawn,  and  a  good-natured  smile. 

"  I  certainly  am,"  was  the  short  rejoinder,  accompanied  by  a  look  of 
surpi-ise. 

"  And  I  suppose  that  you  think  I  am  not  doing  my  duty,  simply  be- 
cause I  am  resting  my  weary  form  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  asked,  still  maintain- 
ing his  composure. 

"  Your  thoughts  are  perhaps  right  on  that  point.  Time  is  all  that 
we  desire  now  until  the  troops  arrive,  when  we  can  deal  with  these 
foolish  men  as  we  please,  and  as  the  best  interests  of  the  country  de- 
mand." 

"  I  don't  think  that  I  distinctly  understand  you,"  the  inspector  re- 
marked. "  Uo  you  wish  me  to  break  up  the  meetings  which  the  miners 
are  holding,  and  make  arrests  for  every  dissatisfied  word  that  is  ut- 
tered ?  " 

"  Such  a  course  would  meet  my  approbation,  and,  I  think,  the  ap- 
proval of  the  governor  and  his  advisers.  You  may  take  a  different 
view  of  the  matter." 

"  And  if  I  should  venture  to  differ  with  you,  what  then  ?  "  demanded 
Mr.  Brown,  his  cheeks  flushing  slightly. 


436  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  A  resignation  placed  in  my  hands  would  be  instantly  forwarded  t<» 
the  proper  quarter,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  would  be  accepted,"  was 
the  curt  rejoinder. 

"  I  feel  quite  grateful  to  you  for  the  hint,  and  to  show  that  I  can  act 
on  it,  will  lose  no  time  in  drawing  up  such  a  paper." 

Mr.  Brown  walked  quietly  to  our  desk,  helped  himself  to  a  sheet  of 
paper,  wrote  a  few  lines,  signed  his  name  with  a  flourish,  and  handed  the 
document  to  the  commissioner.  The  latter  cast  his  eyes  over  it,  and  a 
grim  smile  mantled  his  dark  face  as  he  did  so. 

"  You  have  done  well,  sir,  and  I  think  that  the  government  will  be 
obliged  to  me  for  thus  bringing  matters  to  a  crisis ;  you  are  no  longer 
a  member  of  the  police  force  at  Ballarat." 

Mr.  Sherwin  turned  to  depart,  but  Mr.  Brown,  still  calm  and  quiet, 
detained  him. 

"  One  word  before  you  go.  You  acknowledge  that  I  am  no  longer 
your  subordinate  officer,  do  you  not  ?  " 

The  commissioner  bowed  stiffly,  but  did  not  deign  to  make  reply. 

"  A  few  minutes  since,"  Mr.  Brown  went  on  to  say,  "  I  was  accused 
of  squandering  time.  I  wish  to  ask  whether  I  was  ever  known  to  squan- 
der money  belonging  to  the  government  ?  " 

Had  Mr.  Brown  fired  a  pistol  at  the  head  of  the  commissioner,  the 
latter  could  not  have  been  more  astonished.  He  stared  upon  his  ques- 
tioner with  a  bewildered  air ;  and  I  could  see  his  swarthy  cheeks  turn 
pale,  as  though  impeachment  stared  him  in  the  face  for  malfeasance 
while  in  office.  I  knew  that  there  were  dark  hints  of  his  corruption, 
and  that  he  had,  in  some  manner  not  known  to  the  public,  made  a  for- 
tune while  he  held  the  office  of  commissioner. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  demanded  Sherwin  at  length ;  and  even  while 
he  spoke  his  voice  was  husky  and  tremulous. 

"  I  asked  a  simple  question,  and  it  requires  some  time  and  considera- 
tion on  your  part  to  make  an  answer,  it  appears.  I  will  repeat  the  ques- 
tion. Did  you  ever  know  me  to  squander  money  belonging  to  the  gov- 
ernment, and  fail  to  give  an  account  of  it  ?  " 

"  Do  you  dare  insinuate  aught  against  me  in  my  official  capacity  ?  " 
cried  the  commissioner,  stepping  towards  his  late  officer  with  a  threat- 
ening brow. 

"  Have  I  said  a  word  that  should  cause  you  to  feel  aggrieved  ?  Do 
my  words  apply  to  you  in  any  way  or  form  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  exclaimed, 
without  flinching  from  the  withering  look  that  was  cast  upon  him. 

"  I  know  what  you  mean ;  and  if  you  dare  to  accuse  me  of  pecula- 
tion while  in  office,  I  will  brand  you  as  a  liar ! " 

The  belligerents  were  not  more  than  five  feet  apart ;  and  I  expected 
to  see  some  brisk  work  for  a  few  minutes,  but  Fred  passed  between 
them,  and  prevented  a  collision  that  seemed  inevitable. 

"  You  have  met  in  the  store,"  said  Fred,  "  on  what  we  call  neutral 
ground,  and  therefore  we  cannot  permit  this  quarrel  to  go  any  farther. 
If  you  have,  unfortunately,  differences  which  must  be  settled,  do  not 
involve  us>  for  remember,  we  are  friends  to  both." 

"  You  speak  wisely,"  Mr.  Sherwin  said,  after  a  moment's  thought, 
during  which  time  he  recovered  his  composure ;  "  I  was  foolish  to  get 
angry  at  any  words  that  might  be  addressed  to  me  by  that  gentleman. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  437 

I  have  known  him  long,  and  suffered  severely  from  his  vindictive  tem- 
per.    His  claws  are  now  cut,  and  he  is  powerless." 

"  But  I  have  a  tongue,  and  know  how  to  use  it  like  an  Englishman  !" 
cried  Mr.  Brown,  proudly ;  "  you  may  triumph  now,  but  I  warn  you 
that  before  many  days,  you  will  be  stripped  of  your  title  and  honors, 
and  inquiries  instituted  which  will  bring  to  light  many  secrets  that  you 
little  dream  of.  I  have  watched  your  course  in  Ballarat,  and  the  report 
I  shall  have  to  make  is  not  a  creditable  one,  believe  me." 

"  I  cannot  prevent  people  from  playing  the  spy  upon  my  actions,  and 
neither  do  I  wish  to.  I  am  honest  in  my  deeds,  and  care  not  who  knows 
them ;  and  if  I  am  to  be  injured,  it  must  be  by  some  person  who  is 
ready  to  perjure  his  soul  for  the  sake  of  revenge." 

I  thought  that  Mr.  Brown  would  rush  upon  his  opponent,  and  strike 
him  to  the  floor,  he  looked  so  indignant.  His  small  form  swelled  with 
ill-concealed  rage  at  the  accusation ;  but  before  an  outbreak  took  place, 
I  placed  my  hand  upon  his  shoulder,  and  led  him  into  the  private  room, 
and  during  his  absence,  Mr.  Sherwin  hurried  off. 

"  The  mean,  cowardly  wretch ! "  exclaimed  Mr.  Brown,  grinding  his 
teeth  with  suppressed  rage ;  "  to  think  that  the  very  man  whose  pecu- 
lations and  stealings  I  have  helped  to  cover  up,  for  fear  that  disgrace 
should  be  brought  upon  the  police  department,  now  dares  to  place  me 
upon  a  level  with  a  spy,  and  to  proclaim  that  the  government  will  feel 
rejoiced  at  my  loss,  is  sufficient  to  test  the  fortitude  of  a  Christian. 

D him,  —  I  would  shoot  him,  if  that  would  not  deprive  me  of  the 

satisfaction  of  seeing  him  disgraced." 

We  did  not  interrupt  his  ravings,  and  at  length  he  cooled  down,  and 
smiled  at  his  past  folly. 

"  I  am  glad  that  I  am  now  out  of  the  force,"  he  continued,  "  because, 
as  I  have  always  contended,  there  will  be  no  honor  gained  when  blows 
are  struck,  and  much  condemnation  will  follow.  Government  will  shuf- 
fle the  blame  upon  some  poor  devil  of  an  employe,  and  contend  that 
instructions  were  exceeded.  Many  letters  will  be  written  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  a  rigid  investigation  held  —  pounds  of  printers'  ink  will  be 
shed,  and  the  newspapers'  will  be  lively  with  discussions,  and  in  the  end 
the  miners  will  triumph,  and  the  tax  will  be  abolished." 

"  And  what  do  you  intend  doing  ?  stay  here  in  Ballarat,  or  go  to  Mel- 
bourne ?  "  demanded  Fred. 

"  I  have  hardly  made  up  my  mind.  I  shall  write  to  the  captain  of 
police  a  true  statement  of  my  situation,  and  the  manner  in  which  I  was 
endeavoring  to  conduct  affairs  to  avoid  an  eruption ;  and  although  I  am 
not  very  desirous  of  the  office,  yet  I  will  lay  a  wager  that  I  am  rein- 
stated in  some  other  locality,  and  that  I  take  a  higher  rank  in  my  pro- 
fession." 

The  prognostication  was  correct ;  for  Mr.  Brown  was  removed  from 
the  Ballarat  district,  and  did  duty  for  many  months  in  Melbourne  as  a 
lieutenant,  and  ranked  next  after  Murden. 

Just  then  a  few. customers  entered  the  store,  and  we  hastened  to  attend 
upon  them,  and  after  their  wants  were  supplied,  and  the  place  cleared 
of  eavesdroppers,  Mr.  Brown  drew  his  chair  up  to  ours,  and  asked, — 

"  Which  of  you  would  like  to  accompany  me  on  a  short  journey,  and 
be  absent  for  a  week  or  two,  eh  ?  " 

37  » 


438  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  We  have  not  time  to  spare  for  that,"  I  said. 

"  But  one  of  you  can  go  as  well  as  not ;  that  fellow,  Barney,  whom  1 
see  hanging  around  here,  waiting  for  Smith,  can  be  made  to  assist  the 
one  who  remains  in  the  store." 

"  Where  do  you  propose  going  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  hitching  his  chair  still  nearer, 
and  dropping  his  voice  to  a  whisper;  "I  am  going  to  make  search  for 
a  buried  treasure ! " 

We  started,  and  pricked  up  our  ears.  Here  was  something  worth 
listening  to. 

"  Do  you  think  that  one  of  you  can  go  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  continued,  with 
a  sly  wink. 

"  Well,  you  have  altered  our  minds  slightly,  already ;  but  to  have  our 
free  consent,  state  the  case  frankly." 

"  I  will.  You  remember  when  we  made  an  excursion  into  the  coun- 
try some  three  months  since,  that  we  had  a  brush  with  a  party  of 
bushrangers,  and  that  we  captured  a  number,  and  among  them  Bill 
Swinton,  the  leader  ?  " 

We  nodded.  We  began  to  comprehend  him.  Mr.  Brown  continued, 
after  first  glancing  around  the  room  to  see  that  no  one  was  listening 
save  ourselves, — 

"  You  will  also  recollect,  if  you  tax  your  mind,  that  I  endeavored  to 

Set  Bill  to  make  some  revelations  concerning  a  quantity  of  dust  which 
e  helped  rob  a  guard  of  many  months  since." 

We  remembered  the  circumstance,  and  also  the  furious  manner  in 
which  Bill  had  refused  to  divulge  his  knowledge  of  the  transaction. 

"  I  told  him  then  that  I  should  learn  in  what  part  of  the  country  he 
had  buried  his  share  of  the  treasure,  but  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  I  was 
laughed  at  and  defied." 

We  confirmed  Mr.  Brown's  words  in  that  respect. 

"  Well,"  continued  the  ex-officer,  "  poor  Bill  has  taken  leave  of  this 
world,  and  I  hope  has  gone  to  a  better  one.  He  was  hardly  suited  for 
this  bustling  sphere,  and  I  think  his  cares  were  too  much  for  him." 

"  When  did  he  die  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Last  night." 

"  Did  he  make  a  confession  ?  who  was  with  him  when  he  died  ?  "  we 
asked,  eagerly. 

"  Softly  5  you  would  hardly  have  required  me  to  bother  the  poor  fel- 
low with  questions,  when  his  breath  was  scant,  and  his  thoughts  were 
on  things  not  of  this  earth.  I  was  with  him,  but  he  spoke  not,  except- 
ing to  utter  the  words,  — 

" '  I  am  going  —  remember  the  shadow  ' ' " 

'•  T»  what  did  he  refer  ?  " 

"  That  is  precisely  what  the  watcher,  who  was  with  Bill  when  he 
breathed  his  last,  wanted  to  know." 

"  He  was  probably  wandering  in  his  mind,  and  knew  not  what  he 
said," 

"  I  think  that  he  was  sensible  of  what  was  going  on  around  him,  and 
uttered  the  expression  to  convince  me  of  his  sincerity." 

"  Make  us  your  confidant,  and  we  will  endeavor  to  think  as  you  do." 

"  I  will  i  because  in  the  first  place  I  owe  my  life  to  your  devotion  on 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  439 

that  day,  and  therefore  you  shall  share  in  all  the  benefits  that  are  likely 
to  arise  from  Bill's  death  ;  and  in  the  second  place  it  is  necessary  for 
me  to  have  a  companion  to  prosecute  my  searches  for  the  treasure." 

"  Then  the  bushranger  revealed  the  secret  ?  "  we  eagerly  asked. 

"  Listen,  and  you  shall  judge.  When  we  had  Bill  in  custody  that 
day,  I  thought  from  his  boastful  style  of  talking,  that  he  had  money 
buried  somewhere,  and  I  determined  to  obtain  it  if  possible,  for  I  rea- 
soned that  gold  would  do  me  much  more  good  than  the  cold  earth. 

"  With  this  idea  I  visited  Bill  frequently  while  in  prison,  and  each 
time  gave  him  some  little  luxury,  that  the  rules  of  the  institution  pre- 
vented his  getting,  unless  money  was  plenty,  and  the  fellow  was  desti- 
tute. I  put  off  his  trial  on  one  pretext  and  another,  and  always  gave 
orders  in  his  hearing,  that  he  should  be  treated  kindly,  and  have  as 
much  freedom  as  the  place  afforded. 

"  At  first  my  interviews  with  him  were  like  attempting  to  tame  an 
enraged  bull,  and  all  my  advances  were  rejected.  Other  men  might 
have  got  disgusted,  but  not  so  with  me.  I  persevered,  and  gradually 
softened  his  rugged  nature,  but  it  was  like  water  wearing  away  stone. 
At  length  I  perceived  that  confinement  was  telling  on  the  prisoner,  and 
then  I  hinted  how  much  better  it  would  be  for  my  welfare  if  I  was  rich 
and  independent  of  the  police  force ;  and  although  at  first  my  insinua- 
tions were  rejected  with  scorn,  yet  time  and  an  even  temper  effected  my 
purpose ;  and  one  day  after  Bill  had  had  a  bad  attack  of  fainting  fits 
and  convulsions,  he  told  me  his  whole  history,  and  ended  with  a  confes- 
sion that  the  dust  which  he  had  stolen,  was  buried,  with  other  treasure, 
near  the  banks  of  the  Lodden,  within  sight  of  Mount  Tarrengower. 
That  there  was  only  one  way  to  reach  it,  for  quicksands  surrounded 
the  spot  where  the  money  was  hid,  and  that  I  could  find  it  by  searching 
precisely  at  the  hour  of  twelve  o'clock  in  the  evening,  when  the  moon  was 
full,  for  then  Mount  Tarrengower  threw  a  shadow  upon  the  edge  of  the 
spot,  and  no  mistake  could  occur.  In  fact,  he  gave  me  such  explicit 
directions,  that  I  do  not  fear  failure." 


CHAPTER    LXV. 

THE  EXPEDITION  AFTER  BILL  SWINTON'S  BURIED  TREASURES. 

"  AND  you  think  that  Bill  was  not  deceiving  you  ?  "  Fred  asked,  after 
a  moment's  consideration. 

"  If  you  could  have  seen  his  death  bed  —7  how  pleasantly  and  cheer- 
fblly  he  left  this  world  for  the  next,  and  how  comfortable  he  was  with 
new  pipes  and  an  unlimited  supply  of  tobacco,  and  two  hard  candles, 
got  at  my  own  expense,  you  would  not  have  thought  that  the  fellow  was 
endeavoring  to  deceive  me.  Besides,  he  died  so  much  like  a  Christian, 
forgiving  every  one,  and  entertaining  no  malice,  that  I  can  hardly  be- 
lieve he  would  have  been  guilty  of  such  rascally  hypocrisy." 


440  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  How  do  you  know  that  Bill  did  not  impart  his  secret  to  others  ?  "  1 
asked. 

"  Simply  because  I  gave  orders  that  no  conversation  was  to  be  held 
with  him  ;  and  to  see  that  my  orders  were  carried  out,  I  sat  up  with  him 
on  the  night  that  he  died.  Almost  with  his  last  breath  he  told  me  to 
'  remember  the  shadow.'  I  feel  so  confident  that  he  told  me  the  true 
spot  where  the  money  is  buried,  that  I  would  not  take  one  thousand 
pounds  .for  my  share." 

We  thought  the  matter  over,  and  considered  the  subject  in  all  its 
bearings.  If  Bill  had  spoken  the  truth,  there  was  a  chance  for  us  to 
increase  our  funds  with  but  little  labor,  and  none  in  Ballarat  would  be 
the  wiser  for  it.  If  the  information  was  false,  the  only  thing  lost  would 
be  a  week  or  two's  absence  from  business,  which,  in  the  present  excit- 
ing times,  we  hardly  dared  to  spare.  After  a  long  talk,  however,  and 
upon  Mr.  Brown's  assertion  that  there  was  no  danger  of  an  outbreak, 
for  at  least  two  weeks,  I  concluded  that  I  would  leave  Fred  in  charge 
of  the  store,  and  undertake  the  expedition,  in  company  with  the  ex- 
inspector. 

Barney,  who  was  with  us,  waiting  impatiently  for  the  arrival  of 
Smith,  readily  consented  to  assist  Fred  to  the  extent  of  his  ability  dur- 
ing my  absence ;  and  without  further  ceremony  we  bound  the  agreement 
with  Mr.  Brown,  that  we  would  share  equal  with  him,  in  whatever  ex- 
penses were  incurred,  or  whatever  was  found. 

"  We  must  start  to-morrow  morning,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  after  all  the 
preliminary  arrangements  were  concluded,  "  because  the  moon  fulls  the 
day  after  to-morrow,  and  we  shall  want  to  be  on  the  spot  to  make  an 
examination  by  daylight.  How  soon  can  we  be  ready  ?  " 

"  To-morrow,  as  early  as  you  desire,"  I  replied. 

"  Good ;  we  shall  then  lose  no  time.  It  will  be  necessary  for  us  to  go 
well  armed  and  well  mounted,  you  know,  for  the  distance  is  long,  and 
the  road  dangerous.  Besides,  we  shall  require  a  pack  mule  or  horse  to 
carry  a  few  tools,  and  provisions  enough  to  last  us  for  a  week." 

That  part  of  the  business  was  quickly  arranged.  Mr.  Brown  owned 
a  large  gray  horse  which  he  had  always  rode  while  at  Ballarat,  and  we 
had  three  good  animals  standing  idle.  I  proposed  to  borrow  a  pack 
saddle,  and  make  the  poorest  animal  do  packing  service,  while  I 
mounted  the  other.  The  idea  was  adopted,  and  before  night  we  had 
our  provisions  all  prepared,  our  blankets  ready  for  strapping,  and  a 
pickaxe  and  shovel  selected,  in  case  we  should  have  to  stir  the  earth 
with  an  extensive  search  for  the  hidden  treasure. 

In  the  course  of  the  day,  the  ex-inspector,  after  bidding  his  associates 
farewell,  and  telling  them  that  he  intended  to  visit  Melbourne  on  busi- 
ness connected  with  his  resignation,  moved  all  his  traps  to  the  store  for 
safe  keeping  during  his  absence,  and  when  evening  drew  on,  we  lighted 
our  pipes,  and  in  subdued  tones  spoke  of  the  prospect  of  finding  enough 
gold  to  pay  us  for  our  journey. 

The  next  morning  we  were  up  before  daylight,  preparing  breakfast 
and  attending  to  the  horses,  and  before  the  sun  was  ready  to  show  his 
face,  we  were  in  the  saddle,  and  on  our  way  to  the  banks  of  the  Lod- 
den,  driving  the  pack  horse  before  us  at  an  easy  canter,  and  enjoying 
all  the  beauties  of  the  morning. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  441 

We  avoided  the  road  which  led  to  Melbourne,  and  upon  which  some 
forty  or  fifty  poor  devils  were  working  out  their  mining  tax,  and  by  a 
cut  across  the  country,  in  the  direction  of  Mount  Tarrengower,  were 
enabled  to  save  some  few  miles  of  travel,  as  well  as  to  avoid  answering 
questions  from  those  whom  we  met  on  the  road.  The  latter  is  no  slight 
labor,  as  every  person  on  a  journey  to  the  mines  is  desirous  of  asking 
the  latest  news,  and  whether  the  gold  is  as  abundant  as  ever. 

By  ten  o'clock  we  found  that  our  animals  began  to  suffer  from  the 
heat,  and  as  our  appetites  were  pretty  well  sharpened,  we  called  a  halt 
beneath  the  shadow  of  some  gum  trees,  relieved  our  horses  of  their 
saddles,  and  wet  their  mouths  with  water,  and  after  a  hearty  lunch, 
leaned  back  and  smoked  our  pipes  with  delicious  contentment,  and 
•without  a  thought  of  danger. 

We  were  soon  unconscious  of  every  thing  around  us,  and  did  not 
awake  until  past  four  o'clock,  when  we  once  more  resumed  our  journey, 
and  by  sundown  we  had  gained  a  small  brook  within  a  few  miles  of 
Mount  Alexander.  Here  we  proposed  to  pass  the  night,  and  after  wa- 
tering the  animals,  and  stalling  them  in  a  good  piece  of  fresh  grass,  we 
began  to  make  provision  for  rest.  We  had  no  desire  to  kindle  a  fire, 
for  the  country  in  which  we  were  travelling  was  not  entirely  safe,  and  a 
light  would  have  only  attracted  attention,  which  we  were  desirous  of 
avoiding. 

"  For  once,"  said  Mr.  Brown,  as  he  arranged  his  saddle  for  a  pillow, 
"  I  feel  as  though  I  should  rather  regret  meeting  with  bushrangers,  for 
I  have  every  thing  to  lose,  and  no  honor  to  gain  by  a  contest.  If, 
therefore,  the  gentlemen  of  the  bush  will  only  avoid  us,  I  shall  feel 
thankful." 

"  Do  you  know  this  part  of  the  country  to  be  frequented  by  bushran- 
gers ?  "  I  asked,  examining  my  revolver  for  the  first  time  since  we  had 
left  Ballarat. 

"  I  don't  vouch  for  their  presence,  but  here  is  water,  and  there  is 
food,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  pointing  away  to  our  right ;  "  the  scamps  are 
always  sure  to  be  located  where  these  two  essentials  are  to  be  found,  and, 
as  a  general  thing,  they  show  good  taste  in  the  selection  of  their  retreats, 
and  when  idle,  feed  upon  the  choicest  parts  of  sheep  or  lamb." 

"Is  there  a  sheep  station  near?"  I  asked,  not  being  aware  of  it 
before. 

"  Within  two  miles  of  us,  I  should  judge.  It  was  formerly  called 
Hawswood,  in  honor  of  the  proprietor ;  but  after  the  gold  fever  broke 
out,  he  sold  it  to  a  man  whose  name  was  Buckerly,  a  fine-looking  fellow, 
and  bold  as  a  lion.  I  made  his  acquaintance  when  he  first  landed  at 
Melbourne,  accompanied  by  a  wife  and  children,  and  advised  him  ta 
trade  at  the  mines  and  acquire  a  fortune ;  but  he  was  a  large-feeling  peR 
son,  and  had  occupied  a  good  position  in  England,  and  I  suppose  that 
he  considered  all  kinds  of  trafficking  plebeian,  and  beneath  his  dignity. 

"  Buckerly  thought  of  entering  a  banking  house  in  the  city,  but  un- 
luckily altered  his  mind  and  concluded  to  raise  stock.  He  met  with 
Hawswood,  got  an  exalted  idea  of  the  profits,  and  without  asking  advice, 
paid  five  thousand  pounds  for  the  place  and  all  that  was  on  it.  I  had 
serious  doubts  of  the  success  of  his  project,  especially  when  he  told  me 
that  he  should  move  his  family  to  the  stock-house  immediately,  and  su- 


442  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

perintend  his  estate.  The  poor  fellow  thought  that  it  was  fitted  and 
furnished  like  a  suburban  villa,  and  his  wife,  one  of  the  prettiest  and 
most  affable  women  that  ever  landed  in  Australia,  looked  forward,  with 
many  expressions  of  pleasure,  to  the  delightful  country  residence  that 
she  was  to  occupy  with  her  husband  and  children." 

Mr.  Brown  stopped,  and  appeared  to  be  in  a  reflective  mood,  while  I, 
who  had  been  dozing,  waked  up,  and  requested  him  to  finish. 

"  I  never  saw  them  afterwards,  at  least  alive,  but  I  often  heard,  by 
the  shepherds  in  Buckerly's  employ,  that  the  bushrangers  and  he  were 
at  war,  and  that  the  result  could  be  easily  foretold.  It  seemed  that  the 
former  were  in  the  habit  of  taking  a  sheep  or  lamb,  according  to  their 
fancy,  whenever  hunger  dictated,  and  as  they  had  always  done ;  but 
Buckerly  determined,  very  foolishly,  to  stop  so  unlawful  a  course,  for- 
getting that  he  had  every  thing  to  lose,  and  the  bushrangers  nothing  to 
gain.  He  was  not  strong  enough  to  cope  with  them,  and  should  have 
bided  his  time ;  but  he  was  hot-headed  and  rash,  and  at  length  was  un- 
fortunate enough  to  kill  a  fellow  who  had  slaughtered  a  sheep.  From 
that  day  he  was  a  doomed  man,  and  not  only  brought  destruction  upon 
himself,  but  upon  his  family,  for  one  night  his  house  was  attacked,  and 
although  he  made  a  brave  resistance,  yet  what  could  one  man  do  against 
a  dozen  ?  He  fell  with  countless  stabs  upon  his  body,  and  then  the 
devils,  the  fiends  incarnate,  seized  the  poor  woman  and  ravished  her  one 
by  one.  Luckily,  she  did  not  live  to  mourn  her  shame,  but  died  the 
same  night.  The  children  were  unmolested,  and  are  now  in  Melbourne 
under  proper  guardianship,  and  derive  their  support  from  the  same  sta- 
tion, which  is  carried  on  by  a  shepherd  who  has  been  there  for  many 
years. 

"  Word  was  sent  to  me  the  day  after  the  transaction,  and  I  made  an 
investigation,  but  the  perpetrators  of  the  outrage  were  never  discov- 
ered. There  is  a  tradition,  however,  and  many  shepherds  in  this  dis- 
trict believe  it,  that  on  certain  nights  the  ghost  of  Buckerly  is  seen 
wandering  on  the  banks  of  the  Loddon,  with  a  winding-sheet  covered 
with  blood,  and  that  those  who  look  upon  the  apparition  are  sure  to  be 
overtaken  by  misfortune  of  some  sort. 

"  I  don't  put  much  faith  in  the  story,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  edging  towards  . 
me,  for  the  night  was  beginning  to  grow  quite  dark,  "  but  still  I  must 
confess  to  a  feeling  of  superstition  at  times,  and  why  should  we  not  ?  " 

Not  knowing  why  we  should  not,  I  merely  said,  "  Ah,  indeed,  why 
not  ?  "  and  as  the  latter  part  of  the  story  had  awakened  me  as  thor- 
oughly as  the  first  portion  had  set  me  to  sleep,  I  refilled  my  pipe,  lighted 
it,  and  endeavored,  by  puffing  forth  volumes  of  smoke,  to  compose  my 
mind,  and  banish  all  recollections  of  ghosts  and  murders.  The  effort 
was  futile,  for  Mr.  Brown  liked  to  discuss  such  matters. 

"  What  is  to  prevent  Buckerly  and  his  wife  from  visiting  this  world, 
and  wandering  around  the  scene  of  their  death  ?  " 

I  hazarded  a  guess,  and  thought  that  want  of  breath,  and  a  difficulty 
that  they  would  experience  in  getting  out  of  their  graves  without 
assistance,  would  prevent  all  such  attempts. 

"  You  know  that  their  spirits  live,  and  if  that  is  the  case,  why  can't 
they  enter  the  body  and  walk  about  the  earth  without  difficulty  ?  " 

Never  having  studied  the  subject,  I  could  not  enlighten  Mr.  Brown 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  443 

«s  well  as  I  should  have  desired  to ;  but  he  apparently  was  more  busy 
with  his  own  thoughts  than  my  answers,  and  continued,  — 

"  If  Buckerly  should  make  his  appearance  before  us  while  we  were 
digging  for  gold,  how  would  we  treat  him  ?  " 

"  By  giving  him  a  drink  from  our  private  bottles,"  I  answered, 
promptly. 

"  If  he  should  speak  to  us,  would  it  be  well  to  answer  him  ?  I  have 
read  that  if  you  exchange  a  word  with  a  ghost,  the  unfortunate  can  be 
dragged  off  without  the  power  to  struggle." 

"  What  splendid  assistants  they  would  make  for  private  lunatic  asy- 
lums. Patients  could  be  carried  off  without  trouble,  and  without 
attracting  attention.  I  shall  think  of  the  matter  again." 

"Don't  speak  lightly  of  such  serious  matters,"  cried  Mr.  Brown, 
with  more  solemnity  than  I  ever  gave  him  credit  for.  "  There  are  many 
things  in  this  world  that  we  cannot  account  for,  and  yet  it  -is  out  of 
place  to  jest  about  them." 

In  fact,  we  were  not  in  a  favorable  place  to  talk  about  ghosts  and 
goblins,  for  the  trees  under  which  we  were  lying  screened  the  light  of 
the  stars,  and  prevented  us  from  seeing  each  other.  Add  to  this  the 
night  wind  wailing  through  the  branches  of  the  gum  trees,  and  the  pro- 
found silence  that  reigned  around,  interrupted  only  by  the  movements 
of  the  horses,  or  by  the  quiet  gliding  of  a  snake,  which  had  been  to  the 
brook  to  quench  its  thirst,  and  barely  ruffled  a  dead  leaf  in  its  course 
in  search  of  companions.  Taking  all  these  things  into  consideration, 
I'll  confess  that  I  have  passed  many  nights  much  more  pleasant  and 
satisfactory. 

"  Far  be  it  from  me  to  joke  on  matters  of  such  grave  import,"  I  said. 
"  I  have  no  desire  to  incur  the  ill  will  of  any  respectable  ghost,  and,  to 
tell  you  the  truth,  I  don't  think  that  one  with  any  pretensions  to  piety 
would  want  to  intrude  his  unwelcome  presence  upon  us.  There  are 

Seople  enough  in  the  world  who  rather  court  such  things,  but  I,  for  one, 
o  not." 

I  started  up,  as  I  finished  speaking,  and  clapped  my  hands  upon  the 
leg  of  my  trousers,  for  I  felt  something  squirming  next  to  the  skin  that 
did  not  make  me  rest  as  though  upon  a  bed  of  roses. 

"  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Brown ;  "  you  don't  see  any 
thing,  do  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  replied,  with  all  the  composure  possible,  "  I  don't  see  any 
thing  as  yet  —  I  wish  that  I  could.  But  it  strikes  me  that  a  snake  has 
run  up  my  trousers  leg,  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  is  wiggling  to  get 
out  the  wrong  way." 

"  Crush  him,  and  then  we  will  hereafter  further  discuss  the  subject  of 
ghosts,"  returned  Mr.  Brown,  with  admirable  coolness. 

"  Ghosts  be  hanged ! "  I  cried,  and  I  have  a  faint  recollection  of  adding 
an  oath.  "  They  don't  trouble  me  half  as  much  as  the  feelings  of  this 
varmint,  whom  I  have  secured  by  his  head  or  tail,  I  don't  know 
which." 

"  Shake  yourself,  and  let  him  slide,"  my  Mend  advised ;  but  I  pre- 
ferred to  hold  on  and  trust  to  chance,  and  find  out  whether  the  reptile 
was  of  the  poisonous  species,  or  the  common  green  kind. 

"  Excuse  me,  but  if  you  will  light  a  match  and  a  few  leaves,  and  then 


444  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

insert  your  hand  up  one  of  my  trousers  legs,  I  think  that  we  can  con- 
quer the  reptile." 

"  The  position  which  you  assign  me  is  none  of  the  most  pleasant,  my 
friend,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  "for  I  don't  know  what  part  of  the  reptile  is 
in  your  hand,  and  what  kind  of  an  animal  you  are  struggling  with.  I 
will  comply  with  your  request,  though,  if  I  lose  my  life  iu  accomplish- 
ing it." 

He  hastily  collected  a  few  leaves,  struck  a  match  and  set  fire  to  them. 
The  flames  gave  sufficient  light  for  the  purpose,  and  in  less  than  a  min- 
ute's time  Mr.  Brown  was  ready  to  work. 

"  Steady  with  your  hand,"  he  said,  as  he  passed  his  arm  up  my  trou- 
sers leg  in  search  of  the  squirming  reptile.  "  In  less  than  ten  seconds 
we  shall  be  either  laughing  or  crying." 

The  snake,  as  though  aware  that  its  time  was  near,  made  a  desperate 
attempt  to  escape,  but  I  held  fast,  although  I  confess  that  the  effort  cost 
me  more  mental  resolution  than  I  ever  exercised  before,  for  the  position 
in  which  I  was  situated  was  no  envious  one.  I  felt  the  cold  perspiration 
streaming  down  my  face  in  large  drops,  and  my  heart  beat  as  though  it 
was  attempting  to  force  its  way  through  my  side,  and  go  into  business 
on  its  own  account,  independent  of  the  body. 

"  For  God's  sake,  be  quick,"  I  cried,  fearing  that  I  should  faint  be- 
fore my  friend  accomplished  his  object. 

"  Patience,  patience  —  don't  get  into  a  rage,  for  it  will  not  help  us. 
If  the  snake  is  of  the  poisonous  species,  a  few  seconds  will  not  make 
much  difference ;  and  if  the  reptile  is  harmless,  were  it  not  for  the  feel- 
ing of  the  thing,  it  might  as  well  lodge  in  your  trousers  as  in  any  other 
part  of  our  camp  equipage.  Don't  jerk  so  —  the  thing  has  nerves  as 
well  as  yourself." 

Much  more  did  Mr.  Brown  say,  but  I  was  in  no  humor  to  talk,  or 
even  to  listen ;  and  yet  I  can  now  frankly  confess  that  if  he  had  not; 
made  light  of  my  misfortune  I  should  have  suffered  ten  times  the 
amount  of  mental  agony  that  I  did.  His  jesting  style  of  treating  the 
affair  was  alone  sufficient  to  make  me  keep  up  my  spirits,  and  imagine 
the  matter  as  one  of  less  consequence  than  it  really  was. 

"  Now,  then,  are  you  ready  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Brown,  and  I  felt  the  snake 
suddenly  cease  its  gyrations  and  strain  to  effect  its  escape,  but  I  held  on 
with  a  hand  of  iron. 

"  When  I  say  three,  do  you  let  go  suddenly,"  my  friend  exclaimed. 

I  was  only  too  willing. 

"  One." 

"  Two." 

It  seemed  an  age  between  the  monosyllables,  yet  I  held  on  patiently. 

"  Three." 

I  released  my  hold,  and  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  quick  movement  of  his 
hand,  dashed  the  reptile  to  the  ground,  and  stamped  upon  it  with  his 
heavy  boots. 

"  Now  let  us  see  what  species  it  is,"  he  said,  kicking  it  towards  the 
fire.  A  moment's  examination,  and  a  hearty  laugh  set  my  fears  at  rest. 

"  You  might  have  slept  with  a  dozen  beneath  you,  and  no  harm  would 
have  happened.  It  is  nothing  but  a  green  snake,  and  a  small  one  at 
that." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  445 

I  could  hardly  believe  the  welcome  news,  and  a  personal  inspection 
was  necessary  to  convince  me  of  the  fact,  and  then  a  strong  drink  from 
my  flask  was  needful  to  compose  my  nerves,  and  render  me  a  fit  subject 
for  sleep. 

"  Let  me  give  you  a  word  of  advice,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  joining  me  in 
the  drink  with  wonderful  alacrity.  "  Never  again  camp  out  without 
seeing  that  the  bottoms  of  your  trousers  are  shoved  tight  into  the  tops 
of  your  boots.  This  simple  precaution  sometimes  saves  much  trouble 
and  suffering.  I  again  drink  to  your  lucky  escape." 

"  If  you  do,  try  the  contents  of  your  own  bottle,  then,  for  mine  is 
running  low." 

Mr.  Brown  did  not  heed  my  request,  and  I  had  the  satisfaction  of 
heai-ing  the  liquor  gurgling  down  his  throat  as  though  he  liked  it 
exceedingly;  and  when  he  did  return  the  bottle,  he  gave  me  more 
fatherly  advice,  which  was  to  the  effect  that  I  should  carry  a  larger  flask 
during  my  travels,  if  I  expected  to  be  successful  in  life,  and  die  happy. 


CHAPTER     LXVI. 

JOURNEY  AFTER  THE  BURIED  TREASURE. 

I  HAVE  a  distinct  impression  that  I  was  thinking  on  the  subject  when 
sleep  overtook  me,  and  when  I  was  awakened  Mr.  Brown  was  already 
rolling  up  his  blankets  and  making  his  toilet. 

"  Come,"  he  exclaimed,  "  let  us  be  stirring  before  sunrise,  and  by  ten 
o'clock  we  can  reach  the  banks  of  the  Loddon.  Get  the  kettle  from  the 
pack,  and  we  will  have  a  cup  of  coffee  for  breakfast." 

While  I  was  unpacking  the  miscellaneous  articles  which  the  pack 
horse  was  compelled  to  carry,  Mr.  Brown  started  a  fire,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  fumes  of  boiling  coffee  mingled  with  the  fragrance  of  the  nu- 
merous flowers  which  grew  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream. 

"  How  did  you  sleep  ?  "  I  inquired,  while  cooling  my  pot  of  coffee, 
and  eating  my  cake  of  bread,  seasoned  with  a  small  piece  of  salt  pork, 
which  I  had  broiled  on  a  stick. 

"  Not  very  soundly,  I  must  confess,  yet  I  think  that  I  can  get  through 
the  day  without  a  siesta.  By  the  way,  how  you  do  snore ! " 

"  Do  ?  "  I  asked,  "  I  didn't  know  that  you  was  sufficiently  awake  dur- 
ing the  night  to  discover  the  fact.  But  a  truce  to  jesting.  What 
direction  do  we  travel  to  reach  the  Loddon  ?  " 

"  We  have  got  to  ford  this  stream,  and  follow  the  bank  for  about 
three  miles,  where  we  cross  the  country  in  the  direction  of  Mount  Tar- 
rengower,  which  we  cannot  see  from  this  spot ;  after  we  have  gained  the 
Loddon,  we  are  to  find  a  sheep  path  that  will  lead  us  to  a  plain,  in  the 
centre  of  which  is  a  small  barren  strip,  surrounded  on  all  sides,  except- 
ing one,  with  quicksands  and  bogs.  Bill  told  me  that  the  path  would 
lead  almost  direct  to  the  spot,  and  that  I  could  not  fail  to  recognize  it, 

38 


446  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

as  thousands  of  sheep  resort  there  every  week  for  the  purpose  of  lick- 
ing the  salt  that  is  constantly  forming  under  the  action  of  brackish 
water  and  a  burning  sun." 

"And  Mount  Tarrengower  —  how  far  is  that  from  the  place  indicat- 
ed?" I  inquired. 

"Not  more  than  a  mile,  I  should  judge,  for  at  twelve  o'clock  at 
night  the  full  moon,  partly  concealed  by  the  mountain,  throws  a  shadow 
exactly  upon  the  edge  of  the  spot  where  we  are  to  dig." 

I  considered  the  direction  rather  blind,  but  Mr.  Brown  seemed  so 
confident  that  I  thought  I  would  not  dash  his  spirits  by  grave  misgiv- 
ings. I  was  in  a  reflective  mood,  howeyer,  while  assisting  to  pack  up, 
and  saddle  our  animals,  and  I  thought  how  Fred  would  laugh  if  we  re- 
turned empty-handed. 

We  mounted  our  animals  and  rode  along  the  bank  of  the  stream  for 
a  few  rods,  until  we  reached  what  we  supposed  to  be  a  good  fording 
place,  for  we  saw  the  prints  of  animals'  feet  in  profusion  on  both  sides 
of  the  brook. 

"  I  will  cross  first,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  "  and  then  you  can  drive  the 
pack  horse  over,  and  follow  after  him." 

I  made  no  objections  to  the  suggestion,  but  I  thought  I  would  watch 
his  course  narrowly,  and  see  how  deep  the  dark-looking  water  really 
was  before  I  ventured  to  cross  upon  what  seemed  to  me  a  very  uncer- 
tain soil. 

"  Here  I  go,"  my  friend  exclaimed,  striking  his  reluctant  animal,  who 
didn't  appear  to  relish  the  expedition. 

The  spirited  animal  bounded  under  the  blow,  and  dashed  down  the 
bank,  sinking  to  his  knees  at  every  step  in  the  light  soil,  and  straining 
badly  to  carry  his  master  in  safety  to  the  opposite  side.  The  water 
was  only  up  to  the  saddle  girths,  and  the  stream  was  not  more  than 
twenty  feet  wide,  yet  I  feared  that  both  horse  and  rider  would  sink  be- 
fore my  eyes  in  the  treacherous  quicksands  which  composed  the  bed  of 
the  brook. 

"  Use  whip  and  spur,"  I  shouted,  "  or  you  will  lose  your  horse." 

Mr.  Brown  understood  his  danger  full  as  well  as  myself.  He  lifted 
the  animal  with  his  bridle,  and  then  drove  his  sharp  spurs  into  his  pant- 
ing sides,  but  in  spite  of  his  most  violent  exertions  the  gallant  gray 
floundered  about,  and  did  not  make  an  inch  headway,  and  with  prompt 
action  was  alone  enabled  to  draw  one  foot  and  then  another  from  the 
sands,  and  prevent  being  swallowed  alive. 

The  dark  water  was  lashed  into  foam  by  the  struggle,  and  yet  I  could 
offer  no  assistance  to  my  friend  or  his  horse.  It  seemed  to  me  that 
each  moment  the  latter  was  sinking  deeper  and  deeper,  and  in  a  few 
moments  must  disappear  from  sight. 

Mr.  Brown  appeared  to  entertain  the  same  opinion,  for  he  disengaged 
his  feet  from  the  stirrups,  and  threw  himself  from  the  animal,  striking 
the  water  flat  upon  his  stomach,  and  swimming,  with  quick  strokes,  to- 
wards the  opposite  bank,  which  he  gained,  and  by  aid  of  the  branch 
of  a  gum  tree,  which  overhung  the  brook,  succeeded  in  swinging  his 
light  form  upon  solid  earth. 

The  horse,  relieved  of  the  weight  of  his  rider,  seemed  encouraged 
to  renewed  exertions,  and  after  prodigious  efforts,  emerged  from 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  447 

the  quicksands,  and  uttered  a  neigh,  as  though  rejoicing  at  his  es- 
cape. 

"  You  will  have  to  go  farther  up,"  shouted  Mr.  Brown,  shaking  him- 
self, and  looking  at  his  soiled  clothes  rather  ruefully.  "  The  bed  of  the 
brook  is  so  quidling,  that  it  won't  bear  the  weight  of  a  mosquito  ;  and 
if  you  should  commence  sinking,  the  Lord  only  knows  when  you  would 
stop,  or  where." 

Not  wishing  to  test  the  truth  of  his  assertion,  I  rode  along  the  bank 
of  the  brook  nearly  a  mile,  until  I  found  a  place  where  the  water  was 
more  than  six  inches  deep,  with  a  solid  bed  of  gravel.  At  this  spot  I 
crossed  without  trouble,  and  then  we  continued  our  journey  across  the 
country,  Mount  Tarrengower  looming  up  before  us  Like  a  giant  amid 
pigmies. 

"  Devilish  narrow  escape  for  me  and  the  horse,"  Mr.  Brown  said, 
while  walking  our  animals  over  some  rough  ground ;  "  I  thought  at  one 
time  that  we  both  would  have  to  go  under,  and  I  began  to  think  of  a 
prayer  or  two.  I  knew  something  would  happen  to  us  after  talking 
about  poor  Buckerly  in  the  manner  that  we  did." 

"  Do  you  really  think  so  ?  "  I  asked,  hardly  knowing  whether  he  was 
quizzing  me  or  was  serious. 

"  Upon  my  word  I  am  not  jesting.  I  have  too  much  superstition  in 
my  composition  to  think  of  spirits  in  any  light,  excepting  that  of  the 
utmost  respect ;  for  why  should  not  the  dead  revenge  themselves  upon 
the  living  if  so  disposed  ?  " 

"  If  that  is  your  belief,  how  do  you  reconcile  the  fact  of  your  having 
killed  so  many  bushrangers,  and  yet  escape  their  persecutions  ?  "  I  in- 
quired. 

"  Simply  because  the  bad  have  not  the  power  to  injure  the  good." 

I  laughed  so  heartily  at  the  explanation,  that  even  my  friend  suffered 
his  grim  visage  to  relax  a  little. 

"  You  may  smile,"  he  said,  "  but  it's  just  as  I  tell  you." 

I  saw  that  he  was  in  earnest,  so  let  the  matter  drop  —  but  the  con- 
versation was  afterwards  renewed  and  discussed  in  all  its  lights  and 
bearings,  but  still  without  arriving  at  any  satisfactory  conclusion. 

It  was  near  twelve  o'clock  when  we  reached  the  river,  which  was 
about  three  feet  deep  and  forty  wide.  After  hunting  for  some  time  we 
discovered  the  ford,  and  crossed  without  difficulty.  We  found  ourselves 
in  an  immense  grazing  district,  where  ten  thousand  sheep  could  have 
been  pastured  without  trouble  or  fear  of  their  suffering  for  food. 

The  difficulty  which  we  then  experienced  was  to  find  the  right  path 
that  was  to  lead  us  to  the  salt  lick,  but  even  that  was  overcome  at 
length,  and  we  galloped  along  the  trail  which  we  supposed  that  Bill 
meant,  with  bright  anticipations  of  a  successful  termination  of  our 
mission. 

Suddenly  Mr.  Brown  reined  up,  and  called  to  me  to  stop  a  moment. 

"  If  I  am  not  mistaken,"  he  said,  pointing  with  his  whip  towards  a 
cluster  of  gum  trees  and  bushes  that  stood  upon  a  small  mound  near 
our  right,  "  I  saw  a  human  being  dodge  behind  one  of  those  trees,  after 
watching  us  for  a  few  minutes." 

"  Let  us  make  an  examination,"  I  replied.  "  We  want  no  spies  upon 
our  actions  in  this  matter,  and  if  we  are  to  be  followed,  we  had  better 
find  out  what  is  wanted." 


448  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OR 

I  turned  my  horse's  head  as  I  spoke,  arid  was  riding  in  the  direction 
indicated,  when  my  friend  stopped  me. 

"  Don't  be  rash  in  this  matter,  for  we  don't  know  how  many  men  are 
concealed  in  that  clump  of  bushes,  watching  our  movements.  Let  us 
ride  on  and  stop  when  concealed  by  those  trees  in  the  distance.  From 
that  place  we  can  watch  movements  in  this  quarter  securely." 

I  considered  Mr.  Brown's  advice  the  best,  and  we  adopted  it  without 
further  discussion.  Once  or  twice  I  looked  back,  but  I  could  see 
nothing  that  would  excite  suspicion,  and  I  began  to  think  that  my 
friend's  fears  were  groundless. 

When  once  concealed,  however,  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  trees  we 
dismounted,  and  watched  patiently  —  and  were  presently  rewarded  by 
seeing  a  man,  armed  with  a  long  gun,  steal  quietly  from  the  bushes 
which  we  had  passed,  and  make  towards  Mount  Tarrengower  as  though 
in  a  hurry  to  reach  some  location  without  a  moment's  delay. 

"  It  is  no  use  to  give  chase,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  seeing  me  make  a  move- 
ment towards  my  horse.  "  Even  if  we  should  bring  the  fellow  to  close 
quarters,  one  of  us  would  have  to  bite  the  dust ;  for  let  me  tell  you  a 
secret  that  may  be  of  some  value  to  you  hereafter  in  case  you  are 
anxious  for  a  fight.  Every  man  in  this  country  who  carries  a  long  gun 
is  a  good  shot,  and  can  hit  his  object  with  as  much  certainty  as  your 
famed  Kentucky  riflemen.  So  you  can  see  that  we  should  get  no  honor 
or  profit  by  giving  chase  to  yonder  long-legged  fellow,  who,  if  I  am  not 
much  mistaken,  is  better  acquainted  with  this  section  of  the  country 
than  ourselves.  Let  him  go.  He  is  probably  a  shepherd ;  been  on  a 
visit  to  a  neighboring  station,  or  else  out  on  a  tour  of  observation  to 
look  after  bushrangers." 

"  How  near  are  we  to  a  station  ?  "  I  asked,  still  following  with  my 
eyes  the  tall  form  of  the  stranger,  who  jumped  from  side  to  side  with 
scarce  an  effort,  and  who  did  not  appear  to  regard  the  heat  any  more 
than  a  salamander. 

"  As  near  as  I  can  judge,"  my  companion  said,  "  we  are  still  on  the 
lands  belonging  to  the  Hawswood  station,  although  I  am  not  certain. 
Adjoining  those  lands  is  a  station  owned  by  a  number  of  Melbourne 
merchants,  and  the  stock-house  should  be  off  towards  the  mountain. 
At  least,  it  was  there  three  years  ago,  during  the  first  and  only  time  that 
I  ever  visited  these  parts." 

"  Here  we  are  at  last,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  pointing  to  a  small  strip  of 
land  containing  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  acre,  surrounded  by 
those  treacherous  bogs  which  are  familiar  to  all  who  ever  visited  the 
plains  of  Australia. 

"  That  must  be  the  spot  indicated,"  he  continued,  surveying  it  with  a 
keen  eye,  "  yet  I  can  see  no  means  of  reaching  the  island.  The  bog, 
which  looks  crusted  over  and  hard,  would  not  bear  the  weight  of  a  lamb, 
much  less  that  of  a  man  ;  yet  that  is  just  such  a  spot  as  a  shrewd  bush- 
ranger would  select  for  depositing  his  plunder,  simply  because  no  one 
would  think  of  looking  there  for  it." 

"  Let  us  dismount  and  stake  out  our  animals,  and  then  examine  the 
spot  at  our  leisure.  If  that  is  the  place,  we  will  find  means  for  reach- 
ing it,  even  if  we  have  to  build  a  bridge,  or  buy  a  pontoon  of  India 
rubber." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  449 

My  companion  accepted  the  advice,  and  under  the  shadow  of  a  clus- 
ter of  stunted,  gnarled  trees,  we  removed  the  saddles,  and  then  pre- 
pared our  dinner,  which  we  stood  in  some  need  of,  having  been  without 
food  from  the  time  that  we  started  in  the  morning,  long  before  sunrise. 

"  I  wish  that  a  flock  of  sheep  would  stray  this  way,"  Mr.  Brown  said, 
while  scraping  some  dried  grass  together  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
fire,  while  I  was  occupied  in  undoing  the  pack  which  contained  our  pro- 
visions, as  well  as  our  tools  and  cooking  utensils ;  "  I  feel  like  having  a 
mutton  chop  for  supper,"  he  continued. 

"  Behold  your  wish,"  I  replied,  pointing  to  a  flock  of  about  a  thou- 
sand sheep,  led  by  a  patriarch,  whose  horns  proclaimed  many  hard-fought 
battles,  just  winding  their  way  towards  the  salt  lick  from  behind  a  small 
knoll  that  stood  between  us  and  Mount  Tarrengower. 

Mr.  Brown  coolly  drew  his  revolver,  and  apparently  calculated  the 
distance. 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?  "  I  asked,  seating  myself  on  the  pack, 
and  watching  his  proceedings. 

"  Have  a  mutton  chop  for  supper,  if  those  animals  come  within  pistol 
shot.  Keep  quiet,  and  don't  alarm  them,  and  you  will  see  how  delicate 
I  will  do  the  trick." 

I  was  too  hungry  to  make  many  objections,  and  therefore  followed 
the  advice  of  my  friend.  On  came  the  flock,  the  old  patriarch  at  their 
head,  unsuspicious  of  danger,  and  thinking  probably  of  the  rich  treat 
which  he  was  about  to  confer  upon  his  numerous  harem,  by  allowing 
them  to  partake  of  a  bit  of  salt  grass  at  the  close  of  the  day. 

We  were  so  well  concealed  by  the  trunks  of  the  trees,  that  the  sheep, 
generally  wild  and  suspicious  of  strangers,  did  not  discover  us  until  the 
old  ram  was  within  about  two  rods  of  our  hiding  place ;  then  he  sud- 
denly stopped,  and  snuffed  the  air  as  though  he  smelled  an  enemy,  and 
the  flock,  governed  by  his  actions  and  motions,  likewise  halted  and 
looked  around,  to  discover  the  cause  of  the  commotion. 

For  a  few  seconds  all  was  quiet,  witli  the  exception  of  a  number  of 
bleating  lambs  in  the  rear,  and  just  as  the  ram  was  once  more  elevating 
his  head  to  scent  the  air,  Mr.  Brown  fired.  A  fine  fat  ewe  sprang  into 
the  air,  and  then  rolled  over  and  over  in  the  agonies  of  death. 

"  A  good  shot ! "  cried  Mr.  Brown,  but  hardly  were  the  words  from 
his  mouth  when  there  was  a  rushing  sound,  and  before  I  could  inter- 
fere, or  raise  my  voice  in  warning,  the  old  patriarch  had  charged  past 
me.  My  comrade  saw  his  danger,  but  disdained  to  use  his  revolver  in 
such  a  quarrel,  or  even  to  fly.  He  probably  thought  that  he  could  seize 
the  ram  by  his  horns,  and  arrest  his  career  without  a  violent  effort,  but 
if  such  were  his  intentions  he  was  bitterly  disappointed,  for  the  old 
patriarch  possessed  the  strength  and  power  of  a  dozen  ordinary  sheep, 
and  possibly  had  battled  with  many  bushrangers  for  the  preservation  of 
his  flock  from  decimation. 

On  rushed  the  ram  with  the  speed  of  a  race  horse.  He  passed  me 
without  notice,  his  eyes  glowing  like  coals  of  fire,  and  every  muscle  in 
his  neck  stretched  for  the  encounter.  His  wives  did  not  offer  to  fly, 
but  stood  watching  the  result  of  the  old  fellow's  charge,  evidently  quite 
confident  of  the  ultimate  result. 

When  the  ram  was  within  three  feet  of  my  companion,  he  thought 


450  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OK 

that  it  was  about  time  to  make  good  his  retreat,  seeing  that  his  oppo- 
nent was  disposed  to  be  in  earnest. 

Mr.  Brown  started  back  suddenly,  and  then  turned  to  dodge  behind 
a  tree  where  he  could  have  laughed  his  enemy  to  scorn.  But  unfortu- 
nately he  was  too  late  in  making  up  his  mind,  and  just  as  he  turned, 
the  ram  struck  him  upon  that  portion  of  his  body  which  presents  the 
broadest  basis,  and  in  a  twinkling  over  went  my  friend,  as  though  shot 
from  a  mortar. 

I  could  not,  for  the  life  of  me,  help  laughing  at  the  sight,  and  yet  I 
was  not  disposed  to  interfere  between  them.  It  was  a  fair  fight,  and  I 
wanted  to  see  it  out. 

I  will  give  the  ram  the  credit  of  acting  in  a  fair  and  manly  manner, 
for  after  he  had  floored  his  opponent,  he  stood  perfectly  still  until  Mr. 
Brown  began  to  scramble  up,  and  after  he  had  gained  his  knees,  the  old 
fellow  evidently  labored  under  the  impression  that  more  work  was  cut 
for  him.  With  a  fierce  stamp  the  ram  retreated  a  few  feet,  and  then 
rushed  on  like  lightning.  Mr.  Brown  was  thrown  headlong  to  the 
ground,  and  then  he  began  to  look  upon  the  contest  as  one  not  to  be 
despised.  I  heard  the  click  of  his  revolver,  and  I  knew  that  his  thoughts 
were  deadly,  but  I  resolved  to  save  the  life  of  so  gallant  an  opponent. 

"  Don't  fire,"  I  shouted ;  "  it  is  a  pity  to  kill  the  old  fellow  for  defend- 
ing his  wives.  How  would  you  like  it  ?  " 

"  Call  him  off  then,  or  d his  long  horns,  I'll  blow  a  hole  through 

him  large  enough  to  take  in  a  pack  saddle,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  still 
maintaining  his  recumbent  attitude,  as  though  no  longer  desirous  of 
provoking  a  battle. 

The  task  was  not  difficult.  Indeed  the  ram  had  grown  so  inflated 
with  victory  that  he  was  ready  to  pitch  into  every  thing  living,  and  I 
had  only  to  show  myself  and  manifest  a  hostile  attitude  to  accomplish 
my  purpose.  The  very  first  motion  that  I  made  with  my  head  attracted 
his  attention.  He  turned  from  a  fallen  foe  with  disdain,  and  braced 
himself  for  a  new  conflict.  I  made  a  second  motion  with  my  head 
suggestive  of  butting,  and  on  he  came,  but  I  was  prepared  for  him. 
Springing  nimbly  aside,  I  let  him  strike  the  hard  pack  saddle  with  all 
his  force,  and  the  result  did  not  disappoint  me.  The  saddle  yielded, 
and  over  and  over  went  the  ram,  until  he  picked  himself  up  about  two 
rods  from  the  spot  where  I  stood  awaiting  a  renewal  of  the  attack  with 
much  patience. 

I  did  not  have  to  wait  long.  With  a  toss  of  his  shaggy  head  the  old 
fellow  took  deliberate  aim,  and  came  towards  me.  I  waited  until  he  got 
under  full  headway,  and  then  stepped  behind  a  tree  that  my  body  had 
screened.  The  crash  was  terrible.  The  ram  rebounded  several  paces, 
and  rolled  over  and  over,  kicking  violently,  and  when  he  did  struggle 
to  his  feet  he  winked  his  eyes  rapidly,  as  though  afflicted  with  a  head- 
ache of  a  violent  nature.  For  a  few  minutes  we  stood  looking  at  each 
other  in  silence,  and  then  the  old  patriarch  wagged  his  tail  slowly,  and 
moved  towards  his  wives,  with  rather  a  crestfallen  appearance. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  451 

CHAPTER    LXVII. 

THE  HUNT  FOR  THE  BURIED  TREASURE. 

"  How  do  you  feel  ? "  I  asked  of  my  companion,  who  was  sitting 
Where  he  had  fallen  the  second  time. 

"  Feel,"  he  replied,  placing  his  hand  upon  that  portion  of  his  body 
supposed  to  be  the  sorest,  "  why  I  could  readily  imagine  that  I  had  rid- 
den a  hard  trotting  horse  all  day." 

"  Why  didn't  you  spring  aside  ? "  I  asked ;  "  you  saw  the  animal 
measuring  the  distance,  and  could  have  got  out  of  the  way." 

"  Can  a  man  dodge  a  streak  of  lightning  or  a  thunder  bolt  ?  If  he 
could,  there  would  be  some  use  attempting  to  get  beyond  the  reach  of 
that  crooked  horn  devil  when  he  starts  on  a  butting  expedition.  I  be- 
lieve no  bones  are  broken,  for  which,  I  suppose,  I  must  feel  thankful." 

My  friend  arose,  shook  himself,  and  then  declared  that  he  felt  no 
serious  inconvenience  from  his  bruises ;  and  while  I  started  a  fire  he 
undertook  to  skin  the  sheep,  and  get  a  portion  of  his  meat  ready  for 
dinner. 

It  was  near  four  o'clock  before  we  got  ready  to  commence  our  explo- 
rations of  the  island  where  we  supposed  the  treasure  to  be  concealed. 
I  suggested  carrying  the  shovel,  but  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  degree  of  su- 
perstition that  I  was  not  prepared  to  give  him  credit  for,  would  not 
listen  to  the  idea  for  a  moment,  on  the  pretence  that  if  we  made  any 
movement  for  the  treasure,  except  during  the  night  time,  we  should  be 
defeated  in  our  purpose. 

I  laughed  at  such  a  whim  ;  but  it  was  in  vain  that  I  attempted  to 
change  his  ideas,  and  then  to  humor  him,  so  that  in  case  we  were  not 
successful  in  our  search,  no  blame  could  be  attached  to  me,  I  consented 
to  be  governed  as  he  wished,  and  we  walked  towards  the  spot  which 
corresponded  with  the  directions  of  Bill  Swinton. 

We  found  the  island,  a  rather  small  spot  of  earth,  as  he  had  stated, 
surrounded  by  bogs,  with  the  exception  of  a  narrow  peninsula,  not  over 
a  foot  in  width,  and  more  than  forty  in  length.  It  was  a  singular  for- 
mation, surrounded  as  it  was  on  all  sides  by  soft  mud,  black  and  bot- 
tomless, for  I  attempted  with  the  branch  of  a  tree,  some  thirty  feet 
long,  to  sound,  but  the  limb  sunk  slowly  out  of  sight,  and  the  slime 
quickly  gathered  in  the  opening,  and  hid  the  place  where  the  pole  went 
down.  I  thought  if  one  of  us  should  lose  his  balance  and  fall  while 
crossing  the  natural  bridge,  what  little  probability  there  would  be  of  a 
rescue.  The  same  sentiments  disturbed  the  mind  of  my  friend,  for  he 
uttered  words  of  caution,  and  even  removed  a  good  sized  stone  that  was 
lying  on  the  path,  for  fear  of  stumbling  over  it  in  the  night  time. 

We  walked  carefully  to  the  island  —  as  I  shall  call  it  —  and  then  ex- 
amined the  unequal  surface  of  the  ground  for  indications  of  what  we 
sought.  The  grass  was  dried  up,  and  seemed  to  be- of  equal  length  in 
every  gulley  and  every  hole  that  we  passed  over ;  neither  could  we  dis- 
cover any  indications  that  the  earth  had  been  moved  for  many  years, 
but  that  was  not  surprising,  for  the  winter  rains  would  have  washed 


452  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

away  all  superfluous  soil,  even  if  a  man  like  Swinton,  who  was  cunning 
and  up  to  all  kinds  of  dodges,  had  not  taken  the  precaution  to  remove 
all  traces  of  his  concealed  treasure. 

"  It  is  no  use,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  wiping  the  perspiration  from  his  face, 
and  seating  himself  on  a  small  rock,  "  for  us  to  dig  at  random.  We 
should  get  nothing  for  our  labor.  We  must  wait  until  to-morrow  night, 
when  tbe  moon  fulls,  and  precisely  at  twelve  o'clock  a  shadow  will  be 
cast  upon  the  spot." 

"  If  the  sky  is  filled  with  clouds  what  are  we  to  do  ?  "  I  asked. 

That  was  something  that  Mr.  Brown  had  not  thought  of.  He  mop- 
ped his  face  with  renewed  energy,  and  looked  puzzled. 

"  Can't  we  make  a  calculation  if  such  a  thing  should  happen  ?  "  my 
companion  inquired. 

I  didn't  know  but  that  we  might,  and  relieved  the  heart  of  Mr. 
Brown  of  a  great  weight  by  the  admission. 

It  was  useless  for  us  to  sit  there  and  speculate ;  so  after  another  hasty 
glance  over  the  island,  with  no  better  luck  than  before,  we  returned  to 
our  camp,  and  got  ready  for  passing  the  night,  which  was  fast  ap- 
proaching. 

As  soon  as  it  was  dark,  however,  and  while  Mr.  Brown  was  getting 
ready  his  blankets,  I  suggested,  much  to  his  astonishment,  a  change  in  our 
camp,  and  recommended  retreating  to  the  banks  of  the  Lodden,  where 
we  could  find  water  for  our  animals,  and  good  quarters  for  ourselves. 

"  In  the  name  of  humanity,  haven't  wo  travelled  enough  for  one 
day  ?  "  my  friend  demanded.  "  The  horses  will  not  suffer  for  water, 
because  a  heavy  dew  is  falling.  We  have  a  keg  full  for  our  own  use, 
and  what  more  do  you  desire  ?  " 

"  I  have  a  great  reluctance  to  waking  up  and  finding  a  knife  held  at 
my  throat,"  I  replied,  "  by  some  gentleman  who  has  more  courage  than 
money.  We  have  a  pretty  establishment  here,  and  many  a  bushranger 
would  be  glad  to  relieve  us  of  our  property  without  asking  permission." 

"  Pooh !  there's  no  danger  of  their  finding  us  under  these  trees.  Go 
to  sleep,  and  get  a  good  night's  rest,  and  to-morrow  we  will  have 
another  search  for  the  treasure." 

"  Listen  a  moment,  and  then  judge  whether  my  advice  is  needless. 
We  have  been  seen,  and  pur  footsteps  dogged  to-day,  by  some  person 
not  desirous  of  our  acquaintance.  Do  you  suppose  that  he  lost  sight 
of  us  for  a  moment,  from  the  time  we  passed  the  gum  trees  until 
we  went  into  ambush  to  watch  his  movements  ?  Don't  you  think  that 
if  the  stranger  is  disposed  to  bring  a  flock  of  devils  on  our  track,  he 
could  find  us  here  while  sleeping  ?  whereas,  if  we  quietly  move  our  ani- 
mals to  the  river,  we  shall  throw  him  off  the  scent  and  rest  secure. 
What  do  you  think  of  the  idea  ?  " 

"  I  like  the  plan,  and  wonder  that  I  never  thought  of  it,"  replied  Mr. 
Brown,  starting  up  and  hastily  securing  his  blanket.  "  Let  us  lose  no 
time  in  getting  back  to  the  river." 

We  carried  our  pack  a  short  distance  from  the  trees  and  concealed  it 
in  a  clump  of  bushes,  and  then  mounting  our  horses  we  quietly  walked 
them  the  whole  distance  to  the  Lodden,  where  we  found  a  secure  place 
for  camping,  and  with  confidence  in  our  scheme  we  went  to  sleep,  and 
tested  undisturbed  until  morning. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  45'J 

At  daybreak  we  were  on  our  way  back  to  the  island,  and  found  our 
pack  where  we  had  left  it,  but  Mr.  Brown's  quick  eye  detected  a  change 
in  its  appearance. 

"  Some  one  has  overhauled  our  stores  during  the  night,"  he  said, 
"  and  hang  me  if  the  scamp  has  not  drank  all  my  liquor." 

He  held  up  his  flask  to  confirm  his  words.  It  was  empty,  but  I  pre- 
tended that  he  must  have  drank  it  himself  by  mistake. 

"  Don't  tell  me  that  I  don't  know  when  good  liquor  is  running  down 
my  throat,  and  that  I  used  all  I  brought  in  one  day.  Haven't  I  been 
unusually  careful,  and  drank  from  your  flask  two  or  three  times,  so  that 
mine  would  hold  out  for  the  trip  ?  Whoever  the  thief  is,  and  I  hope 
to  see  him  some  day,  he  deserves  a  halter." 

An  examination  snowed  that  every  article  that  was  in  the  pack  had 
been  taken  out  and  then  replaced  carefully,  but  we  missed  the  largest 
portion  of  our  coffee  and  sugar,  and  over  two  thirds  of  our  tobacco.  If 
the  robber  had  been  a  malicious  one  he  could  easily  have  carried  off  all 
that  we  possessed,  but  as  he  did  not  I  was  disposed  to  pardon  him. 
Not  so  with  Mr.  Brown,  however.  He  vowed  vengeance,  and  was  only 
appeased  when  I  gave  him  a  drink  from  my  flask,  which  I  luckily  had 
carried  with  me  the  night  before,  to  be  used  in  case  of  snake  bite. 

I  had  but  little  doubt  that  the  mysterious  robber  was  the  same  person 
whom  we  had  seen  the  day  before,  and  I  could  readily  believe  that  he 
was  laughing  at  our  dismay,  at  no  great  distance,  and  watching  our 
movements  with  some  curiosity.  I  regretted  that  I  had  not  brought 
Rover  with  me,  for  he  would  have  been  worth  a  dozen  sentinels  in  the 
night  time,  but  owing  to  Fred's  strong  solicitations  I  had  left  him  at  the 
store  in  Ballarat.  There  was  no  help  for  us  now,  and  we  determined  to 
put  as  good  a  face  on  the  matter  as  possible,  to  husband  our  resources, 
and  go  on  a  short  allowance  of  the  two  great  staples  in  a  campaign  — 
rum  and  tobacco. 

We  passed  the  day  by  visiting  the  island  and  sleeping  by  turns. 
Towards  night  we  carried  our  tools  to  the  place  where  we  expected  to 
dig  for  the  gold,  and  starting  before  sundown  rode  our  animals  to  the 
river  and  watered  them,  so  that  they  would  not  break  away  from  their 
stakes  during  the  night  for  the  purpose  of  slaking  their  thirst.  Then 
we  waited  impatiently  for  darkness  for  the  purpose  of  once  more  chan- 
ging our  camping  ground,  and  this  time  we  left  nothing  behind.  Our 
quarters  were  fixed  at  a  short  distance  from  the  island,  so  that  when  the 
moon  was  up  we  could  keep  our  eyes  on  the  horses,  yet  not  be  seen  on 
the  main  land. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  first  rays  of  the  full  moon  became  visible  from 
behind  Mount  Tarrengower.  The  night  was  awful  quiet,  and  not  a  liv- 
ing thing  had  approached  us,  and  not  a  sound  had  we  heard,  except  an 
occasional  bleat  of  a  lamb,  off  towards  the  stock-house  on  our  left. 

"  Let  us  be  moving  for-  the  island,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  almost  in  a 
whisper,  for  the  solemnity  of  the  scene  was  bringing  back  all  his  super- 
stitions and  fears. 

I  readily  consented,  and,  lighting  our  pipes,  we  walked  slowly  towards 
the  peninsula,  crossed  it,  and  then  waited  calmly  for  the  shadow  which 
the  mountain  was  to  throw  upon  the  spot  of  earth  where  the  robber's 
treasure  was  buried.  Our  pickaxe  and  shovel  remained  where  we  had 


454  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

left  them,  although  I  could  not  help  fancying  that  they  had  been  han- 
dled since  I  had  thrown  them  down.  I  said  nothing  to  my  friend  on 
the  subject,  however,  for  he  was  too  full  of  imaginative  fancies  to  be 
consulted  and  listened  to. 

Time  passed  slowly  while  we  sat  and  watched  the  shadow  which  was 
creeping  over  the  bogs,  as  the  moon  rose  behind  the  mountain.  I  con- 
sulted my  watch  and  found  that  it  was  nearly  twelve,  but  just  at  that 
moment  a  white  cloud  passed  over  the  moon,  and  our  hopes  seemed 
dashed.  The  shadow  was  no  longer  to  be  seen ;  we  watched  that  white 
cloud  as  though  our  lives  depended  upon  its  disappearing,  1  tit  still  it 
lingered,  like  a  veil  covering  the  face  of  a  coquette  —  anxious  to  reveal 
the  beauty  which  was  concealed,  yet  taking  pleasure  in  exciting  expec- 
tation. 

"  What  time  is  it  ?  "  whispered  Mr.  Brown. 

I  held  my  watch  before  him,  while  I  again  scanned  the  heavens. 

"  It  is  just  twelve  o'clock,"  my  companion  whispered. 

Hardly  had  the  words  escaped  his  lips,  before  the  cloud  disappeared, 
and  the  moon  looked  down  with  a  roguish  twinkle.  We  started  to  our 
feet,  when,  lo !  precisely  where  we  stood  was  the  edge  of  the  shadow, 
cast  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  with  the  upper  part  resting  towards  us. 

Mr.  Brown  seized  the  pickaxe  and  struck  it  into  the  ground,  and  as 
he  did  so  I  thought  that  I  heard  a  low  groan.  I  could  not  tell  in  what 
direction  it  came  from,  yet  I  would  have  sworn  that  it  originated  on  the 
island.  I  glanced  at  the  face  of  my  companion,  but  he  was  too  intent 
upon  the  business  before  him  to  notice  my  look,  or  to  pay  any  attention 
to  the  sound  that  had  disturbed  my  composure. 

"  There  is  one  thing  I  wish  to  caution  you  about,"  my  companion  said, 
pausing  in  his  work ;  "  don't  speak  while  we  are  digging,  or  the  gold  will 
vanish  from  our  sight  like  magic.  You  understand." 

I  nodded  in  the  affirmative,  although  I  had  no  faith  in  his  advice,  or 
in  the  necessity  of  maintaining  silence.  I  considered  that  the  devil  and 
his  imps  would  not  care  about  interesting  themselves  in  a  matter  which 
could  do  them  no  good,  and  might  hurt  their  friends. 

Mr.  Brown  glanced  around  the  island,  saw  that  every  thing  was  quiet, 
and  then  recommenced  his  labor  with  energy  and  determination. 

About  the  second  blow  that  he  struck  was  answered  by  a  groan  so 
unearthly  that  I  began  to  entertain  serious  ideas  regarding  the  propri- 
ety of  joining  a  church,  or  attempting  a  prayer  of  some  sort.  My  com- 
panion did  not  seem  to  notice  the  interruption,  and  I  remembered  his 
instruction  not  to  speak,  so  I  did  not  intrude  my  thoughts  in  relation  to 
the  matter  upon  him. 

A  dozen  blows  with  the  pickaxe  removed  the  dead  grass,  and  exposed 
a  soil  such  as  two  thirds  of  Australia  is  composed  of,  a  light  sand,  soft, 
and  not  suitable  for  agricultural  purposes. 

Mr.  Brown  made  a  motion  for  me  to  use  the  shovel,  and  I  was  about 
to  do  so,  but  a  groan,  louder  and  more  unearthly  than  the  original  ones, 
prevented  me. 

"  What,  in  the  devil's  name,  is  that  ?  "  demanded  my  friend,  looking 
around  the  island  with  some  symptoms  of  alarm  and  curiosity,  forget- 
ting, in  his  eagerness  for  information,  that  speaking  aloud  was  strictly 
prohibited  while  digging  for  the  gold. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  455 

"  Perhaps  one  of  your  ghosts  that  you  have  talked  so  much  about,  or 
it  may  be  the  spirit  of  Bill  Swinton,  desirous  of  claiming  a  share  in  the 
booty." 

"  I  don't  think  that,"  my  friend  said,  after  a  short  pause ;  "  after  all 
the  trouble  I  had  with  him  —  furnishing  the  candles  to  die  by,  and  allow- 
ing him  luxuries  of  the  most  costly  description,  I  don't  think  that  he 
would  be  so  mean." 

"  Then  let  us  solve  our  doubts  by  making  search  over  the  island,"  I 
replied,  drawing  my  revolver,  determined  to  shoot  at  whatever  I  saw, 
let  it  be  man  or  beast,  devil  or  ghost. 

"  No,  no  —  don't  do  that ;  we  should  be  decoyed  into  a  bog  by  an  ig- 
nis fatuus,  and  smothered  without  mercy.  Let  us  stay  where  we  are, 
and  dig  until  we  see  sights  that  make  us  abandon  the  project." 

I  agreed  to  be  guided  by  Mr.  Brown's  advice,  and  once  more  we  be- 
gan to  toil  amid  the  racks  and  dead  grass. 

About  this  time  the  moon,  which  had  shone  with  wonderful  bright- 
ness while  we  were  digging,  became  obscured  by  white  clouds  from  the 
westward,  so  that  objects  on  the  island  were  more  indistinct,  and  even 
the  trees  on  the  main  land,  under  which  we  had  left  our  horses,  were  no 
longer  discernable. 

I  thought,  as  I  threw  out  the  earth  from  the  hole  which  we  had  already 
made,  that  the  ground  had  been  dug  up  before,  and  I  felt  encouraged  to 
continue  my  labors,  in  hopes  that  we  should  soon  reach  the  treasure 
which  we  considered  belonged  to  us  by  bequest. 

All  thoughts  of  ghosts  and  spirits  were  fast  passing  away  in  the  ex- 
citement of  my  occupation,  when  suddenly  Mr.  Brown  dropped  his 
pickaxe  and  uttered  an  exclamation.  • 

"  Did  you  hear  that  ?  "  he  cried,  pointing  in  the  direction  from  whence 
he  supposed  the  sound  proceeded. 

"  No,"  I  answered,  beginning  to  feel  a  little  of  his  own  alarm. 

"  If  this  d d  island  isn't  haunted,  I  wouldn't  say  so,"  my  com- 
panion continued. 

"  Remember  the  compact  which  you  proposed,  that  we  were  not  to 
exchange  a  word  during  our  occupation." 

"  The  devil  take  the  compact,  and  me,  too,  if  I  can  help  speaking  when 
I  hear  such  unearthly  noises." 

Hardly  v/ere  the  words  out  of  his  mouth  when  from  the  earth  arose  a 
form  that  seemed  at  least  ten  feet  high.  It  was  clothed  in  white,  and 
from  its  head  projected  two  monstrous  horns,  which  were  pointed 
towards  us  in  a  threatening  manner.  I  could  discern  no  features,  but  a 
huge  mass  of  white  bones  were  visible  where  the  face  should  have  been, 
and  I  thought  that  I  could  hear  them  rattle  as  the  beast,  devil,  or 
ghost  shook  its  head  in  an  ominous  manner,  and  advanced  towards  us. 

"  I  can't  stand  this  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Brown,  in  a  trembling  whisper,  and 
away  he  went,  with  the  speed  of  a  greyhound,  towards  the  bridge  that 
connected  the  island  with  the  main  land. 

I  did  not  think  that  words  were  desirable  or  becoming  on  my  part,  as 
I  did  not  have  charge  of  the  expedition,  so  no  sooner  had  Mr.  Brown 
turned  to  run  than  I  followed  him. 

Fear  lent  me  wings,  and  I  bounded  over  the  rocks  like  a  deer  pursued 
by  hunters,  but  in  despite  of  my  utmost  endeavors  I  found  that  I  was 


456  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

Mnable  to  compete  with  my  friend,  who  ran  as  though  trained  for  ten 
mile  stretches  upon  a  race  course. 

Once  I  looked  back  to  see  if  we  were  followed,  but  the  white  visitant 
appeared  content  with  driving  us  off,  for  no  pursuit  was  made. 

I  had  half  an  idea  of  stopping,  but  another  groan,  more  unnatural  and 
ghostly  than  any  that  I  had  heard,  determined  me,  and  I  recommenced 
my  flight  with  but  faint  hope  of  overtaking  Mr.  Brown,  who.  I  perceived, 
Was  already  on  the  peninsula,  bounding  along  with  a  recklessness  that 
Would  have  made  him  shudder  at  any  other  time.  I  attempted  to  utter 
a  warning  cry,  but  the  effort  was  a  failure,  and  just  as  I  reached  the 
bridge  I  saw  that  my  worst  fears  were  realized,  for  my  friend  caught  his 
feet  in  the  long,  dried  grass,  lost  his  balance,  and  fell  heavily. 

I  quickly  gained  the  spot,  and  saw,  to  my  horror,  that  my  companion 
had  fallen  upon  the  soft,  black  mud  which  extended  for  many  acres  on 
each  side  of  the  island,  and  that  he  was  slowly  sinking,  in  spite  of  his 
frantic  efforts  to  reach  the  bridge,  which  was  about  six  feet  from  his 
outstretched  arms. 

"  Save  me ! "  he  cried,  in  despairing  accents,  and  just  then  the  moon, 
as  though  in  mockery  of  his  request,  shone  out  brighter  than  ever. 

He  made  an  almost  superhuman  effort  to  sustain  himself,  and  keep 
from  sinking,  but  I  saw,  with  horror,  that  he  was  settling  slowly  and 
surely,  and  that  all  his  struggles  only  hastened  his  end. 

"  Can  you  do  nothing  for  me  ?  "  he  shrieked.  "  For  God's  sake,  don't 
let  me  die  such  a  horrid  death  as  this.  Try  and  save  me." 

I  thought  of  a  dozen  different  ways  to  assist  him,  but  none  of  them 
were  practicable,  and  I  was  obliged  to  conjure  up  others. 

"  Can  you  reach  my  hand  ?  "  I  asked,  stretching  it  towards  him,  first 
taking  the  precaution  of  twisting  my  left  hand  in  a  clump  of  dried 
grass,  so  that  I,  too,  should  not  be  dragged  into  the  bog. 

The  poor  fellow  made  a  frantic  effort  to  do  so,  but  he  could  not  reach 
within  six  inches. 

"  Lean  a  little  more  towards  me,"  he  shrieked,  but  I  did  not  dare  to, 
for  I  should  have  shared  his  fate,  and  both  of  us  would  have  smothered, 
and  our  friends  would  never  have  learned  our  fate. 

My  companion  uttered  a  groan,  and  for  a  moment  was  silent.  Dur- 
ing the  brief  period,  I  heard,  with  awful  distinctness,  the  sound  of  the 
pickaxe,  as  it  was  struck  against  the  rocks  upon  the  island,  worked,  I 
Lad  no  doubt,  by  supernatural  hands. 


CHAPTER     LXVIII. 

THE  ISLAND  GHOST.  —  NARROW  ESCAPE  OF  MR.  BROWN. 

"X 

I  WOULD  sooner  have  faced  the  most  savage  gang  of  bushrangers  in 
Australia  than  that  fearful  sound,  yet  I  was  so  anxious  to  save  my  friend 
that,  frightened  as  I  really  was,  I  did  not  run,  or  even  make  a  motion  to 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  457 

that  effect.  The  drowning  man,  with  face  upturned,  and  eyes  that 
watched  my  every  motion,  at  length  heard  the  dull,  heavy  blows  of  the 
pick,  and  he  seemed  to  comprehend  that  they  were  intended  as  warn- 
ings of  his  end.  He  no  longer  struggled  like  a  brave  man  wrestling 
with  death,  but  seemed  to  grow  more  calm  as  the  slime  and  mud  closed 
around  him,  and  his  body  settled. 

"  How  can  I  save  you  ?  "  I  asked ;  "  I  cannot  think  that  we  are  to  part 
so  suddenly ;  I  would  give  all  my  wealth  for  a  rope  six  feet  long." 

"If  you  had  one  of  the  horses'  bridles  here,"  suggested  Mr.  Brown, 
but  before  I  could  start  to  get  one,  he  continued,  "  don't  leave  me,  for  I 
should  be  smothered  before  you  could  get  back;  see,  the  water  is  up 
even  with  my  chin." 

I  had  noticed  the  same  thing  before  he  alluded  to  it,  and  I  dreaded  to 
remain  and  hear  his  last  struggles  for  breath. 

"  I  have  a  mother  somewhere  on  the  coast  of  England ;  the  last  that 
I  heard  of  her  she  was  at  Falmouth.  Will  you  write  and  collect  what 
money  I  have  saved,  and  send  it  to  her  ?  I  know  that  you  will,  and  a 
dying  man  thanks  you." 

While  the  poor  fellow  was  speaking,  a  thought  entered  my  head  that 
he  might  yet  be  saved,  but  there  was  no  time  to  lose  if  I  intended  to 
put  into  operation  my  plan  for  his  relief.  I  hastily  tore  off  my  belt 
which  I  wore  around  my  waist,  and  which  contained  my  revolver  and 
knife,  and  then  stripped  off  my  trousers,  (the  ladies  will  please  not  to 
blush  —  there  was  no  habitation  within  three  miles  of  us,)  made  of  stout 
woollen  cloth,  which  I  had  bought  in  Melbourne  for  the  purpose  of  rid- 
ing through  the  brush  on  horseback. 

In  an  instant  my  friend  appeared  to  comprehend  my  plan ;  he  raised 
his  right  hand  from  the  mud  and  reached  towards  me  as  far  as  possible, 
and  then,  with  a  struggle  to  keep  his  head  above  the  water,  mur- 
mured, — 

"  Quick,  for  God's  sake,  quick !  " 

"  Keep  up  your  courage,"  I  shouted,  throwing  one  leg  of  the  garment 
towards  him,  while  I  retained  the  other. 

To  my  great  joy  I  saw  that  he  grasped  it  in  his  right  hand,  and 
exerted  all  his  strength  to  extricate  himself  from  his  perilous  condition. 
Had  I  not  have  been  prepared  for  his  struggles,  and  braced  my  feet 
firmly,  I  should  have  been  dragged  into  the  bog. 

"  Gently  ! "  I  cried,  fearful  that  my  friend,  in  his  exertions,  would  rend 
the  cloth. 

My  words  were  thrown  away,  however,  for  when  did  a  man,  strug- 
gling for  life,  ever  listen  to  reason  ?  For  a  few  seconds  the  suction  was 
so  great  that  I  could  only  prevent  him  from  sinking  lower,  and  keep  his 
head  above  the  mud,  until  at  length  I  recommended  him  to  endeavor  to 
work  his  legs  loose,  so  that  he  could  rest  upon  his  stomach,  as  though 
he  was  attempting  to  swim. 

Brown  followed  my  advice,  and  when  he  saw  that  there  was  a  certain 
prospect  of  being  saved  he  grew  quite  calm,  and  soon  I  had  the  satis- 
faction of  reaching  out  my  hand,  grasping  one  of  his  own,  and  dragging 
him  upon  the  peninsula,  a  little  the  worse  for  his  contact  with  the  bog, 
but  cheerful,  and  disposed  to  regard  his  adventure  in  the  light  of 
a  joke.  39 


458  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

"  My  dear  friend,"  he  exclaimed,  clasping  my  hand,  and  I  thought  lie 
Was  about  to  pour  forth  a  profusion  of  thanks  for  my  services,  "  let  me 
advise  you  to  put  your  trousers  on  as  soon  as  possible,  for  these  blasted 
mosquitoes  will  devour  you  alive." 

I  think  that  his  recommendation  was  the  best  evidence  of  his  attach- 
ment that  I  could  possibly  have  desired,  for  I  had  been  so  inwrapt  with 
the  business  before  me  that  I  had  not  heeded  the  cloud  of  ferocious  in- 
sects hovering  around  my  naked  extremities,  filling  their  bodies  with  my 
life  blood,  and  causing  me  to  almost  desire  a  bath  in  the  bog,  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  rid  of  my  tormentors. 

I  hurried  on  my  clothes  without  loss  of  time,  and  then  desired  to  know 
in  what  manner  I  could  help  him. 

"  Let  me  get  away  from  this  place  first,  and  then  secure  a  wash,  and 
a  change  of  clothing,  for  I  feel  as  though  I  had  been  fished  out  of  a  mo- 
lasses hogshead,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  scraping  the  mud  from  his  shirt  and 
pants,  and  even  taking  it  from  his  pockets  by  handfuls. 

"  What  made  you  run  in  the  manner  that  you  did  ?  "  he  asked,  as  I 
assisted  him  to  rise. 

"  I  but  followed  your  example,  and  I  begin  to  think  that  I  followed  a 
very  poor  one,"  I  replied. 

"  I  am  of  the  same  opinion,  for  I  don't  believe  that  we  saw  any  thing 
excepting  a  ram  anxious  for  a  bunting  match.  Let  us  return." 

As  my  friend  ceased  speaking  we  glanced  at  the  island,  and  that  one 
look  was  sufficient  to  start  us  towards  the  main  land  in  double  quick 
time,  for,  standing  at  the  end  of  the  peninsula,  with  one  arm  raised  in 
a  threatening  manner,  as  though  warning  us  against  a  renewed  attempt 
for  the  treasure,  was  the  white  figure  which  had  first  frightened  us. 

"That  is  Buckerly's  ghost,"  gasped  Mr.  Brown,  as  we  gained  the 
palm  trees  under  which  the  horses  were  hitched ;  "  I  know  it  is  his 
Spirit,  from  the  many  descriptions  which  I  have  heard  concerning  it." 

"  What  do  you  propose  to  do  ?  "  I  asked,  beginning,  now  that  I  was 
some  distance  from  the  object  of  my  terror,  to  entertain  serious  doubts 
in  relation  to  the  spirituality  of  the  visitant. 

"  Do  ?  "  repeated  Mr.  Brown,  "  what  can  we  do  against  a  ghost  ?  " 

"  We  can  at  least  find  out  what  claims  it  has  upon  the  treasure,  and 
whether  it  requires  a  fair  dividend  in  case  we  are  successful.  Come, 
change  your  clothes,  and  let  us  return  and  question  this  wonderful  vis- 
itant." 

"  Would  you  dare  to  speak  first  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Brown,  in  aston- 
ishment. "  JJon't  you  know,  or  have  you  not  read,  that  the  person  who 
holds  conversation  with  a  ghost  dies  within  a  week  ?  " 

"  A  week  is  better  than  a  day,  so  we  can  have  time  to  think  of  our 
sins  and  get  prepared  for  the  event.  Come,  let  us  return  like  men  and 
face  this  white  object,  and  see  what  kind  of  stuff  it  is  made  of." 

While  I  was  urging  Mr.  Brown  I  did  not  have  the  faintest  idea  that 
he  would  accede  to  my  request.  In  fact,  I  rather  hoped  that  he  would 
not,  for,  in  spite  of  my  expressed  doubts  in  relation  to  the  ghost,  I  was 
more  than  half  inclined  to  believe  that  there  was  something  supernatu- 
ral about  it.  A  desire  to  make  my  companion  think  that  I  was  more 
reckless  than  himself  prompted  me  to  attempt  to  combat  his  fears. 

While  I  was  talking,  Mr.  Brown  was  changing  his  clothes,  and  getting 


A  GOLD  IIUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  459 

a  portion  of  the  mud  from  his  person  by  means  of  the  contents  of  the 
water-keg,  and  when  he  had  succeeded  I  think  that  his  courage  revived, 
for  he  asked  me  for  the  loan  of  my  flask  ;  and  when  I  handed  it  to  him, 
he  lowered  its  contents  materially,  and  then  declared  that  he  felt  better 
than  when  he  was  up  to  his  neck  in  mud. 

"  You  say  that  you  are  anxious  to  return  and  have  an  interview  with 
the  old  fellow  with  horns  on  his  head?"  Mr.  Brown  asked,  and  I 
observed  a  wonderful  change  in  his  bearing  all  at  once,  which  I  could 
only  attribute  to  putting  on  clean  clothes,  or  due  to  the  magical  influ- 
ence of  my  flask.  I  was  inclined  to  the  latter  opinion,  and  therefore 
tasted  the  liquor  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  if  I  could  not  get  a  little 
Dutch  courage. 

"  The  fact  of  it  is,"  my  friend  continued,  "  I  am  inclined  to  think  that 
we  have  been  frightened  at  a  shadow,  and  therefore  I  am  in  favor  of  re- 
turning to  the  island  without  delay.  No  blasted  ghost  is  to  keep  me 
from  the  treasure  which  was  bequeathed  to  me  in  due  form  by  its  owner, 
and  for  which  I*  paid  him  in  candles,  six  to  a  pound.  How  does  the 
liquor  hold  out  ?  " 

I  shook  the  flask,  and  found  that  almost  half  a  pint  remained. 

"  I  think  that  a  quantity  of  salt  mud  got  in  my  mouth,  for  I  have  a 
bad  taste  which  nothing  but  brandy  can  remove.  Let  me  have  another 
spoonful,  and  then  we  will  start  with  courage  enough  to  face  the 
devil. 

"A  man,"  my  companion  exclaimed,  throwing  back  his  head  and 
looking  full  at  the  moon,  "  should  never  depend  upon  liquor  for  cour- 
age, for  in  the  moment  of  danger  he  wants  all  his  self-possession.  I 
only  make  the  remark,"  he  continued,  as  he  handed  me  back  the  empty 
flask,  "to  warn  you  against  drinking  any  thing  of  an  intoxicating 
nature  upon  the  eve  of  an  important  expedition." 

"  Your  advice  is  good,"  I  remarked,  "  and  to  help  me  carry  it  out  you 
have  drained  the  flask  of  its  last  drop.  The  next  time  we  go  on  an  ex- 
pedition, I  wish  that  you  would  practise  what  you  preach." 

"  This  is  an  ungrateful  world,"  Mr.  Brown  remarked,  as  he  rose  from 
the  saddle  upon  which  he  had  been  seated,  and  steadied  himself  by 
holding  on  my  shoulder.  "  I  have  drank  your  liquor  merely  out  of 
friendship,  and  now  I  am  reproached  for  my  kindness;  I  didn't  ex- 
pect it." 

"  I  didn't  expect  that  you  would  help  yourself  so  liberally,"  I  replied, 
laughing  at  his  quiet  humor.  "  But  come  along,  if  you  intend  to  reach 
the  island  before  day,  for  it's  said  that  ghosts  don't  walk  during  day- 
light." 

"  Look  first  to  your  revolver,  for  mine  is  in  a  deplorable  condition,  and 
wouldn't  go  if  I  should  carry  it.  The  barrel  is  filled  with  mud,  and  ths 
chambers  with  salt." 

"  liemember,  there  is  to  be  no  running  away  this  time,"  I  said, 
as  I  replaced  my  revolver  in  my  belt,  having  found  it  in  good  order  and 
condition.  I  almost  wished,  as  I  spoke,  that  Brown  would  decline  go- 
ing, and  find  some  valid  excuse  for  declining.  But  there  was  no  hope 
for  that.  He  had  drank  too  much,  and  was  as  full  of  pluck  as  an 
Irishman  on  a  Fair  day. 

"  No  fear  of  me,  my  boy,"  he  cried,  as  we  started  towards  the  penin- 


460  MFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OB 

$ula,  walking  rather  slow,  however.  "  I  am  determined  to  see  what 
kind  of  a  devil  is  ori  the  island,  even  if  I  tumble  into  the  bog  again. 
You  are  sure,"  he  continued,  "  that  the  liquor  is  exhausted  ? 

"  Every  drop." 

"  I  am  sorry  for  that,  'cos  it  is  good  to  keep  the  stomach  in  order, 
when  mixed  with  a  little  river  water.  Although,  to  save  trouble,  I  like 
it,  as  a  general  thing,  with  as  little  of  the  latter  as  possible,  for  fear  of 
disorders  and  snakes." 

We  were  within  five  rods  of  the  bridge,  when  we  suddenly  stopped, 
as  though  by  mutual  consent,  and  looked  at  each  other  for  a  few  mo- 
ments in  silence. 

"  Well  ?  "  said  my  companion. 

"  Well,"  I  answered. 

"Are  you  going  to  the  island  or  not?"  demanded  Mr.  Brown. 

"  That  is  for  you  to  say,"  I  replied. 

"  The  liquor  is  all  goae  ?  " 

"  Every  drop,"  I  answered. 

"  I  think,"  said  Mr.  Brown,  after  a  short  pause,  "  that  I  would  give  a 
month's  pay,  including  bribes,  if  I  had  a  gallon  of  good  whiskey  by  my 
side.  A  man  who  intends  to  combat  the  devil  and  his  imps  should 
have  something  besides  powder  and  ball  to  fling  at  their  heads." 

"  If  you  had  the  liquor,"  I  replied,  "  neither  of  us  would  be  in  a  con- 
dition, after  a  few  clrinks,  to  throw  any  thing  at  your  ghosts.  I  know 
of  one  man  who  TFould  throw  himself  upon  the  ground  and  sleep  until 
morning,  and  let  Bill  Swinton  and  money  go  to  the  devil,  where  they 
belong." 

"  Pass  on,"  whispered  Mr.  Brown,  making  way  for  me  to  proceed,  the 
bridge  being  too  narrow  for  both  of  us  to  walk  abreast. 

"  Excuse  me,"  I  replied,  "  I  think  that  I  should  follow  on  behind  to 
prevent  you  from  running  away ;  or  in  case  you  again  tumble  into  the 
bog,  to  lend  a  ready  hand.  You  go  first." 

My  friend  hesitated  for  a  moment,  glanced  eagerly  towards  the 
island,  and  seeing  nothing  objectionable,  stepped  foot  upon  the  bridge 
and  commenced  the  perilous  journey. 

I  followed  close  at  his  heels,  and  when  we  reached  the  spot  which  was 
the  scene  of  his  experience  in  the  bog,  the  slime  and  water  had  filled  up 
the  hole  which  his  body  made,  and  all  looked  hard  and  treacherous  as 
ever.  Mr.  Brown  pointed  to  the  spot  with  his  hand  as  he  passed,  but 
he  neither  turned  nor  made  remark,  although  I  thought  I  saw  his  form 
tremble  at  the  recollection  of  his  danger. 

We  were  not  more  than  two  minutes  in  reaching  the  end  of  the 
bridge,  and  then  we  again  paused  to  reconnoitre.  Nothing  to  alarm  us 
was  to  be  seen,  and  we  again  ventured  forward,  this  time  with  more 
confidence  than  we  had  felt  since  we  had  started. 

"  Your  ghost  has  fled,"  I  said,  in  a  half  whisper. 

At  that  instant,  as  though  to  disprove  my  words,  we  heard  a  sharp, 
quick  blow,  that  sounded  like  an  iron  shovel  struck  upon  stones.  We 
attered  no  word,  or  made  the  least  noise,  but  we  turned  our  looks  upon 
the  largest  portion  of  the  island  with  wonderful  quickness,  and,  as 
though  of  one  mind,  we  attempted  to  reach  the  bridge  by  a  precipitate 
flight. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  461 

Our  intentions,  however,  were  balked  by  our  own  eagerness,  for 
just  as  I  was  about  striking  out  my  legs  got  mixed  up  with  my  com- 
panion's, and  down  we  both  went,  full  length,  upon  the  ground.  We 
scrambled  to  gain  our  feet,  and  I  think  that  I  arose  first ;  but  I  had  not 
recovered  myself  before  I  was  seized  by  Mr.  Brown  in  his  frantic- 
attempts  to  arise,  and  once  more  fell,  and  this  time  directly  upon  him, 
and  over  we  rolled  together  until  we  were  brought  up  by  a  large  rock, 
which  prevented  us  from  going  any  farther. 

"  I  think  that  we  are  two  of  the  biggest  fools  in  Australia,"  Mr. 
Brown  said,  sitting  up  and  listening  attentively. 

I  readily  agreed  with  him,  and  determined  to  be  no  longer  frightened 
by  sight  or  sound.  With  this  idea,  and  after  a  mutual  vow  to  stand  by 
each  other,  we  crept  along  upon  our  hands  and  knees  until  we  could 
command  a  view  of  the  spot  where  we  had  dug  for  the  treasure.  While 
we  were  considering  whether  we  should  go  forward  or  remain  on  the 
watch,  the  huge  form  which  had  so  frightened  us  slowly  arose,  as  though 
from  a  grave  of  its  own  digging,  and,  to  our  horror,  we  could  see  the 
white  bones  and  long  horns  pointing  towards  us,  while  an  unearthly 
groan  relieved  the  monotony  of  the  appearance. 

With  a  trembling  hand  I  drew  my  revolver,  and,  in  defiance  of  Mr. 
Brown's  whispered  remonstrance,  I  took  as  good  aim  as  I  was  capable 
of  taking  under  the  circumstances,  and  fired. 

I  heard  a  crashing  of  dry  bones,  and  I  saw  the  hideous  head  fall  to 
the  ground;  at  the  same  moment  a  gruff  voice  shouted,  in  angry 
tones,  — 

"  What  in  the  bloody  h — 1  is  you  'bout,  hey  ?  " 


CHAPTER    LXIX. 

CAPTURE  OF  THE  GHOST. 

AT  the  sound  of  the  voice,  and  more  especially  the  hearty  English 
oath,  Mr.  Brown  sprang  to  his  feet,  drew  his  knife,  and  rushed  towards 
the  late  supposed  spiritual  visitant. 

All  thoughts  of  fear  were  banished  in  an  instant,  as  soon  as  we  dis- 
covered that  we  had  flesh  and  blood  to  deal  with  instead  of  grave- 
clothes  and  pithless  bones. 

"  Surrender  or  die ! "  was  the  exclamation  of  Mr.  Brown,  as  we 
neared  the  object  of  our  late  fears. 

"Die  be  d d!  what  do  you  mean?"  was  the  question  asked  by 

She  interesting  individual  who  attempted  to  scrabble  from  the  hole 
which  he  had  been  digging,  but  did  not  succeed  before  the  ex-inspector 
was  upon  him. 

"  Stand  back,  or  I'll  let  daylight  into  you,"  shouted  the  fellow,  draw- 
ing a  long  knife,  and  acting  upon  the  defensive,  and  the  way  he  handled 
the  reaper  showed  that  he  was  in  earnest. 

39* 


462  LITE   IN   AUSTRALIA,  OB 

We  both  hesitated  for  a  moment,  for  the  purpose  of  better  addressing 
the  person  who  was  so  peremptory  in  his  threats,  but  first  I  took  the 
precaution  of  possessing  myself  of  a  long  smooth-bore  gun  which  was 
lying  near  him,  and  which  he  had  forgotten  to  seize  upon  being  sur- 
prised. 

The  man  before  us  was  about  six  feet  high,  (when  he  appeared  in  the 
character  of  a  ghost,  we  thought  he  would  measure  nine,)  with  long 
hair,  and  beard  of  fiery  red,  which  seemed  as  though  it  had  not  felt 
the  touch  of  comb  or  scissors  for  months.  Two  little  eyes  almost 
concealed,  and  overhanging  eyebrows,  glanced  suspiciously  at  us,  and 
watched  our  movements,  with  an  evident  impression  that  we  intended 
mischief,  and  that  if  such  was  the  case  their  owner  was  to  be  counted 
in  for  a  fight. 

Upon  the  back  and  person  of  the  red-haired  man  were  sheepskins, 
made  to  fit  his  body,  with  the  wool  outside.  These  we  had  imagined 
were  grave-clothes,  and  had  nearly  broken  our  necks  to  escape  from  the 
wearer.  We  could  not  refrain  from  indulging  in  a  hearty  laugh  at  our 
late  flight  and  the  occasion  of  it,  but  our  mirth  made  no  impression 
upon  the  mysterious  being  before  us. 

"  No  ye  don't,"  he  shouted,  brandishing  his  knife  before  our  eyes  as 
though  we  intended  to  entrap  him  into  some  snare.  "  You  mustn't 
think  that  ye  is  goin'  to  fool  an  honest  man  who  is  digging  for  roots  by 
the  full  of  the  moon." 

"  You  dig  rather  deep  for  roots,"  said  Mr.  Brown,  stepping  to  the 
edge  of  the  excavation,  and  looking  down  in  spite  of  the  threatening 
appearance  of  the  red-haired  individual. 

"  I'll  dig  as  deep  as  I  please,"  he  answered  quickly. 

"  Of  course  I  would,"  returned  Mr.  Brown.  "  Who  knows  but  you 
may  find  a  buried  treasure  there  if  you  keep  on  digging  ?  " 

"  Is  that  what  you  coveys  was  arter  ?  "  demanded  the  red  head,  with 
a  degree  of  interest  which  he  had  not  shown  before.  "  I  'spected  it 
when  I  seed  you  yesterday  crossing  the  Lodden,  and  I  determined  to 
watch." 

"  What  are  you  doing  in  this  part  of  the  country  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown, 
rather  sternly,  as  a  recollection  of  the  loss  of  his  bottle  of  liquor  the 
night  before  began  to  dawn  upon  his  mind. 

"  You  have  no  right  to  question  me  any  more  than  I  have  you,"  was 
the  sulky  response. 

"  Who  are  you  then  ?  "  the  other  asked,  somewhat  impatiently. 

"  That's  for  you  to  find  out  the  best  way  you  can.  If  confidence  is 
wanted,  why,  tell  me  who  you  are,"  and  the  red-haired  genius  seated 
himself  on  the  edge  of  the  excavation,  as  though  awaiting  an  answer, 
although  he  still  kept  in  sight  his  long  and  dangerous  looking  knife. 

"  I  know  who  you  are,"  my  friend  said,  at  a  venture ;  "  you  are  a 
shepherd  on  the  Hawkswood  estate.  We  are  officers  of  the  law  from 
Ballarat." 

"  It's  a  lie,"  was  the  brief  rejoinder.  "  I  don't  believe  any  thing  of 
the  kind." 

"  You  d d  vagabond,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  snatching  the  long  gun 

from  my  hand  and  presenting  it  to  the  fellow's  heart,  "  I  huve  a  strong 
desire  to  blow  your  liver  out." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  463 

"  You  wouldn't  shoot  a  fellow  with  his  own  gun,  would  you  ?  "  the 
/mpudent  scamp  asked,  without  manifesting  any  serious  apprehension 
of  our  doing  so. 

"Well,  no,  I  hardly  think  that  would  be  just,"  replied  Mr.  Brown, 
lowering  the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  and  beginning  to  think  that  he  had 
met  with  a  strange  customer,  whom  it  was  better  to  conciliate  than  to 
cross. 

"  Come,  tell  a  feller  who  you  is,"  the  red-haired  genius  remarked ; 
"  do  you  belong  to  Buskin's  gang,  or  is  you  on  your  own  tramp  ?  " 

"  Neither  suggestion  is  correct  —  we  are  not  bushrangers,  and  never 
expect  to  be.  We  are  men  of  the  law.  Now  tell  us  who  you  are,"  my 
companion  said,  calmly  seating  himself  near  the  stranger,  and  lighting 
his  pipe,  —  a  proceeding  that  appeared  to  interest  him  intensely,  for  he 
snuffed  the  burning  tobacco  like  a  war  horse  within  sight  of  a  battle 
field. 

"  Just  give  me  one  draw  of  that  'ere  pipe  first,"  pleaded  the  would-be 
ghost,  and  his  request  was  gratified. 

"  Real  'bacco,  and  a  real  clay  pipe,  by  the  bloody  jingoes,"  he  ex- 
claimed. "  It's  many  a  day  since  I've  had  a  taste  of  'em  afore." 

In  fact  the  tobacco  appeared  to  open  his  heart  amazingly,  and  in  a 
short  time  we  had  his  whole  history. 

"  My  name,"  the  stranger  said,  "  is  Day  Bly,  although  I'm  coin- 
monly  called  Day,  for  short.  I  was  dragged  up  in  London,  and  when 
I  was  twelve  years  of  age  I  was  apprenticed  to  an  undertaker.  I  used 
to  take  care  of  the  shop,  clean  the  hearse,  and  sleep  in  a  coffin,  with  old 
pieces  of  mouldy  velvet  thrown  over  me  to  keep  me  warm  in  the  night 
time. 

"  When  I  ate  my  meals,  it  was  brought  out  of  master's  house  by  on<s 
of  the  servant  girls,  and  set  on  a  pine  coffin,  such  as  we  used  to  furnish 
the  poor  devils  who  hadn't  got  much  money,  and  who  couldn't  afford 
to  go  the  expensive  ones.  When  we  had  a  holiday,  such  as  Christ- 
mas,  I'd  slyly  move  the  grub  to  one  of  the  polished  silver-plated  affairs, 
and  imagined  that  I  was  seated  at  a  real  mahogany  table,  and  I  tell  you 
things  use  to  taste  better. 

"  I  kept  that  up  until  one  day  I  Jiad  a  dish  of  meat,  that,  by  some 
mistake,  never  satisfactorily  accounted  for,  was  really  warm,  and  it  took 
the  polish  from  the  slap-up  affair,  and  left  a  white  mark.  For  that  I 
got  licked,  and  rebuked  for  my  presumption  to  aristocracy.  I  didn't 
mind  a  flogging  in  those  days,  'cos  I  was  use  to  'em,  and  let  me  tell  you 
that  London  'prentices,  as  a  general  thing,  get  more  blows  than  holi- 
days." 

"  That's  so,"  muttered  Mr.  Brown,  who  appeared  to  deeply  sympa- 
thize with  the  speaker  in  that  portion  of  his  narrative. 

"  I  grew  up,"  continued  the  red-haired  individual,  whose  cognomen 
was  Day,  "  quite  fond  of  corpses." 

I  shuddered,  and  turned  my  head  to  see  if  there  were  any  lying  near, 
for  I  didn't  consider  that  the  subject  was  a  very  proper  one  to  talk 
about  at  that  time  of  night,  and  under  the  circumstances  I  should  have 
prepared  a  more  agreeable  topic. 

"The  gentleman  needn't  be  afeard,"  muttered  the  fellow,  with  a 
sneer ;  "  corpses  won't  hurt  a  feller,  'cos  I've  tried  'em." 


464  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

He  had  seen  me  flinch  at  the  word,  and  improved  hia  opportunity  to 
Bhow  his  hardihood. 

"  In  fact,  as  I  growed  elder,"  Day  continued,  "  I  was  quite  useful  in 
my  way,  and  got  trusted  by  master  with  some  important  jobs.  I  could 
lay  out  a  poor  covey,  who  hadn't  any  money,  with  as  much  despatch  as 
any  'prentice  in  London,  and  when  you  come  to  the  mourning  part  I 
was  really  terrible.  I  could  groan  more  unearthly  and  oftener  than  any 
mute  that  master  employed." 

"  Did  you  not  give  us  a  specimen  to-night  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Well,  yes,  I  think  that  I  did  pretty  well  to-night,  but  I  was  too 
anxious  to  frighten  you  off  to  pay  particular  attention  to  my  business. 
I'll  show  you  what  I  can  do,  if  you'll  just  listen." 

But  I  declined  to  hear  him,  and  the  undertaker's  ex-apprentice  con- 
tinued his  story : 

"  I  used  sometimes  to  be  borrowed  by  rival  undertakers  just  'cos  I  could 
groan  so  beautiful,  and  had  I  been  contented  to  have  worked  my  way 
up  in  the  world,  until  I  got  the  position  of  head  mute,  I  shouldn't  be 
here,  surrounded  by  this  d d  cloud  of  mosquitoes,  and  not  a  parti- 
cle of  tobacco  to  put  in  my  pipe,  and  no  friend  to  offer  me  a  bit." 

The  hint  was  so  strong  that  I  could  not  refuse  to  gratify  our  new 
acquaintance  with  a  small  piece  of  the  weed,  which  was  received  with 
a  grunt,  expressive  of  gratitude. 

"  As  I  was  saying,"  continued  Day,  filling  his  pipe  while  talking,  "  I 
was  always  an  ambitious  cuss,  and  used  to  like  plenty  of  money  to  spend 
on  dress  and  cheap  jewelry,  but  I  couldn't  always  get  it ;  one  day  my 
fellow  'prentice  made  a  proposal,  which  he  stated  would  fill  our  pockets 
and  enable  us  to  sport  'round  nights  in  great  style.  I  was  ready  to 
listen  to  any  thing  that  he  had  to  offer,  and  then  I  learned  that  a  doctor 
that  lived  next  street  wanted  us  to  supply  him  with  subjects,  for  which 
we  were  to  receive  two  pounds  each. 

"  Well,  we  used  to  go  out  nights  with  a  cart,  drive  up  to  some  bury- 
ing ground,  where  we  had  planted  a  feller  the  day  before,  whip  him  out 
of  his  coffin,  and  be  off  in  less  than  fifteen  minutes.  In  that  way  we 
used  to  make  a  pretty  good  thing  of  it,  and  we  had  so  much  money 
that  we  could  keep  drunk  about,  two  thirds  of  the  time.  At  length 
some  meddling  old  fool  suspected  us,  and  one  night  we  were  caught  by 
the  police,  with  a  body  in  our  charge.  We  tried  to  shake  the  bloody 
swabs  off,  but  it  was  no  go.  We  were  jugged,  and  the  first  thing  I 
knowed  my  companion,  who  had  put  me  up  to  the  work,  peached,  and 
saved  his  precious  carcass  from  being  transported." 

"  How  long  was  you  sent  for,  Day  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Ten  years  —  four  of  'em  I  passed  at  hard  labor,  and  then  I  got  a 
ticket  of  leave,  and  came  out  here  as  a  shepherd.  I  have  been  here 
two  years  last  February,  and  should  like  well  enough  if  I  had  plenty  of 
'bacco  and  rum.  Them  'ere  things  is  hard  to  get  in  this  part  of  the 
world,  and  I  haven't  tasted  a  drop  of  rum  for  two  months  afore  last 
night,  when  I  got  a  sup  out  of  your  pack." 

Mr.  Brown  ground  his  teeth  with  suppressed  emotion. 

"  How  dared  you  meddle  with  our  property  ?  "  demanded  my  com- 
panion 

"  'Cos,  how  did  I  know  it  was  yourn.     I  found  the  pack  covered  with 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  465 

bushes,  and  I  'spose  a  man  is  entitled  to  what  he  finds  in  thia  part  of 
the  country  ?  " 

"  That  depends  upon  circumstances,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  with  a  cau- 
tious glance  at  the  place  where  Day  had  been  excavating.  "  For  in- 
stance, if  you  have  found  a  quantity  of  gold  dust  where  you  have  been 
digging,  it  would  not  belong  to  you  but  to  the  lawful  owners,  or  the 
agent  of  the  owners,  sent  to  recover  it." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  cried  the  red-headed  genius,  with  a  cun- 
ning glance  from  his  little  eyes,  "  but  I  do  know  that  if  I  find  any  thing 
here  I  shall  hold  on  to  it  until  somebody  stronger  than  myself  comes 
along.  I  'spose  you  would  do  so,  and  I  shall." 

"  Before  we  quarrel  on  that  point,"  I  said,  "  perhaps  you  will  inform 
us  how  you  knew  we  were  in  search  of  hidden  gold  ?  " 

"  But  I  didn't  know  till  I  saw  you  begin  to  dig.  I  was  lying  under  a 
palm  tree  when  you  crossed  the  Lodden  yesterday,  and  I  strongly  sus- 
pected from  your  looks  that  you  were  bushrangers  in  search  of  a  dish  of 
mutton,  in  which  case  I  should  have  tacked  your  bodies  with  a  ball  from 
my  gun.  I  followed  you  a  few  steps,  and  then  crossed  your  trail,  skirted 
Mount  Tarrengower,  and  from  the  summit  of  a  gum  tree  I  watched 
your  motions  until  dark,  when  I  stole  towards  your  camp  for  the  pur- 
pose of  listening  to  your  conversation.  I  heard  enough  to  convince  me 
that  you  were  in  search  of  hidden  treasure,  but  before  I  could  make  out 
your  plans  you  moved  your  camp  to  the  Lodden,  but  left  your  pack 
behind,  for  which  act  of  thoughtfulness  I  am  much  your  debtor." 

"And  to  defeat  our  plans  you  turned  ghost,"  I  said. 

The  red-haired  genius  chuckled  as  he  answered,  — 

"I  thought  that  the  easiest  way  to  get  rid  of  you,  for  I  have  tried 
the  character  before  with  some  success.  Many  a  bushranger,  anxious 
for  a  supper  of  fresh  mutton,  have  I  frightened  into  fits,  and  by  that 
means  my  flocks  are  not  molested  near  as  much  as  my  neighbors,  ten 
or  twelve  miles  from  here.  I  like  to  play  the  ghost,  too,  for.it  reminds 
me  of  the  time  when  I  was  living  with  plenty  of  half  and  half,  and  lots 
of  'bacco  at  my  control.  Wasn't  my  groans  beautiful  ?  People  say- 
that  they  is  quite  unearthly/' 

We  felt  ashamed  to  say  that  we  considered  them  in  that  light,  and 
therefore  dropped  the  subject,  although  we  encouraged  him  to  relate 
the  further  history  of  his  exploits. 

"  I  got  my  sheepskins  all  ready  during  the  day,  'cos  I  saw  that  you 
was  idling  round  doing  nothing,  and  I  'spected  that  the  evening  would 
be  selected  to  begin  work. 

"  I  hunted  up  my  old  bullock's  head,  with  the  horns  on,  and  which 
has  seen  some  service,  although  I  don't  think  that  I  shall  be  able  to 
wear  it  again,  'cos  your  confounded  pistol  shot  about  used  it  up.  Here 
it  lays  at  your  feet  —  examine  it." 

I  found*  that  the  head  had  been  cut  and  trimmed  off,  and  then  lined 
with  pieces  of  old  clothes,  until  it  fitted  the  cranium  of  Day  like  a  huge 
helmet. 

The  shot  from  my  revolver  had  shattered  the  dry  bones  so  that  it  was 
ready  to  tumble  apart,  and  had  to  be  handled  quite  carefully.  I  no 
longer  wondered  at  our  mistaking  Day  for  the  devil,  and  I  congratu- 
lated myself  that  I  was  not  frightened  worse  than  I  really  was. 


466  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  I  could  hardly  keep  from  yelling  with  laughter  when  I  saw  you  two 
running,  and  then  when  I  heard  one  of  you  tumble  into  the  bog,  I 
thought  to  myself  that's  an  end  of  him.  Now,  Day,  you  jist  go  along 
and  get  the  money  that  they  expected  to,  and  be  a  rich  man  for  life." 

"  Then  you  knew  that  I  was  struggling  for  life,  and  would  not  come 
to  my  assistance  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Why  should  I  ?  "  demanded  Day,  with  great  sangfroid.  "  I  didn't 
know  you  or  care  for  you.  All  that  I  desired  was  to  drive  you  off  as 
fast  as  possible,  and  d me  if  I  didn't  do  it ! " 

"  What  did  you  think  when  you  saw  us  return  the  second  time  ?  "  I 
inquired. 

"  Well,  the  fact  of  it  is,  you  rather  started  me  then,  'cos  I  had  no  idea 
of  the  thing.  I  thought  if  I  couldn't  frighten  you  away  with  groans, 
my  time  as  a  ghost  was  'bout  over.  You  couldn't  pay  me  for  the  head 
which  you  destroyed,  could  you  ?  " 

We  declined  to  do  so,  and  advised  him  to  be  thankful  that  he  did 
not  lose  his  life  in  his  attempt  to  assume  a  character  that  did  not  belong 
to  him  ;  but  Day  treated  our  advice  with  neglect. 

"  If  I  couldn't  hit  a  man  at  a  distance  of  ten  rods,  ghost  or  no  ghost, 
I'd  never  shoot  again.  Why,  my  old  gun,  that  you  hold  on  to  as  though 
you  feared  it  would  go  off,  can  knock  over  a  kangaroo  at  thirty  rods 
distance,  and  never  miss  once  out  of  a  dozen  shots.  I  tell  you  I  have 
had  to  practise  shooting  since  I  have  been  a  shepherd.  The  only  thing 
my  proprietor  is  liberal  hi  furnishing  is  powder  and  lead." 

I  was  just  about  requesting  Day  to  remove  his  person  from  the  place 
where  he  had  been  digging,  to  allow  us  to  make  an  examination  for  the 
concealed  treasure,  when  we  heard  the  discharge  of  a  gun  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  mountain,  separated  from  us  by  several  valleys,  where  im- 
mense flocks  of  sheep  were  feeding. 

The  shepherd  started  to  his  feet,  and  looked  eagerly  in  the  direction 
of  the  sound  ;  but  nothing  was  to  be  seen. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"  It  means  that  Buskin's  band  of  bushrangers  is  all  the  more  alarmed 
at  the  sound  of  your  pistol.  They  will  search  every  inch  of  ground 
between  here  and  the  Lodden,  but  they  will  find  out  the  occasion  of 
the  firing,  and  if  you  are  men  of  the  law,  as  you  say,  the  highest  tree 
in  this  section  will  serve  for  your  gallows  to-morrow." 

"  You  know  the  members  of  the  gang  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"  I  never  exchanged  a  word  with  one  of  them  in  my  life,"  cried  the 
shepherd,  with  an  air  of  sincerity,  "  although  I  have  often  held  short 
communion  with  them  in  my  assumed  character." 

He  pointed  to  the  bullock's  head,  and  grinned  as  he  spoke. 

"  How  do  you  know  that  the  firing  was  done  by  bushrangers  ?  "  I 
asked,  suspiciously. 

"  For  two  reasons  —  first,  a  bushranger  will  never  kill  more  game 
than  he  wants  to  eat  at  one  time ;  and,  secondly,  the  gang  has  been 
absent  from  these  parts  for  two  weeks,  and  undoubtedly  want  to  rest 
and  recruit.  They  can't  do  that  until  they  know  that  the  whole  of  this 
section  is  free  from  stragglers  and  spies.  Me  they  care  nothing  about, 
and  will  not  molest  unless  I  am  too  inquisitive." 


A  GOLD  IIUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  467 

"  How  do  we  know  that  this  is  not  a  trick  of  yours  to  get  us  to  leave 
this  island  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  'Cos  I  shall  advise  you  to  do  no  such  thing.  The  only  safe  place 
for  you  is  on  this  island,  where  you  must  stay  until  the  woods  between 
here  and  the  Lodden  have  been  searched,  and  the  gang  is  confident  that 
the  parties  who  were  in  this  vicinity  have  escaped." 

"  But  why  not  escape  now  ?     Our  horses  are  fresh  and  fast,"  I  added. 

"  Because  I  suppose  that  a  dozen  men  are  watching  the  fords  of  the 
Lodden,  and  a  bullet  in  your  back  would  probably  be  the  first  intimation 
of  the  presence  of  a  party  of  skulkers.  No,  sirs,  unless  you  can  skim 
over  the  surface  of  this  bog,  and  then  scale  Mount  Tarrengower,  your 
only  place  of  safety  is  on  this  island.  Trust  to  me." 

"  And  then  lose  our  horses,"  I  replied.  "  I  suppose  that  the  bush- 
rangers would  like  no  better  plan ;  but  I  for  one  will  not  consent  to 
that?" 

"  Which  is  the  most  valuable  to  you,  your  lives  or  your  animals  ?  * 
asked  Day,  bluntly. 

"  Can  we  not  save  our  horses  as  well  as  ourselves  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  in- 
quired, turning  to  me  for  advice. 

I  confess  that  I  could  see  no  way  to  preserve  them ;  and  I  still  in- 
sisted that  we  had  better  trust  to.  the  speed  of  the  animals  than  remain 
in  a  state  of  inactivity  and  siege  on  the  island. 

My  plans  were  overruled,  however,  by  both  Mr.  Brown  and  the  shep- 
herd, on  the  ground  that  it  would  be  impossible  to  escape  before  day- 
light, at  which  time  the  bushrangers  would  probably  retire  to  the  heart 
of  the  woods  fr*  rest  and  sleep,  and  all  their  outposts  would  then  be 
withdrawn. 

I  was  at  length  reluctantly  compelled  to  yield  my  opinion  to  the 
others,  although  I  could  not  help,  as  I  did  so,  wishing  for  the  presence 
of  Fred  and  Smith,  and  I  thought  how  different  would  be  our  conduct. 

All  idea  of  finding  the  buried  treasure  was  at  an  end ;  and  I  began 
to  feel  as  though  I  should  be  grateful  if  I  escaped  back  to  Ballarat  with 
my  life,  minus  the  gold  which  was  so  great  a  temptation  for  us  to  un- 
dertake the  journey. 

"  Well,"  asked  the  shepherd,  "  what  have  you  concluded  upon  ?  " 

"  To  remain  on  the  island,  I  suppose,"  returned  Mr.  Brown,  rather 
sulkily,  "  although  I  don't  see  how  we  are  ever  to  get  back  to  town  if 
we  lose  our  animals.  I  wouldn't  walk  to  Ballarat  for  half  of  Australia." 

"  Can't  we  manage  to  make  the  horses  walk  the  bridge,  and  keep 
them  on  the  island  with  us  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  A  good  idea,"  cried  the  red-haired  genius,  suddenly  starting  up, 
"  and  the  only  wonder  is  I  never  thought  of  it.  There  is  some  danger 
in  the  attempt,  but  nothing  compared  to  stealing  a  body  in  a  graveyard 
in  the  heart  of  London." 


468  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

CHAPTER    LXX. 

THE  GHOST  AND  THE  BUSHRANGERS. 

THE  shepherd,  who  seemed  to  weigh  all  emotions  by  the  scale  of  a 
body  snatcher,  appeared  to  be  delighted  at  the  prospect  of  enjoying  a 
little  excitement,  and  began  to  examine  the  priming  of  his  long^gun 
with  a  degree  of  attention  that  showed  how  much  reliance  he  intended 
placing  upon  it  in  case  of  emergency. 

"  I  look  upon  you  two  coveys  in  the  light  of  visitors  to  my  posses- 
sions, and  my  honor  is  engaged  to  see  that  you  come  to  no  harm,"  cried 
the  undertaker's  apprentice,  with  a  wave  of  his  right  hand,  as  dignified 
as  though  he  owned  the  many  acres  indicated,  instead  of  receiving  only 
about  fifty  pounds  per  annum,  not  including  his  sugar  and  coffee. 

I  think  that  I  expressed  a  proper  degree  of  gratitude  for  the  shep- 
herd's promised  protection,  but  I  intimated  that  I  had  lived  long  enough 
in  Australia  to  learn  how  to  protect  myself. 

".  Never  you  mind  that,"  continued  the  red-haired  man,  busying  him- 
self with  the  bullock's  head.  "  I  shan't  be  wanting  if  a  little  fighting 
is  to  be  done." 

"  Then  lend  us  your  aid  in  leading  the  horses  over  the  bridge,  and 
don't  let  us  lose  time  in  debating  the  project,"  I  said,  preparing  to  un- 
dertake the  expedition  in  company  with  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Don't  be  in  a  hurry.  Wait  for  me,  'cos  I'm  the  most  important  one 
here  at  present,"  continued  Day,  still  working  over  the  head  which  had 
so  frightened  my  friend  and  myself. 

"  If  you  think  that  your  presence  is  ^o  necessary,  we  will  convince 
you  to  the  contrary  by  going  without  you,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  rather 
tartly. 

"There  you  go,"  exclaimed  the  fellow,  with  perfect  composure;  "when 
I  intend  to  do  all  that  I  can  to  save  you  coveys  from  being  shot  and  then 
hung,  you  get  as  mad  as  foaming  beer,  and  don't  want  to  listen  to  rea- 
son. Be  guided  by  me,  and  things  will  come  out  all  right." 

"  I  am  not  so  sure  of  that,"  I  replied,  with  an  incredulous  air. 

"  Seeing  is  believing  then.  You  ain't  got  some  strings  in  your  pocket, 
have  you  ?  "  our  newly-found  friend  continued. 

"  Strings  ?  no,  we  have  something  else  to  think  about  at  the  present 
time,"  cried  Mr.  Brown. 

"  I'm  sorry  for  that,  'cos  a  few  rods  of  twine  or  tape,  such  as  we  use 
to  line  coffins  with,  would  .be  worth  considerable  just  now." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I'll  tell  you  in  as  few  words  as  possible,"  the  shepherd  said,  resting 
from  his  work  for  a  few  seconds  while  speaking.  "  We  three  coveys 
ain't  no  match  for  thirty  coveys,  is  we? " 

We  acknowledged  that  there  was  a  difference,  and  that  it  was  favora- 
ble to  the  side  of  the  larger  force. 

"  Very  well ;  then  it  becomes  necessary  to  deceive  'em,  same  as  we 
use  to  do  when  I  was  an  apprentice  in  London,  when  master  would  put 
a  body  in  a  pine  coffin,  all  flourished  off  with  paint  and  varnish,  and 
then  charge  it  as  cherry." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  469 

"What  has  that  to  do  with  the  matter  in  hand?"  I  demanded  impa- 
tiently. 

"  Much  —  I  intend  to  make  the  bushrangers  think,  if  we  come  in  con- 
tact with  'em,  that  they  have  got  a  ghost  instead  of  a  man  to  deal  with, 
and  I  needn't  tell  you  how  frightened  they  will  be ;  you  know  that  by 
your  own  experience,  don't  you  ?  " 

There  was  no  denying  the  assertion,  however  much  disposed  we  might 
feel  to  quarrel  with  such  perfect  frankness  at  the  present  time.  At  any 
rate,  we  no  longer  manifested  symptoms  of  impatience,  but  waited  until 
Day  had  secured  the  bones,  which  were  somewhat  loosened  by  the  shot 
from  my  pistol. 

"  I  think  that  I've  got  strings  enough  arter  all,"  he  said,  shaking  the 
head  to  see  if  it  was  firm  and  fit  for  use.  "  It  'pears  all  right,  and  I 
think  will  answer." 

He  placed  the  huge  mass  of  whitened  bones  upon  his  head,  and 
then  shook  it  in  a  defiant  manner,  and  I  no  longer  wondered  at  our 
fright. 

"  There,  I  think  that  will  do.  Now  let  me  first  tie  up  my  sheepskins, 
and  then  we  will  start." 

In  a  few  minutes  the  sheepskins  were  secured  in  their  proper  places, 
and  Day  stood  before  us  a  ghost  of  the  first  magnitude,  and  looking 
hideous  enough  to  frighten  his  Satanic  Majesty  himself  had  he  been 
encountered  in  the  vicinity  of  Mount  Tarrengower. 

"  I  ain't  got  much  beauty,"  Day  said,  while  we  were  admiring  him, 
"  'cos  I  trust  to  inside  appearances.  But  don't  I  look  lovely  ?  as  we 
use  to  say  at  a  first  class  funeral,  when  we  had  gone  to  some  expense  to 
get  up  the  body  in  pretty  good  style." 

We  assured  the  shepherd  that  his  attractions  were  of  the  first  order, 
and  that  we  appreciated  his  exertions  in  our  behalf,  and  with  these  few 
compliments  we  walked  towards  the  bridge,  the  ghost  leaving  his  long 
gun  behind. 

"  Ghosts,"  he  said,  in  explanation,  "  is  supposed  to  do  unheard-of 
things,  but  I  doubt  whether  any  regular  one  ever  walked  around  the 
earth  with  a  gun ;  and  if  we  should  encounter  the  bushrangers,  I  think 
I  should  have  more  influence  unarmed,  for  to  give  the  devils  their  due, 
they  don't  care  a  rush  for  the  smell  of  gunpowder,  while  they  is  firm 
believers  in  spirits,  'cos  there  is  a  sort  of  a  tradition  that  a  proprietor 
of  a  sheep  farm,  who  was  murdered  some  years  since,  wanders  round 
nights,  and  makes  himself  generally  disagreeable.  I  don't  put  any 
faith  in  the  stories,  'cos  I  don't  believe  that  there  ever  was  a  ghost,  ex- 
cepting one  like  me  got  up  for  the  occasion." 

The  remark  did  not  meet  the  approval  of  Mr.  Brown,  who  was  dis-, 
posed  to  argue  the  matter,  but  I  cut  the,  discussion  short  by  recom- 
mending silence,  for  fear  of  a  party  of  scouts  overhearing  our  conversa- 
tion, when  not  even  the  spectral  appearance  of  the  shepherd  could  have 
saved  us  from  a  speedy  death. 

"  You  are  right,"  replied  the  ghost,  with  a  grave  shake  of  his  horny 
head ;  "  we  can't  be  too  cautious  now,  for  we  don't  know  who  is  near  us." 

By  the  time  we  reached  the  main  land,  the  ghost  whispered  that  lie 
would  lead  the  way,  and  strike  terror  into  the  hearts  of  all  who  dared 
to  look  upon  him ;  and  I  think  that  he  was  as  good  as  his  word,  for  no 

40 


470  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OR 

sooner  did  the  horses  get  a  glimpse  of  his  white  form  than  there  was 
a  desperate  attempt  at  a  stampede ;  had  not  our  animals  been  securely 
fastened  to  palm  trees  by  stout  ropes  we  probably  never  should  have 
seen  or  heard  of  them  again. 

"  Keep  back,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  who  was  endeavoring  to  restrain  his 
gray  horse  from  breaking  away.  "  Don't  come  near  the  animals,  or  they 
will  make  more  noise  than  a  hundred  bushrangers." 

The  shepherd  obeyed  the  order  with  a  chuckle  of  delight,  looking 
upon  the  fright  of  the  horses  as  the  greatest  compliment  that  could  be 
paid  him,  on  the  ground  that  animals  were  far  better  judges  of  super- 
natural characters  than  men. 

After  we  had  tamed  the  brutes,  we  quickly  gathered  up  our  blankets 
and  provisions,  and  then  replaced  the  pack  upon  the  horse  and  started 
towards  the  island.  We  were  hastened  somewhat  in  our  movement  by 
a  sound  which  my  experience  told  me  was  a  signal  much  used  by  bush- 
rangers when  desirous  of  calling  in  or  extending  their  scouts.  I  had 
heard  it  before,  when  first  on  my  way  to  the  mines  from  Melbourne, 
and  I  could  not  help,  in  spite  of  all  the  trials  and  difficulties  that,  sur- 
rounded me,  from  recalling  those  days,  and  wondering  how  we  escaped 
being  cut  off  to  a  man  by  Black  Darnley  and  his  gang. 

"  Drive  on  the  horses  as  fast  as  possible,"  whispered  the  shepherd. 

"  Them  'ere  parrot  crawings  means,  is  the  coast  clear  ?  " 

I  needed  no  urging,  knowing  as  I  did  that  the  pretended  squaking  of 
parrots  was  produced  by  human  beings,  but  hardly  had  the  shepherd 
spoken,  when  away  off  to  our  left  the  cry  was  taken  up. 

"  That's  an  answer,"  cried  Day,  listening  attentively.  "  They  report 
all  right  as  yet." 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  bridge,  and  sought  to  urge  our  ani- 
mals to  cross,  but  they  had  some  experience  with  the  bogs  of  Australia, 
and  stoutly  refused  to  trust  themselves  on  such  a  narrow  strip  of  earth. 
We  were  almost  in  despair  of  saving  the  brutes,  and  to  add  to  our 
anxiety,  we  could  hear  the  bushrangers'  signals  from  all  parts  of  the 
forest,  as  the  scouts  gradually  closed  in  to  join  the  main  body,  who 
were,  I  doubted  not,  feasting  on  mutton,  for  the  perfume  of  boiled 
meat  greeted  us,  wafted  towards  the  island  by  a  light  breeze  which  was 
hardly  strong  enough  to  dispel  the  clouds  of  mosquitoes  hovering  over 
us,  ferocious  for  blood,  and  tantalizing  enough  to  drive  men  frantic  with 
agony. 

**  You  won't  get  the  horses  to  cross  until  you  cover  their  eyes,"  the 
ghost  said.  "  They  have  probably  been  mired  some  time  or  other,  and 
know  a  bog  as  well  as  you.  Don't  waste  precious  time  by  fooling  with 
the  animals." 

We  thought  the  advice  was  good,  and  we  adopted  it  without  delay, 
by  tying  our  pocket  handkerchiefs  over  the  eyes  of  the  animals,  and  in 
this  condition  I  led  my  horse  over  the  bridge,  followed  by  Mr.  Brown 
with  the  packed  animal.  The  ghost,  having  removed  his  head  gear, 
held  the  gray  while  we  were  so  employed. 

We  were  obliged-  to  proceed  with  great  caution,  for  fear  of  a  mis- 
step on  the  part  of  the  animals,  but  fortunately  we  reached  the  island 
without  an  accident,  but  as  we  did  so  we  heard  a  shrill  croak  from  be- 
neath the  very  palms  where  we  had  encamped.  The  call  was  repeated 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  471 

in  a  dozen  different  directions,  and  then  all  was  quiet,  and  not  the  rus- 
iling  of  a  leaf  could  be  heard  to  show  that  a  large  body  of  men  were  all 
tending  to  one  point  to  investigate  the  cause  of  the  alarm,  and  study 
over  the  mysteries  of  our  encampment. 

We  secured  our  animals  in  a  small  valley  at  the  further  end  of  the 
island,  and  then  returned  cautiously  to  the  bridge  for  the  purpose  of 
relieving  the  ghost  of  his  distress,  but,  to  our  surprise,  Mr.  Brown's 
gray  horse  and  the  supernatural  gentleman  were  not  to  be  seen. 

"  If  the  d d  humbug  has  not  run  off  with  my  horse !  "  muttered 

my  friend,  indignant  at  his  loss. 

"  I  don't  believe  it,"  I  replied  ;  "  he  has  probably  retired  to  the  shade 
of  those  palm  trees,  seeing  that  no  chance  presented  itself  for  getting 
the  animal  to  us." 

"  I  hope  so,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  "  but  fear  the  fellow  is  a  horse  thief, 
and  having  accomplished  his  object,  will  never  return  to  this  lo- 
cality." 

I  didn't  think  so,  but  there  was  no  use  attempting  to  convince  Mr. 
Brown  of  his  error,  and  while  we  were  discussing  the  matter,  we  had 
the  supreme  dissatisfaction  of  seeing  ten  well-armed  men  debouch  from 
the  group  of  palm  trees,  and,  with  heads  bent  to  the  ground,  follow  the 
tracks  of  our  horses  towards  the  bridge. 

"  We  are  in  a  pretty  condition  for  a  siege,"  muttered  my  friend,  as  he 
thought  of  the  bushrangers  attempting  to  starve  us  into  a  surrender, 
knowing  very  well  that  they  would  never  attack  us  in  our  almost  invul- 
nerable position. 

"  Be  quiet,  and  let  us  watch  their  motions,"  I  replied. 

We  were  not  so  far  from  the  main  land  but  we  could  hear  every  word 
if  spoken  in  an  ordinary  tone,  for,  as  I  said  before,  the  night  was 
unusually  calm  and  quiet. 

"  D — n  it,  don't  I  know  a  horse's  track  from  a  bullock's  ?  "  we  heard 
one  of  the  bushrangers  say,  as  though  he  was  remonstrating  with  his 
companions.  "  I  tell  you  here's  the  prints  of  three  horses'  feet,  and  I'll 
leave  it  to  any  native  in  Australia.  I've  taken  lessons  from  'em  in  my 
lifetime,  I  have." 

If  the  fellow's  story  was  correct,  he  could  not  have  learned  from  a 
more  patient  race,  for  the  Australians  can  track  a  man  through  a  wil- 
derness, and  can  see  signs  of  footprints  that  a  European  would  never 
discover.  If  a  blade  of  grass  is  turned,  the  native  stops  and  examines 
it,  and  can  tell  within  a  few.  hours  the  length  of  time  that  has  expired 
since  it  was  trodden  on.  If  half  a  dozen  grains  of  sand  are  displaced 
from  the  burning  prairies,  the  native  sets  himself  at  work,  and  can  tell 
what  kind  of  an  animal  has  passed  that  way,  and  whether  fat  or  lean, 
alarmed  or  unconcerned.  They  can  find  their  way  through  a  wilderness, 
and  resist  hunger  and  thirst  with  marvellous  fortitude ;  and  while  oth- 
ers sink  under  the  influence  of  burning  heat,  the  native  Australian,  with 
head  bare,  seems  to  court  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and  moves  along  with  a 
steady  step,  and  without  a  word  of  complaint. 

I  no  longer  wondered  at  the  assurance  of  the  bushranger  when  he 
proclaimed  himself  a  disciple  of  Australian  barbarians. 

"  Will  any  man  in  'his  senses  believe  that  the  horses  have  crossed 
that  narrow  strip  ? "  demanded  one  of  the  fellows,  pointing  to  the 


472  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

bridge ;  "  I  know  the  horses  of  this  country  too  well  to  believe  that 
they  like  bogs  so  well  as  to  venture  there." 

"  I  tell  you  that  two  of  the  horses  have  crossed  to  that  island ! "  cried 
the  first  speaker,  after  stooping  down  and  examining  the  ground; 
"  here,  see  for  yourself !  " 

The  robbers  gathered  around  the  spot  indicated,  and  we  could  hear 
them  converse  in  low  tones  for  a  few  minutes,  and  look  suspiciously 
towards  the  island,  where  we  were  hid  from  observation  by  a  number 
of  large  rocks. 

"  If  two  of  the  horses  has  gone  to  the  island,  whar  is  the  other  ? " 
cried  a  voice,  more  gruff  and  savage  than  the  others. 

No  one  seemed  disposed  to  answer  that  question,  and  for  a  few  sec- 
onds there  was  a  profound  silence. 

"  I  tell  you  what  it  is,  coveys,  I  don't  care  about  staying  in  this  neigh- 
borhood long,  'cos  I  heard  a  brother  pal  say  once,  that  ever  since  old 
Buckerly  was  knocked  on  the  head  he  has  wandered  round  here  with  a 
sheet  of  flame  in  one  hand,  a  spear  in  the  other,  and  a  pair  of  horns  on 
his  head,  to  show  that  he  was  in  the  cattle  trade  when  finished." 

There  was  a  faint  laugh  at  the  suspicious  man's  story,  but  I  noticed 
that  their  expressions  of  mirth  were  not  overflowing. 

"  Pooh !  you  don't  believe  such  d d  lies,  do  you  ?  "  one  fellow 

asked. 

"  Never,  you  mind  what  I  believe,"  said  the  story  teller,  with  a  dog- 
matical emphasis. 

"  Well,  we  had  better  be  doing  something,  or  else  return  to  the  camp 
and  get  a  bit  to  eat;  I'm  tired  of  tramping  all  day  and  getting  no 
plunder,"  cried  one,  who  didn't  seem  to  be  in  a  good  humor. 

"  Hullo !  one  horse  went  off  in  this  direction ! "  cried  the  fellow  who 
was  following  up  the  trail. 

The  gang  gathered  round  the  speaker,  and  satisfied  themselves  that 
such  was  the  case,  and  then  we  could  see  them  gazing  with  some  degree 
of  apprehension  upon  the  dark  palms. 

'  Who's  going  there  to  make  a  search  ?  "  one  asked. 

'  Not  I,"  said  one. 

'Nor  I." 

'Nor  I." 

'  Fools,  are  you  afraid  of  your  own  shadows  ?  "  demanded  one  robo 
ber,  more  bold  than  the  others. 

"  I  don't  fear  any  man,  if  he  comes  at  me  single,  but  I  don't  like 
fighting  with  the  devil  and  his  imps ! "  exclaimed  the  superstitious 
bushranger,  and  I  judged  that  a  majority  of  his  comrades  sided  with 
his  idea,  and  seemed  much  more  disposed  to  return  to  camp  than  to 
weary  themselves  with  a  search  for  unknown  foes. 

"  You  know  what  the  cap'n  will  say  if  we  go  back  without  a  good  re- 
port. It's  easier  for  us  to  work  now,  than  to  scout  over  the  whole 
ground  again,"  we  heard  the  man  who  had  followed  the  trail  say. 

"  Yes,  but  why  don't  he  take  some  work  and  do  it  ? "  demanded 
another,  who  was  disposed  to  grumble  at  the  order  of  things. 

"  You  had  better  ask  him,"  some  one  answered,  dryly. 

"  Not  I,"  was  the  response  ;  "  I  value  my  head  too  dearly." 

The  others  laughed,  and  for  a  few  minutes  held  a  whispered  conver- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUHES.  47& 

gation,  the  burden  of  which  seemed  to  be  that  there  was  something 
concealed  beneath  the  branches  of  the  palm  trees,  and  that  it  was 
advisable  to  make  an  examination  as  soon  as  possible,  but  no  one  was 
disposed  to  lead  the  way,  for  reasons  —  first,  if  an  enemy,  and  well 
armed,  he  could  easily  kill  two  or  three  of  his  assailants  before  discov- 
ery, and  second,  the  robbers  were  not  sure  but  that  there  was  truth  in 
the  story  of  their  comrade  concerning  the  ghost  of  Buckerly,  and 
if  there  was,  they  did  not  care  about  an  encounter  with  a  spirit  from 
the  other  world,  who  was  proof  against  powder,  steel,  and  lead. 

While  they  were  still  discussing  the  question  in  tones  so  low  that  we 
could  not  hear  all  that  passed,  I  thought  how  materially  we  could  be 
aided  by  the  shepherd,  if  he  was  so  disposed. 

I  was  almost  fearful  that  Mr.  Brown's  suspicions  were  correct,  and 
that  he  left  us  to  take  care  of  ourselves,  while  he  made  his  escape  on 
my  friend's  valuable  horse,  worth,  at  any  station,  about  fifty  pounds. 

"  Look,"  cried  my  companion,  nudging  me  with  his  elbow ;  "  the 
devils  have  made  up  their  minds  to  run  the  risk,  and  search  for  the 
horse  in  the  shadow  of  the  palm  trees." 

As  he  spoke,  I  saw  the  gang  move  forward  in  a  compact  body,  as 
though  borrowing  encouragement  from  each  other,  and  one  or  two  pre- 
tended to  laugh,  as  if  scorning  all  apprehensions,  but  I  thought  that  the 
mirth  did  not  come  from  their  hearts. 

When  about  midway  between  the  trees  and  the  bridge,  I  observed 
them  halt  suddenly,  and  while  I  was  wondering  for  what,  forth,  from 
amid  the  leaves  and  branches  of  the  palms,  rode  a  figure  that  loomed 
up  in  the  moonlight  in  colossal  proportions. 

For  a  moment  I  forgot  that  the  shepherd  was  acting  the  part  of  a 
ghost,  and  I  felt  a  little  of  the  old  symptoms  return,  but  they  were  soon 
banished,  and  then  I  was  prepared  to  enjoy  the  rich  treat  of  seeing  how 
other  men  acted  when  dealing  with  what  was  supposed  to  be  a  visitant 
from  the  other  world. 

For  a  moment  not  a  sound  escaped  the  group,  as  the  tall  figure  of 
the  shepherd,  mounted  on  the  gray  horse,  moved  slowly  and  majestically 
towards  them.  Presently  I  heard  one  fellow  utter  a  yell  of  terror, 
and  break  away  from  his  companions,  and  run  wildly  towards  the  camp 
—  then  another  followed,  and  then  another,  until  the  remaining  ones 
turned,  and,  with  shrieks  and  yells  of  horror,  followed  the  first  fugitive 
as  rapidly  as  their  legs  could  carry  them. 

A  number  of  the  most  timid  threw  away  their  guns,  and  every  thing 
that  impeded  flight,  and  although  the  ghost  did  not  depart  from  his 
grave  and  dignified  bearing,  and  solemn  walk,  yet  in  less  than  five  min- 
utes no  one  was  in  sight  except  the  cause  of  the  fright,  our  new  friend| 
Day. 

40* 


474  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

CHAPTER    LXXI. 

SAM  TYBELL  AND  TIIE  GHOST. 

As  soon  as  we  saw  the  result  of  the  shepherd's  ruse,  we  crossed  the 
bridge  and  joined  him. 

"  Didn't  I  do  that  in  good  style  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Did  you  ever  hear  of 
a  ghost  that  -was  more  successful  than  me  ?  " 

I  complimented  him  by  replying  in  the  negative,  and  also  assuring 
him  that  I  considered  he  was  at  the  height  of  his  profession. 

"  You  may  well  call  it  a  trade,"  he  exclaimed,  removing  his  heavy 
headdress  and  wiping  his  moist  brow,  "  for  there  ain't  a  man  in  the 
country  who  knows  how  to  do  such  things  in  shape  unless  he  has  been 
in  the  funeral  line,  like  me.  Did  you  see  'em  run  ?  " 

I  assured  him  that  the  retreat  of  the  bushrangers  was  so  sudden  that 
we  could  not  help  noticing  the  fact. 

"  I  didn't  believe  that  coveys  could  cut  so ;  and  they  threw  away  their 
guns,  too,  that  shows  how  skeert  they  was,"  continued  Day,  apparently 
so  overjoyed  at  his  success  that  he  could  talk  of  nothing  else. 

"  But  it  will  not  do  for  us  to  stand  here  and  talk  when  the  bush- 
rangers are  liable  to  come  back  at  any  moment  and  surprise  you  hold- 
ing communication  with  beings  of  this  earth,"  I  said.  "Let  us  get 
under  the  shadow  of  the  trees,  where  we  can  talk  without  danger." 

My  suggestion  was  agreed  to,  and  in  a  few  seconds  we  were  on  our 
old  camping  ground  and  debating  what  we  should  do  next.  I  was  in 
favor  of  an  immediate  retreat  to  the  banks  of  the  Loddon,  which  river 
I  proposed  to  cross,  and  find  refuge  at  Hawswood  station,  where  we 
could  remain  for  a  few  days,  and  then  return  for  another  examination 
of  the  earth  for  the  treasure.  Mr.  Brown,  whether  fearful  to  trust  to 
Day's  honesty,  or  the  bushrangers'  superstitious  feelings,  did  not  coin- 
cide with  me,  and  was  for  remaining  until  daylight  at  any  rate,  and 
during  that  time  make  further  search  for  the  gold,  and  if  not  found  in 
that  period,  he  proposed  giving  up  the  expedition  altogether  and  re- 
turning to  Ballarat. 

The  shepherd  heard  us  discuss  the  merits  of  our  several  propositions 
without  interruption,  and  while  we  were  still  uncertain  what  to  do,  — - 
avarice  bidding  us  to  stay,  and  caution  and  prudence  to  fly,  —  he 
spoke,  — 

"  I  have  no  wish  to  advise  you  coveys  in  any  course  that  ain't  right, 
but  if  you  will  listen  to  me  I'll  get  you  out  of  this  affair  in  safety,  and 
with  the  money  that  is  buried." 

"  How  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  By  still  playing  the  ghost,"  he  replied,  with  a  grin. 

"  You  have  done  so,  and  successfully,"  I  said ;  "  can't  you  think  of 
some  other  dodge  ?  " 

"  Don't  want  any  other,"  he  returned,  patting  the  bullock's  head  in  an 
affectionate  manner.  "  Men  can  always  be  moved  by  their  fears  and 
guilty  consciences." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  475 

We  agreed  with  him  in  that  respect,  but  didn't  see  how  he  could 
serve  us  further  by  assuming  the  ghost  line. 

"  Then  I'll  tell  you,"  the  shepherd  said.  "  One  half  of  the  coveys  who 
saw  me  by  this  time  think  that  they  have  been  frightened  by  a  shadow, 
a  white  bullock,  or  a  horse.  They  won't  acknowledge  that  they  saw  a 
ghost,  while  the  other  portion  will  contend  stoutly  that  I  had  fire  issuing 
from  my  mouth,  and  that  I  was  the  devil  or  his  imp.  With  this  ques- 
tion unsettled  I  shouldn't  be  surprised  if  they  made  these  parts  another 
visit  to  solve  their  doubts,  for  the  bushrangers  who  haven't  seen  me 
will  only  deride  those  who  have,  and  disbelieve  all  the  statements 
made." 

We  acknowledged  that  there  was  some  truth  in  the  remark,  and  Day, 
highly  delighted  with  the  admission,  continued : 

"  Now  I  think  that  the  best  way  would  be  for  me  to  show  myself 
once  more  and  give  the  coveys  another  and  a  greater  fright.  I  can  steal 
up  to  their  camping  ground,  and  while  they  are  quarrelling,  walk  into 
their  midst  without  waiting  for  the  formalities  of  an  introduction." 

"  But  you  may  lose  your  life  in  making  the  experiment,"  i  said. 

"There's  no  fear  of  that  —  who  ever  heard  of  a  man  firing  with  a 
steady  hand  while  in  the  presence  of  a  ghost  ?  " 

I  reminded  him  that  I  had  tried  the  experiment,  and  that  if  the  ball 
had  struck  a  few  inches  lower  down  he  would  never  have  played  the 
ghost  a  second  time. 

"  That  just  proves  what  I  said.  Can't  you  hit  a  man  at  two  rods' 
distance,  and  place  the  ball  just  where  you  like  ?  " 

I  flattered  myself  that  I  was  a  good  pistol  shot,  and  could  do  so  un- 
der ordinary  circumstances. 

"  Yet  your  hand  must  have  shook,  or  I  should  have  been  hit." 

There  was  no  denying  the  truth  of  that  assertion,  for  I  remembered 
the  circumstance  perfectly  well. 

"  If  I  don't  frighten  them  coveys  so  that  they  will  avoid  this  place 
hereafter,  then  I  don't  know  much  about  ghosts,  and  how  they  act," 
Day  continued. 

We  tried  to  urge  the  fellow  to  be  content  with  the  triumph  which  he 
had  already  accomplished,  but  he  was  mad  for  another  exhibition  of  his 
powers,  and  all  that  we  could  say  had  no  effect.  Go  he  would,  and  at 
length  we  determined  to  accompany  him  for  the  purpose  of  rendering 
assistance  in  case  he  wanted  it,  or  to  see  how  the  bushrangers  would 
bear  themselves  upon  a  second  exhibition. 

The  shepherd  was  so  well  acquainted  with  the  country  that  he  guided 
us  by  a  short  route  towards  the  camping  ground,  stealing  along  between 
the  bushes  and  trees  so  quietly  and  rapidly  that,  with  all  my  knowledge 
of  woodcraft,  I  had  difficulty  in  following  him  and  keeping  close  to  his 
heels.  At  length  we  saw  the  reflection  of  a  camp  fire,  and  then  we 
grew  more  cautious  in  our  movements,  frequently  stopping  for  a  few 
minutes  to  listen  if  we  could  hear  other  sounds  besides  our  footsteps. 
But  we  encountered  no  one,  for  the  bushrangers  had  apparently  fallen 
back  upon  the  main  body,  convinced  that  the  coast  was  clear  of  all 
earthly  intruders.  The  shepherd  stopped  when  he  thought  that  we  were 
within  sound  of  the  camp,  and  beckoned  us  to  his  side. 

"  There's  no  use  in  you  coveys  getting  your  necks  in  halters  follering 


476  LIFE   IN    AUSTEALIA,   OB 

close  arter  me,  'cos  'tain't  any  use.  We  ain't  going  to  fight  the  fellers, 
but  to  frighten  'em.  You  jist  keep  a  little  back  and  watch  me,  and  if 
any  thing  happens,  why,  don't  stop  to  see  how  it  terminates.  Get  off 
the  best  way  that  you  can." 

"  That  would  be  ungenerous,"  I  replied.  "  You  are  now  risking  your 
life  to  serve  us,  and  we  should  not  desert  you  to  save  ourselves." 

"  Don't  you  be  afeard  of  me,"  the  shepherd  said,  quite  coolly.  u  I 
can  take  care  of  myself,  and  if  the  bushrangers  finds  out  the  cheat  I 
can  explain  it  to  'em  some  way  or  other  that  will  satisfy  'em.  Is  it  all 
right?" 

We  assured  him  that  we  would  be  governed  by  his  wishes,  and  with 
this  declaration  he  led  the  way  towards  the  camp,  first  taking  the  pre- 
caution of  putting  on  his  head  gear,  in  case  he  should  meet  with  strag- 
glers. We  followed  in  his  footsteps  at  some  distance  until  we  reached 
the  edge  of  the  woods,  when  the  ghost  motioned  for  us  to  take  up  a 
position  in  a  clump  of  bushes,  while  he  skulked  behind  a  tree. 

We  stole  carefully  forward  and  saw  that  we  were  within  five  rods  of 
the  bushrangers,  who  were  seated  around  half  a  dozen  fires,  cooking 
their  mutton  on  long  sticks,  and  endeavoring  to  obtain  a  cessation  of 
hostilities  from,  the  attacks  of  mosquitoes  by  beating  the  air  wildly  with 
their  huge  black  fists  when  not  engaged  in  cutting  meat,  or  throwing  on 
light  brush  to  feed  the  fires.  The  men  all  seemed  excited,  and  we  lis- 
tened to  their  conversation  with  some  pleasure,  showing,  as  it  did,  how 
mistaken  they  were  in  their  estimate  of  the  true  appearance  of  the 
ghost. 

"  For  ten  years  I've  knocked  about  these  woods,  and  done  some  very 
pretty  tricks,  but  I  never  met  with  such  a  looking  devil  as  I've  seen  to- 
night," I  heard  an  old  grizzly  fellow  (an  exact  representative  of  a 
pirate)  say,  as  he  ripped  off  about  a  pound  of  flesh  from  the  carcass  of 
a  lamb,  thrust  it  upon  a  stick  and  held  it  over  the  coals,  after  which  he 
looked  around  upon  his  brother  devils  with  an  air  that  showed  how 
much  he  should  like  to  kill  every  one  present  merely  for  the  fun  of  the 
thing. 

"  I  would  have  stopped  and  spoken  to  the  darn  thing  if  any  one  had 
kept  me  company,"  a  young  fellow  said,  apparently  desirous  of  raising 
himself  in  the  estimation  of  his  companions ;  but,  if  such  was  his  inten- 
tion, it  was  a  failure,  for  the  old  pirate  turned  on  him  like  a  hungry 
wolf  with  snapping  jaws. 

"  You  stop  and  bandy  words  with  a  spirit  ? "  asked  the  old  fellow, 
with  a  sneer.  "  Why,  d — n  it,  you  was  the  first  one  to  run." 

"  Not  as  you  knows  of,"  replied  the  young  robber,  shaking  his  head 
as  though  he  was  willing  to  test  the  matter. 

"  Do  you  tell  me  I  lie,  you  impudent  son  of  a  Dutch  woman  ?  "  asked 
old  grizzly,  lifting  his  stick  from  the  fire  and  striking  the  youngster  full 
upon  his  face  with  the  hot  meat,  which  caused  him  to  start  from  the 
ground  as  though  about  to  inflict  vengeance  upon  the  old  pirate  for  the 
insult. 

The  elder  bushranger  did  not  seem  in  the  least  disturbed.  He 
shook  the  mutton  clear  of  his  stick  as  though  it  had  been  contaminated 
by  contact  with  his  companion's  flesh,  and  then  drew  his  long,  sharp 
knife,  and  began  to  cut  off  another  portion  from  the  carcass  by  his  side. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  477 

For  a  few  seconds  the  insulted  youngster  seemed  uncertain  what  to 
do.  Then  I  saw  his  right  hand  seek  for  his  knife,  draw  it,  and  with  a 
wild  cry  he  threw  himself  upon  the  old  man.  The  other  bushrangers 
merely  glanced  towards  the  parties,  but  did  not  offer  to  interfere. 
There  was  but  a  slight  struggle,  for  the  attack  was  so  sudden  that,  the 
grizzly  fellow  did  not  take  the  precaution  of  defending  himself,  trust- 
ing, probably,  to  his  age  and  influence  with  the  gang  to  exempt  him 
from  a  personal  combat. 

I  heard  a  low  groan,  and  then  the  attacking  party  arose  and  returned 
to  his  former  place,  while  the  head  of  the  old  robber  fell  forward  and 
touched  the  fire,  and  there  it  remained  for  a  few  minutes,  until  the  stench 
of  burning  hair  became  so  great  that  some  one  shouted  out  to  remove 
the  body,  and  not  let  it  lay  there  and  spoil  their  appetites. 

One  man,  more  humane  than  the  rest,  lifted  the  dead  pirate  up  and 
carried  him  a  short  distance,  and  then  laid  him  carefully  under  a  tree. 
The  whole  transaction,  including  the  death,  did  not  take  ten  minutes, 
and  a  number  of  the  gang  did  not  even  stop  from  picking  bones  during 
its  occurrence. 

"  You  settled  him,  Billy  ? "  cried  a  fellow  at  a  distant  camp  fire, 
slightly  raising  his  voice. 

"  I  should  think  that  I  did,"  answered  the  young  ruffian,  wiping  his 
knife  on  his  shirt  sleeve,  and  then  finishing  his  supper,  with  an  evident 
attempt  to  appear  unconcerned,  although  I  could  see  that  he  was  all  of 
a  tremble,  and  that  he  glared  around  the  clear  space  as  though  he 
feared  to  encounter  a  disagreeable  sight  every  moment. 

"  Let  this  be  a  lesson  to  all  of  us,"  cried  a  deep,  bass  voice,  which  I 
heard  for  the  first  time.  "  How  often  have  I  told  you  that  I  desired 
harmony  in  the  gang,  and  that  if  a  man  gave  the  lie  he  was  responsible 
for  it  with  his  life.  Why  can't  you  live  like  gentlemen,  and  not  like  a 

set  of  d d  blackguards.  Because  you  are  robbers  and  cutthroats  is 

no  reason  why  you  should  murder  each  other.  The  world  is  large 
enough  and  contains  enough  of  our  enemies  without  looking  for  them 
in  the  gang." 

There  was  not  a  word  of  response  to  these  remarks,  but  I  noticed 
that  many  of  the  gang  hung  their  heads  as  though  they  did  not  wish  to 
meet  the  eyes  of  the  speaker,  who  seemed  to  be  a  person  in  authority. 

"  That  must  be  Sam  Tyrell,  who  is  called  the  gentlemanly  bush- 
ranger of  Australia,"  whispered  Mr.  Brown,  who  was  anxious  to  get 
sight  of  .a  man  who  had  performed  some  very  daring  exploits,  and 
some  excessive  acts  of  cruelty,  while  commanding  a  gang  of  ruffians  on 
the  road  between  Ballarat  and  Melbourne. 

"  Hush,"  I  whispered,  "  or  you  will  betray  your  hiding-place ; "  for 
Mr.  Brown,  in  his  eagerness,  moved  the  bushes  in  a  manner  thai 
attracted  attention. 

I  had  heard  of  Sam,  through  his  many  exploits,  and  was  anxious 
to  get  sight  of  him,  so  that  in  case  we  ever  met  I  should  recognize 
his  face. 

It  is  related  of  him,  by  the  old  settlers  of  Australia,  that  he  once  re- 
turned to  Melbourne,  dressed  himself  in  black  with  scrupulous  neat- 
ness, and  then  boldly  presented  himself  at  the  door  of  the  lieutenant- 
governor's  palace,  passed  in  by  means  of  a  ticket  which  he  had  taken 


478  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

from  a  man  whom  he  met  on  the  highway,  danced  with  the  first  ladies 
of  the  city,  was  introduced  to  the  governor's  wife,  and  would  have 
danced  with  her  had  etiquette  permitted  it.  In  fact,  Tyrell  created 
considerable  of  a  sensation,  and  ate  his  host's  ices,  and  drank  his  wine, 
with  a  degree  of  nonchalance  that  charmed  the  ladies  and  disgusted 
the  gentlemen. 

Had  Sam  conducted  himself  with  a  certain  degree  of  circumspection 
no  suspicions  would  have  been  excited  by  his  conduct ;  but  the  devil 
prompted  him  to  make  love  to  a  pretty  woman  who  was  present  in 
company  with  her  husband,  the  latter  an  old  man,  ugly  as  sin,  and 
jealous  as  Othello. 

.  Sam  saw  the  lady  admired  his  vigorous-looking  form,  and  he  ad- 
dressed her  a  few  remarks  of  flattery,  without  waiting  for  the  formali- 
ties of  an  introduction.  Her  husband  fired  up  at  the  sight,  and 
growled  forth  his  displeasure  in  no  measured  terms. 

Sam  paid  no  more  attention  to  his  looks  and  hard  words  than  if  he 
had  been  a  child.  The  contempt,  so  quietly  conveyed,  only  enraged 
the  old  gentleman  the  more,  and  the  matter  began  to  be  talked  about. 
First  one  and  then  another  inquired  who  the  good-looking  gentleman 
dressed  in  black  was,  but  no  one  could  answer  the  question.  The  gov- 
ernor was  appealed  to,  but  he  was  as  ignorant  as  his  guests.  At  length 
an  aide-de-camp  was  intrusted  with  the  delicate  duty  of  requesting  the 
stranger  to  disclose  his  address. 

The  officer  touched  Tyrell  on  the  shoulder,  while  he  was  standing  by 
the  fascinating  little  Mrs.  P ,  and  desired  a  word  with  him  in  pri- 
vate. Sam  bowed  low  to  the  object  of  his  affections,  and  followed  the 
officer  to  an  ante-chamber.  The  guests,  who  were  hovering  around  the 
door,  waited  impatiently  for  the  officer  to  make  his  reappearance  and 
report. 

Ten  minutes  passed  away,  and  still  the  officer  was  invisible.  Half 
an  hour  glided  by,  and  then  the  crowd  ventured  to  knock,  but  there  was 
no  answer.  The  door  was  tried,  and  found  to  be  locked. 

His  excellency  was  consulted,  and  he  sent  for  an  armorer  of  the  reg- 
iment stationed  in  Melbourne,  a  man  very  skilful  in  picking  and 
repairing  locks.  The  soldier  exerted  his  skill,  but  in  vain  ;  the  door 
refused  to  open,  and  then,  grown  desperate,  the  governor  ordered  an 
axe  brought,  and  a  few  vigorous  blows  drove  the  door  from  its  hinges, 
and  a  crowd  rushed  in. 

There  was  no  light  in  the  apartment,  and  Mr.  P ,  the  jealous 

husband,  was  so  eager  that  he  stumbled  over  some  object  lying  on  the 
floor,  and  pitched  headlong  against  the  wall,  bruising  his  bald  head,  and 
causing  him  to  curse,  with  all  an  Englishman's  spleen,  at  his  mishap, 
while  he  did  not  forget  to  allude  to  his  wife  in  his  prayers  as  the  cause 
of  his  misfortune. 

A  light  was  brought  as  speedily  as  possible,  and,  to  the  consternation 
of  those  present,  the  aide-de-camp  was  found  extended  upon  the  floor, 
his  arms  tied  behind  his  back,  his  mouth  gagged  with  a  pocket  hand- 
kerchief, and  on  his  breast  was  pinned  a  piece  of  paper  addressed  to 
the  governor. 

It  was  but  the  work  of  a  moment  to  relieve  the  officer  from  his 
unpleasant  position,  and  the  instant  he  could  speak  he  rushed  for  the 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  479 

window,  which  was  observed  to  be  open,  and  hailed  the  sentry,  who  was 
pacing  back  and  forth  a  short  distance  beneath. 

The  guard  answered  promptly,  but  declared  that  no  one  had  passed 
him  that  evening,  and  that  if  a  man  had  attempted  to  escape  by  the 
window  he  should  have  seen  him. 

By  this  time  his  excellency  had  read  the  note,  and  was  raving  for  the 
captain  of  the  police  force,  and  vowing  that  it  was  dangerous  to  live  in 
his  own  palace,  the  bushrangers  had  become  so  audacious. 

The  word  bushranger  struck  terror  into  the  hearts  of  all  present,  and 
even  the  jealous  husband  modulated  his  wrath,  and  rubbed  his  head 
with  some  degree  of  contentment. 

There  was  considerable  curiosity  to  learn  the  contents  of  the  note, 
but  etiquette  required  that  the  governor  should  not  be  asked  regarding 
it,  although  every  gentleman  present  was  bursting  to  know,  and  all  the 
ladies  were  unanimously  of  the  opinion  that  the  adventure  was  roman- 
tic, and  actually  looked  upon  Mrs.  P ,  who  was  half  frightened  to 

death,  with  some  degree  of  envy,  because  she  was  a  prominent  actor  in 
the  scene. 

At  length  his  excellency  condescended  to  enlighted  his  audience,  and 
read  the  paper  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  although  he  boiled  with  rage 
as  he  did  so.  The  note  was  as  follows :  — 

"  MOST  WORTHY  GOVERNOR.  —  For  the  very  kind  manner  in  which 
you  have  entertained  me  this  evening,  please  accept  my  thanks.  I  have 
drank  your  wine,  eaten  your  ices,  and  enjoyed  your  refreshments  as  well 
as  any  gentleman  present,  and  had  I  remained  long  enough  I  would  have 
added  to  my  exploits  by  kissing  your  lady  friends,  including  your  wife. 
As  I  did  not,  please  perform  the  ceremony  for  me.  The  next  time  that 
I  visit  you  I  hope  you  will  have  a  quantity  of  ice  to  cool  the  wine,  as  I 
am  accustomed  to  such  luxuries,  and  champagne  tastes  insipid  without 
it.  I  think  that  your  excellency  should  change  your  wine  merchant, 
for  some  of  the  liquor  that  I  tasted  to-night  never  saw  France,  and  I 
hope  never  will,  for  that  polite  nation  would  feel  eternally  disgraced  at 
the  thought  of  concocting  such  beverages.  Hoping  that  I  shall,  at  no 
distant  day,  meet  your  excellency  in  the  bush,  where  I  can  return  a  few 
of  the  civilities  which  I  have  received  this  evening,  and,  I  trust,  relieve 
you  of  a  portion  of  your  worldly  cares,  in  the  shape  of  wealth,  allow  me 
to  humbly  subscribe  myself,  your  friend  and  well-wisher, 

" SAM  TYRELL,  Bushranger" 

"The  impudent  scoundrel!"  was  the  general  exclamation,  and  I 
think  that  the  reader  will  agree  with  the  guests,  and  pronounce  the 
bushranger  a  bold  man,  and  one  of  considerable  address  and  nerve. 

Of  course,  the  mounted  police  were  set  in  motion,  and  the  country 
scoured  for  miles  in  extent,  but  no  signs  of  Sam  were  discovered ;  and 
the  mortification  of  my  friend  Murden  may  be  better  imagined  than 
described  when  he  was  afterwards  informed  that  Sam  did  not  even  tako 
the  trouble  of  leaving  the  city  that  night,  but  changed  his  clothes,  and 
passed  a  large  portion  of  his  time  with  a  lady  who  was  somewhat  noted 
for  liberality  towards  the  male  sex ;  and  when  he  was  tired  of  n 
metropolitan  residence,  he  dressed  himself  in  female  attire,  and  with  a 


480  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,  OB 

veil  to  conceal  his  face,  passed  soldiers  and  police,  and  rejoined  his- 
gang,  who  were  fifty  miles  from  Melbourne. 

The  story  of  the  aide-de-camp  was  a  curious  one.  He  said  that  the 
stranger  requested  time  to  pencil  a  note  to  a  distinguished  gentleman  in 
town,  who  was  to  vouch  for  his  respectability ;  that  after  he  had  finished 
writing  and  directing  it,  Sam  approached  him,  as  though  to  request  per- 
mission to  send  it  by  a  bearer,  but  before  he  was  aware  of  his  inten- 
tions Tyrell  had  garroted  him  in  such  a  manner  that  all  resistance  was 
impossible,  and  when  about  half  dead,  ho  was  laid  upon  the  floor,  bound 
with  cords,  and  then  had  a  handkerchief  stuffed  in  his  mouth,  threats 
being  made  at  the  same  time  that  death  was  certain  if  the  least  alarm 
was  given. 

The  bushranger  then  waited  until  the  guard  turned  his  back,  when 
he  dropped  from  the  window  like  a  cat,  and  made  his  escape.  The 
officer  was  laughed  at  so  outrageously,  that  he  sold  his  commission  and 
left  the  army. 

Such  was  one  of  the  exploits  of  the  "  gentlemanly  "  bushranger  whose 
actions  we  were  watching,  and  over  whose  head  a  reward  of  five  hun- 
dred pounds  was  hanging. 

"  If  you  must  call  each  other  liars,  and  rush  to  a  fight,  why  don't  you 
do  so  in  a  gentlemanly  manner,  at  ten  paces  distant,  and  not  shoot  or 
cut  each  other  down  like  dogs  ?  Can  I  never  learn  you  manners,  and 
be  d d  to  you." 

The  speaker,  of  whom  Mr.  Brown  had  whispered,  was  Tyrell  —  he 
walked  towards  the  young  fellow,  who  had,  but  a  moment  before,  killed 
the  old  pirate,  and  stopped  in  front  of  him.  From  our  place  of  con- 
cealment we  could  admire  the  athletic  form  of  the  leader  of  the  gang, 
and  as  the  flames  from  the  camp-fire  blazed  up  and  showed  us  his  fea- 
tures, we  could  not  help  being  struck  with  their  stern  beauty. 

"  Well,  captin,  he  began  it,"  cried  the  young  assassin,  in  a  snivelling, 
apologetic  sort  of  tone ;  "  I  didn't  want  to  hurt  him,  sure,  if  he  hadn't 
told  me  I  lied.  I  don't  take  that  from  nobody,  you  knows." 

"  You  lie,  you  dog,  you  know  you  do,"  cried  '  gentleman  Sam,'  in  a 
tone  expressive  of  profound  contempt.  "  You  stabbed  old  Bill  when 
his  back  was  turned,  and  did  not  give  him  a  fair  chance.  I'll  have  no 
more  such  doings.  A  stop  must  be  put  to  such  kind  of  work.  Do  you 
all  understand  me  ?  " 

"  I'm  willing  to  abide  by  the  regulations,"  the  murderer  said,  with 
alacrity. 

"  I  intend  that  you  shall,  for  I  am  about  to  constitute  myself  a  judge 
and  jury,  and  punish  you  for  shedding  blood,  as  I  think  it  should  be 
punished.  Stand  up." 

The  fellow  staggered  to  his  feet,  and  we  could  see  him  glance  with 
apprehension  upon  his  leader,  and  then  turn  towards  his  comrades  an 
appealing  look,  as  though  desirous  of  their  support  during  his  trying 
ordeal. 

"  You  killed  old  Bill  without  a  moment's  warning  for  telling  the  truth, 
for  I  have  been  told  by  others  that  you  was  one  of  the  first  to  run,  and 
yet  you  saw  nothing  but  a  shadow,  at  which  you  was  frightened.  You 
deserve  death,  and  at  my  hands  you  shall  receive  it." 

"  For  God's  sake  don't  kill  me,  cap'en ! "  shrieked  the  young  fellow, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  481 

in  an  agony  of  terror,  throwing  himself  upon  his  knees,  and  begging 
for  mercy ;  "  I  have  served  you  long  and  faithfully,  and  robbed  as  many 
minei.:  as  any  man  in  the  gang." 

"  That  certainly  should  entitle  him  to  mercy,"  whispered  Mr.  Brown, 
giving  me  a  nudge  with  his  elbow,  as  though  I  was  asleep. 

The  leader  of  the  bushrangers  did  not  make  any  reply,  but  coolly 
drew  a  pistol  from  his  belt. 

"  The  cold-blooded  scoundrel  intends  to  murder  the  man ! "  Mr.  Brown 
said,  trembling  with  excitement  and  indignation ;  "  why  don't  the  brutes 
interfere,  and  save  the  life  of  their  comrade  ?  " 

"  Take  notice,  men,"  said  the  robber  chief,  addressing  his  gang,  "  that 
I  am  about  to  punish  a  man  for  committing  a  murder,  and  that  hereaf- 
ter, if  you  must  quarrel,  refer  the  matter  to  me  for  settlement,  and  if  I 
do  not  satisfy  you  with  my  decision,  then  you  can  appeal  to  the  knife 
or  pistol,  as  can  be  agreed  upon.  Have  you  any  reason  why  sentence 
should  not  be  executed  upon  this  man  ?  " 

There  was  no  response.  The  villains  would  not  even  raise  their  voices 
to  save  a  comrade's  life. 

"  I  should  imagine  the  fellow  was*  the  Lord  High  Chancellor  of  Eng- 
land to  hear  him  talk,"  muttered  Mr.  Brown ;  "  lend  me  your  revolver, 
and  the  instant  the  ruffian  fires  I  will  give  him  a  shot  if  it  costs  me  my 
life." 

"  And  it  would  cost  not  only  your  life,  but  mine,  and  that  I  am  not 
disposed  to  relinquish  yet.  Be  patient,  for  we  can  do  nothing  to  save 
the  poor  devil,"  I  replied. 

The  man  whose  doom  had  been  pronounced,  a  second  time  threw 
himself  upon  the  ground,  and  crawled  to  the  feet  of  the  leader  in  hum- 
ble supplication  for  mercy.  He  shed  tears,  and  vowed  that  if  his  life 
was  spared,  he  would  steal  with  renewed  energy,  and  be  more  faithful 
than  ever ;  and  for  a  while  I  thought  the  chief  would  relent,  but  during 
a  moment's  pause,  I  distinctly  heard  the  click  of  a  pistol  lock,  and  saw 
Tyrell's  arm  raised  as  though  taking  aim. 

I  shut  my  eyes  to  hide  the  dreadful  sight,  and  expected  to  hear  the 
report  of  the  weapon  and  the  groans  of  the  victim,  but  while  I  was 
speculating  on  the  length  of  time  that  the  poor  devil  was  kept  in  sus- 
pense, I  received  a  tremendous  nudge  from  Mr.  Brown's  elbow,  accom- 
panied by  the  exclamation  of — 

"  The  devil  has  come  at  last !  " 

I  opened  my  eyes,  and  was  gratified  to  see  that  the  ghost  whose  dis- 
appearance I  had  noticed,  re-appeared  upon  the  scene,  but  with  one 
important  change  in  his  aspect,  which  rendered  his  tout  ensemble  more 
hideous  than  ever. 

By  some  means  he  had  managed  to  .light  a  fire  upon  his  bony  head, 
and  the  flames  were  twisting  and  squirming  like  so  many  fiery  serpents, 
revealing  the  long  bullock's  horns  with  telling  effect.  So  well  had  he 
managed  the  affair,  that,  accustomed  as  I  was  to  his  presence,  I  had 
'  half  a  mind  to  run,  not  knowing  but  a  real  devil,  or  being  of  the  other 
world,  had  usurped  Day's  especial  functions  in  the  ghost  line. 

If  the  sudden  appearance  was  startling  to  myself  and  Mr.  Brown, 
how  much  more  must  it  have  astonished  the  bushrangers,  who  were 
anxiously  awaiting  the  death  of  their  companion  at  the  hands  of  Tyr- 

41 


482  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

ell.  I  saw  the  arm  of  the  latter  fall  as  if  paralyzed,  and  he  started 
back,  but  disdained  to  fly  upon  the  first  alarm.  Not  so  with  his  com- 
rades. With  one  accord  they  dropped  knives,  meat,  and  blankets,  and 
with  shouts  of  frantic  terror  rushed  towards  the  woods,  tumbling  over 
each  other  in  their  eagerness  to  escape,  and  looking  over  their  shoulders 
as  they  fled,  as  if  they  feared  that  Satan  had  already  laid  a  hand  upon 
them,  and  was  about  to  claim  them  as  his  own. 

Even  the  young  fellow  who  had  murdered  the  old  pirate,  seemed  to 
entertain  some  hope  of  escape  from  earthly  enemies,  for  he  commenced 
crawling  away  from  the  fires  as  fast  as  he  could  on  hands  and  knees, 
and  bent  his  course  directly  towards  our  ambush.  Once  or  twice  I  saw 
him  look  back,  apparently  with  the  expectation  of  receiving  a  shot  in 
his  rear,  but  finding  that  his  captain  was  too  much  occupied  with  his 
own  matters,  he  seemed  to  think  that  Providence  had  interfered  in  a 
most  wonderful  manner  in  his  behalf,  and  recommenced  crawling  with 
renewed  energy  and  hope,  not  caring  half  as  much  for  the  ghost  as  he 
did  for  the  vengeance  of  his  chief. 

"  Here  comes  this  fellow  directly  on  to  us,"  whispered  Mr.  Brown ; 
"  what  can  we  do  to  start  him  in  another  direction  ?  " 

"  Groan  him  away,"  I  replied,  recollecting  the  efficacy  of  diabolical 
sounds  in  my  own  case ;  and  forthwith  we  uttered  in  chorus  the  most 
hideous  noises  possible  for  human  beings  to  produce.  So  frightful 
were  they  that  even  Tyrell,  who  had  made  his  boast  of  being  able  to 
endure  all  things,  gradually  retreated  as  he  saw  the  ghost  advance 
towards  him  with  the  flaming  headdress,  and  at  length,  after  giving 
one  quick  glance  around,  and  finding  that  he  was  deserted  by  his  crew, 
fairly  turned,  and  bounded  into  the  brush  and  disappeared  from  sight. 

We  listened  attentively,  and  could  hear  the  bushrangers  making  their 
way  through  the  woods  in  hot  haste ;  but  fearing  the  shrewdness  of 
Sam,  we  kept  perfectly  quiet,  until  we  were  certain  that  gentleman  had 
really  left  his  quarters,  and  was  not  lurking  in  the  vicinity  to  see  what 
sort  of  a  ghost  had  frightened  him. 

"  A  splendid  performance,"  I  said,  as  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  stepped 
from  our  ambush,  and  congratulated  the  shepherd,  who,  much  as  he 
liked  to  be  praised,  didn't  think  it  worth  while  to  listen  in  so  conspicuous 
a  place. 

"  Follow  me  as  fast  as  possible,"  he  exclaimed,  removing  his  still 
smoking  headdress,  and  exhibiting  a  face  blackened  and  singed  by  the 
flames.  "  We  ain't  safe  here  even  for  a  minute,  for  the  devils  will  come 
back  after  their  traps,  and  if  they  should  get  hold  of  us  we  would  be 
real  ghosts  in  less  than  an  hour." 

I  had  the  same  impression,  and  therefore  followed  our  guide  through 
the  woods  in  a  directly  opposite  course  from  that  which  the  bushrangers 
took,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  gaining  our  island 
and  finding  our  horses  as  we  had  left  them. 

"  Now  that  we  are  beyond  the  Teach  of  the  robbers,  tell  me  how  you 
prepared  your  fiery  headdress  ? "   Mr.  Brown  asked,  turning  to  the* 
shepherd,  who  was  rubbing  his  burnt  face  and  singed  hair  and  whiskers. 

"  The  fact  is,"  replied  Day,  "  the  flames  are  a  new  sort  of  'speriment, 
and  I've  hardly  got  use  to  'em.  I  think  that  I  should  do  better  next 
time.  I  have  every  reason  to  think  so,  and  if  I  don't,  I  shall  be  forced 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  485 

to  give  up  that  portion  of  the  show,  although  I  should  think  that  it  was 
very  effective,  if  I  may  judge  from  the  remarkable  antics  of  the  coveys. 
That  black-whiskered  scoundrel  wanted  to  have  a  shot  at  me,  and  I 
guess  that  he  would  hadn't  it  been  for  the  fire.  The  flames  are  a  great 
improvement,  'cos  they  make  me  look  jist  as  though  I  had  arrived  from 
kingdom  come." 

"  But  how  was  the  effect  produced  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  as  I  had  ought  to  tell  you  coveys,  'cos  you  might 
claim  the  'vention  as  your  own,"  replied  the  shepherd,  coquettishly ;  but 
finding  that  we  were  ready  to  vouch  for  our  disinterestedness,  he  con- 
tinued :  "  You  see  when  I  was  overhauling  your  traps  last  night " 

Here  Mr.  Brown  groaned,  as  he  thought  of  the  liquor  which  had 
been  carried  off,  and  how  acceptable  it  would  be  at  the  present  time. 

"  I  found  a  lot  of  matches,  so  I  took  half  that  you  had,"  continued 
Day,  "  which  I  consider  an  honest  transaction,  'cos  I  know  coveys  who 
would  have  carried  all  off  and  not  thanked  ye.  I've  got  some  honor,  if 
I  am  a  shepherd." 

"  Especially  when  you  drank  all  my  brandy,"  Mr.  Brown  remarked. 

Day  scorned  to  notice  the  insinuation,  but  continued : 

"  I  thought  how  convenient  them  'ere  matches  would  be,  and  I  didn't 
scruple  to  take  'em,  'cos  I  knew  that  if  we  were  acquainted  you  would 
divide,  and  be  glad  to  accommodate  me." 

We  didn't  tell  Day  the  maledictions  we  had  showered  upon  his  head, 
or  how  we  should  have  treated  him  had  we  caught  him  with  our  pack. 
We  thought  that  as  he  had  been  of  service  to  us  we  would  withhold  our 
expressions  of  dissatisfaction.  Day  continued  : 

"  I  had  the  matches  in  my  pocket  when  I  seed  that  black  devil  get 
ready  to  kill  his  man,  and  a  thought  struck  me  that  if  the  bushranger, 
was  '  gentleman  Sam,'  I'd  better  look  out  how  I  played  pranks  with  him, 
'cos  he's  as  bold  as  a  lion,  and  nearly  about  as  strong.  I  thought  that 
if  I  was  to  frighten  him  I'd  got  to  put  on  the  extras,  and  I  jist  collected 
a  few  dried  twigs,  lashed  them  on  the  head  with  dried  kangaroo  sinews, 
tougher  than  an  undertaker's  heart,  and  when  I  found  that  it  was  about 
time  for  the  coffin,  I  jist  lighted  the  wood  works  with  a  match,  and  there 
I  was  all  shining  bright  like  an  angel." 

"  If  you  resemble  an  angel,  I  don't  wonder  at  the  few  visits  they  pay 
the  earth,"  grumbled  Mr.  Brown,  who,  now  that  the  danger  was  nearly 
past,  was  disposed  to  quiz  the  man  who  had  been  so  serviceable  to  us. 

"  Well,  I  'spose  there  is  some  difference  'twixt  us,"  returned  Day, 
"  for  if  all  angels  got  burned  as  bad  as  I  have  been  they  would  leave 
out  the  fire  when  they  went  visiting"." 

"  Well,  well,"  replied  my  companion,  consolingly,  "  you  have  been  an 
angel  to  us,  Day,  and  if  I  had  only  a  portion  of  the  good  liquor  which 
you  carried  off  last  night  I  would  drink  your  health  and  bathe  your 
wounds." 

"  Would  you,  though  ?  "  demanded  Day,  with  animation. 

Mr.  Brown  reiterated  his  statement,  although  in  a  languid  manner, 
for  he  did  not  exactly  approve  of  the  midnight  depredation  which  our 
friend  had  been  guilty  of. 

"  Well,  to  tell  the  truth,"  continued  Day,  "  I  didn't  drink  all  that  I 
found,  'cos  I  thought  it  would  be  cruel,  so  I  jist  changed  it  into  a  blad- 


484  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALI. 

der  that  I  carried  water  in,  and  I  have  got  ii  owed  away  here  some, 
where." 

Never  did  a  confession  sound  more  welc<  ic,  and  we  watched  OUT 
friend  eagerly  until  he  returned  from  the  pi  ^  where  the  liquor  was 
hid,  and  we  found  about  a  pint  of  the  raw  material  sated  from  his 
rapacious  stomach. 

"  Here  is  health  and  long  life  to  all  undertakers'  apprentices,"  Mr. 
Brown  said,  pressing  the  bladder  to  his  mouth  in  the  most  affectionate 
manner. 

The  words  were  hardly  uttered  when  we  heard  the  shrill  calls  of  the 
bushrangers,  as  they  rallied  after  their  flight,  and  were  returning  to  their 
encampment  to  recover  what  articles  they  had  left  behind  them.  Sur- 
prised to  think  that  they  should  have  ventured  upon  haunted  ground 
the  second  time,  I  glanced  towards  the  woods,  and  found,  to  my  sur- 
prise, that  daylight  had  stolen  upon  us  almost  unperceived,  and  that 
the  bushrangers  had  gained  fresh  courage  from  the  fact,  and  were  still 
in  a  condition  to  annoy  us. 


CHAPTER    LXXII. 

FINDING  THE  BURIED  TREASURE. 

IF  we  had  once  given  the  matter  a  thought,  we  might  have  known 
that  the  bushrangers  would  return  to  their  camp  by  break  of  day,  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  their  effects  which  they  had  left  behind,  and 
to  talk  over  the  matter  of  the  spiritual  apparition.  I  almost  regretted 
that  we  had  not,  during  their  absence,  endeavored  to  gain  some  -secure 
retreat,  either  at  the  station  on  our  right,  which  our  Day  belonged  to, 
and  where  it  was  thought  the  bushrangers  would  not  have  dared  to  fol- 
low us,  or  else  having  struck  out  boldly  for  Mount  Tarrengower,  endeav- 
ored to  have  discovered  a  path  or  trail  that  led  over  the  mountain, 
where  we  might  have  found  safety.  In  case  no  trail  existed,  we  could 
have  secreted  ourselves  in  one  of  the  dark  glens  on  the  side  of  the 
Mount,  and  remained  there  until  Day  had  brought  us  word  that  the 
coast  was  clear. 

Even  Mr.  Brown  and  the  ghost  b'egan  to  look  black  when  the  pecu- 
liar calls,  which  we  knew  were  signals  employed  by  the  bushrangers, 
saluted  us.  Daylight  was  already  upon  us,  and  the  occupation  of  our 
apparition  was  at  an  end,  for  however  horrid  he  might  look  during  dark- 
ness, the  light  of  the  sun  revealed  Ms  true  character,  and  stripped  him 
of  his  ghastly  look. 

As  it  was  impossible  for  us  to  venture  from  the  island  while  the  rob- 
bers infested  the  woods,  we  naturally  turned  to  each  other  for  advice 
and  counsel.  Mr.  Brown  considered  that  our  only  chance  for  safety 
was  to  remain  where  we  were,  and  wait  patiently  until  Sam  and  "his  gang 
were  disposed  to  vacate  the  woods,  and  he  argued  shrewdly  that  they 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  485 

would  not  pass  a  second  night  in  a  locality  that  had  been  the  scene  of  a 
cold-blooded  murder,  and  the  appearance  of  a  ghost  of  the  most  fright- 
ful description. 

The  shepherd  was  in  favor  of  the  same  plan,  and  expressed  himself 
ready  to  fight  like  a  Briton  in  case  we  were  attacked,  and  to  show  his 
sincerity,  revealed  to  us  the  state  of  his  powder  horn,  half  full  of  dia- 
mond glazed,  while  his  pouch  contained  nearly  thirty  bullets,  each 
weighing  an  ounce. 

Luckily  we  had  taken  the  precaution  to  remove  Mr.  Brown's  gray 
horse  from  the  main  land  to  the  island,  so  that  no  trace  of  our  presence 
remained,  excepting  the  footprints  of  the  animals. 

"  I  think,"  said  Bay,  after  a  moment's  hesitation,  "  that  I  can  ven- 
ture to  meet  the  coveys  and  have  a  talk  with  'em,  and  endeavor  to  allay 
their  suspicions  if  they  have  any." 

Of  course  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  remonstrated  against  such  a  meas- 
ure, as  we  considered  that  his  fife  would  not  be  worth  one  of  his  sheep- 
skins if  met  by  the  gang. 

"  I  don't  know  'bout  that,"  Day  replied.  "  The  coveys  ain't  so  fond 
of  killing  stockmen,  if  they  don't  meddle  too  much  with  their  mutton, 
and  I'm  sure  whenever  gentlemanly  Sam  and  his  boys  have  honored 
me  with  a  visit,  I  have  let  'em  have  their  own  way,  and  they  have 
killed  without  hinderance.  If  that  isn't  treating  'em  well,  then  I  was  not 
larnt  manners." 

"  There  is  some  force  in  what  you  say,"  Mr.  Brown  replied. 

"  Of  course  there  is.  Can't  I  go  to  the  coveys  and  pretend  that  I  am 
searching  for  stray  sheep,  and  tell  a  lie  or  two  about  the  horses,  and 
then  hint  that  I  don't  like  to  be  caught  in  this  part  of  the  country  after 
dark,  'cos  I  have  seen  strange  sights,  that  I  don't  like  to  talk  about  ?  I 
don't  know  how  we  are  to  manage,  unless  I  act  the  part  proposed,  for 
as  sure  as  you  are  alive,  the  coveys  will  feel  curious  enough  to  know 
what  has  been  going  on  in  the  island,  and  if  they  once  get  a  hint  that 
we  are  here,  it  is  all  day  with  us." 

"  We  could  defend  the  island  against  ten  times  the  number  of  bush- 
rangers that  belong  to  the  gang,"  muttered  Mr.  Brown. 

"  No  doubt  of  that,"  remarked  the  shepherd,  dryly ;  "  but  the  coveys 
ain't  going  to  make  a  fight  of  it  by  any  means.  They  would  starve  us 
out  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours  after  beginning  the  siege." 

Mr.  Brown  pointed  to  the  horses,  as  though  intimating  we  could  eat 
them  if  pressed,  —  but  Day  shook  his  head. 

"  'Tain't  the  grub  that  we  should  need  as  much  as  something  else. 
Give  me  a  well  of  water  and  the  horses,  and  I'll  agree  to  hold  this 
island  agin  all  the  bushrangers  in  the  country.  Don't  you  know  that 
when  the  sun  begins  to  scorch  a  covey's  head  he  must  have  water  in  his 
stomach,  or  he'll  soon  kick  the  bucket  ?  We  could  eat  the  animals,  but 
we  must  have  something  to  drink,  likewise,  or  else  we'd  have  fits,  and 
like  as  not  kill  each  other.  No,  no,  we  can't  stand  a  siege  and  hope  to 
escape,  and  I  think  what  I  have  proposed  is  the  very  best  plan." 

We  hardly  knew  what  reply  to  make  our  acquaintance,  who  seemed 
determined  to  run  his  head  into  the  lion's  den,  but  the  thought  suddenly 
struck  Mr.  Brown  that  if  the  shepherd  meant  to  thus  expose  his  life  he 
deserved  to  get  large  pay  for  it,  and  as  my  friend  was  one  of  those  kind 

41* 


486  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

of  men  who  liked  to  have  every  thing  understood,  he  considered  that  it 
was  his  duty  to  touch  on  that  particular  point,  and  find  out  what  his 
views  really  were. 

"  We  could  afford  to  pay  something  for  the  risk  that's  run,  in  case 
you  undertook  the  task,  but  we  are  not  rich  by  any  means,  although  you 
may  think  so  by  our  appearance,"  my  friend  said,  with  a  complaisant 
glance  at  his  person,  which  he  imagined  was  dignified,  forgetful  that 
he  had  dismissed  the  uniform  of  an  inspector,  and  wore  nothing  but 
a  flannel  shirt  and  duck  trousers. 

"Humph,"  muttered  the  ghost.  "I  should  almost  be  ashamed  to 
change  places  with  either  of  you.  As  for  reward,  first  wait  till  I  ask  for 
one.  I  will  promise  not  to  claim  any  thing  more  expensive  than  a  bot- 
tle of  brandy,  and  a  few  pipes  of  'bacca,  and  those  I  shan't  ask  for 
unless  you  come  this  way  agin,  which  isn't  likely." 

"If  we  don't  come  we  can  send,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  eagerly,  "and  I 
promise  that  you  shall  have  a  gallon  of  as  good  brandy,  'and  half  a 
dozen  pounds  as  good  tobacco  as  can  be  found  in  Ballarat,  if  you  can 

get  those  d d  bushrangers  clear  of  this  part  of  the  country  so  that 

we  can  escape.  There  they  go  again,  with  their  eternal  co-hoo-pe. 
What  in  the  devil's  name  do  they  mean  by  that,  I  wonder  ?  " 

"  It  is  the  signal  for  them  to  extend,  and  keep  a  sharp  lookout,"  I 
replied,  recollecting  the  signal  perfectly  well,  having  heard  it  many 
times. 

"  Then  I  have  no  time  to  waste,  as  the  funeral  undertaker  said,  when 
told  that  the  body  in  the  house  would  come  to  life  if  left  unburied," 
cried  the  ghost,  beginning  to  strip  off  his  sheepskins  with  nervous  haste. 
"  I'm  to  have  the  liquor  and  'bacca,  mind." 

I  joined  Mr.  Brown  in  assuring  him  that  we  would  freely  keep  our 
word ;  and  after  Day  had  drained  the  last  drop  of  liquor  that  we  had 
with  us,  he  boldly  started  on  his  dangerous  undertaking,  and  we  watched 
his  form  as  he  walked  over  the  peninsula,  and  reached  the  main  land, 
with  more  than  ordinary  interest. 

Suddenly  he  stopped,  before  reaching  the  woods,  and  applying  his 
hands  to  his  mouth,  he  uttered  a  word  that  is  well  known  to  stockmen 
of  Australia. 

"  Co-hee,"  he  shouted,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  sound  could  be 
heard  for  miles,  so  sharp  and  shrill  was  it. 

In  an  instant  the  various  cries  which  the  bushrangers  had  uttered 
were  hushed,  and  the  robbers  seemed  surprised  at  the  sudden  call, 
which  they  knew  did  not  belong  to  their  party. 

Once  more  the  shepherd  placed  his  hands  to  his  mouth,  and  gave  the 
shrill  cry  of — 

"  Co-hee." 

I  never  heard  a  yell  that  sounded  so  distinct,  and  which  seemed  to 
travel  such  a  distance.  I  venture  to  say,  that  if  a  person  hud  been  upon 
the  summit  of  Mount  Tarrengower,  he  could  have  recognized  the  call, 
and  had  he  answered,  we  should  have  heard  it. 

Day,  apparently  satisfied  with  what  he  had  done,  rested  upon  his 
honors,  and  waited  for  the  finale  of  his  adventures,  and  he  was  not  long 
kept  in  suspense,  for  the  bushrangers,  after  a  brief  reconnoitre  from 
behind  trees  and  bushes,  suddenly  debouched  into  the  open  plain,  and 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  487 

advanced  towards  the  seemingly  unconscious  shepherd  at  a  rapid  rate, 
and  foremost  in  the  group,  I  recognized  the  dark  features  of  Sanj 
Tyrell,  the  leader. 

"  Who  are  you,  that  answers  our  calls  like  a  man  lost  on  the  plains  ?  " 
demanded  Sam,  throwing  his  gun  into  the  hollow  of  his  arm,  as  though 
he  meant  mischief  if  provoked. 

"  That's  a  pretty  question  for  you  coveys  to  ask,  after  eating  my 
mutton  as  long  as  you  have,"  replied  Day.  "  I'm  a  shepherd,  and 
belong  to  this  station,  and  am  now  looking  after  my  pet  ram  that  got 
away  from  the  flock  some  time  during  the  night,  and  I'm  afeard  he's 
missed.  You  coveys  ain't  seen  him,  have  you  ?  " 

The  leader  shook  his  head  in  a  negative  manner,  and  seemed  to  en- 
tertain no  suspicion  in  regard  to  Day's  doings  the  night  before. 

"  I  want  to  find  the  ram,  'cos  he's  a  valuable  one,  and  cost  the  owner 
of  the  stock  considerable  money,  but  I'll  be  blamed  if  I  stay  round  here 
long,  ram  or  no  ram." 

"  Suppose  we  refuse  to  let  you  leave  us  ?  "  asked  Sam,  rather  gruffly. 

"  I  don't  care  about  leaving,  as  long  as  you  stay,"  replied  Day,  with 
perfect  assurance,  and  here  he  looked  over  his  shoulder,  as  though  he 
feared  to  see  something  at  his  elbow  that  would  prove  disagreable,  "  but 
I  don't  visit  this  spot  often,  and  when  I  do  come,  'tain't  in  the  night 
time,  you  had  better  believe." 

This  confession  seemed  to  awaken  an  interest  in  the  bushrangers,  for 
they  crowded  round  Day  as  though  desirous  of  an  explanation ;  and 
from  the  point  of  our  observation,  carefully  concealed  by  rank  grass  and 
rough  rocks,  we  could  observe  the  gang  whisper  to  each  other,  and  look 
at  the  shepherd,  as  though  he  could  give  an  explanation  if  he  was  dis- 
posed to. 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  your  hints  and  frightened  looks  ?  "  demanded 
the  leader,  in  a  tone  that  was  intended  to  act  as  a  warning,  in  case  Day 
should  attempt  to  deceive. 

"  O,  what  is  the  bloody  use  of  my  telling  you  coveys  any  thing  ?  "  the 
shepherd  answered.  "  You  fellers  who  don't  care  for  the  devil,  wouldn't 
believe  me,  and  I  should  only  get  laughed  at.  Have  you  seenxmy 
ram  ?  " 

"  Blast  your  ram,"  cried  Sam,  with  an  impatient  air.  "  We  want  to 
know  what  you  mean  by  saying  that  you  have  seen  strange  sights  ?  " 

"  Did  I  say  that  I  had  ? "  inquired  Day,  casting  a  rapid  glance 
towards  the  woods,  as  though  he  feared  the  appearance  of  a  horrid 
spectre. 

"  We  are  not  to  be  trifled  with,  shepherd,"  and  as  the  leader  spoke, 
he  made  a  motion  with  his  gun  that  was  very  significant,  and  Day  un- 
derstood it,  although  he  manifested  no  signs  of  disquietude. 

"  Is  it  possible,"  our  friend  asked,  "  that  you  have  never  heard  of  the 
Hunter  of  Mount  Tarrengower  ?  A  huge  spectre  that  rides  on  a  white 
horse  sometimes,  and  who  threatens  with  death  all  who  invade  his 
sacred  retreats.  I  have  never  seen  the  ghost,  but  one  of  my  brother 
stockmen  has,  and  he  told  me  that  he  would  not  look  upon  the  like 
again  for  the  station,  stock  and  all." 

"  Why  does  he  frequent  this  spot  in  preference  to  others  ?  "  demanded 
the  leader  of  the  gang,  who  seemed  to  be  interested  in  the  story  in  spite 
of  his  assumed  indifference. 


488  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  O,  an  old  stockman  once  told  me  that  a  shepherd  was  roasted  neat 
these  diggings  by  a  gang  of  bushrangers,  who  wanted  him  to  give  up 
some  money  that  he  had.  The  covey  was  stuffy,  and  refused,  or  else  he 
hadn't  got  any,  I  don't  know  which  is  the  right  story,  but  this  I  am  pos- 
itive of,  I'd  sooner  give  up  all  I  was  worth  than  be  burned  at  the  stake." 

"  Perhaps  the  reason  is,  you  are  worth  nothing,"  suggested  Sam,  after 
a  brief  survey  of  the  speaker. 

"  You  have  hit  the  nail  of  the  coffin  on  its  head  this  time,"  chuckled 
Day.  "I  don't  see  a  sovereign  from  one  year's  end  to  t'other,  and 
don't  'spect  to  till  my  time  has  expired,  so  that  I  can  work  for  myself." 

"  You  are  a  ticket  of  leave  man,  then  ?  "  demanded  Sam,  with  more 
feeling  than  he  had  shown  during  the  interview. 

"  Well,  if  I  wasn't  I  shouldn't  be  here,  working  for  thirty  pounds  a 
year,  when  there's  gold  to  be  dug  for  the  mere  paying  of  a  license. 
No,  no,  just  wait  till  I  can  call  myself  my  own  master,  and  then  the 
sheep  and  stock  may  go  to  the  devil,  for  all  that  I  care." 

"  Can't  you  tell  us  something  more  about  the  ghost  ?  "  asked  one  of 
the  men,  who  seemed  to  take  an  especial  interest  in  Day's  narrative. 

"  Well,  I  don't  like  to  talk  about  the  matter,  'cos  'tis  said  that  the  old 
feller  visits  those  who  are  too  intimate  with  his  name.  My  comrade, 
who  is  at  the  other  end  of  the  station,  told  me  once  that  he  saw  the 
Hunter  when  he  was  all  in  a  blaze,  and  that  when  he  spoke  the  ghost 
and  flames  disappeared.  I  don't  believe  half  what  he  tells  me  though, 
'cos  I  'spose  he  tries  to  frighten  me,  but  I've  got  as  much  courage  as  he 
has,  any  day." 

There  was  a  breathless  silence  for  a  few  moments,  and  the  robbers 
seemed  to  be  digesting  the  story  which  they  had  listened  to.  We  could 
see  them  whispering  together,  and  apparently  were  disposed  to  believe 
what  the  shepherd  had  said. 

"  Here  are  the  prints  of  horses  feet,"  Sam  exclaimed,  pointing  to  the 
ground.  "  Have  you  seen  horsemen  in  this  vicinity  lately  ?  " 

"  Heaven  forbid,"  cried  Day.  "  The  only  horse  that  visits  these  parts 
is  rode  by  the  Hunter." 

"  Then  we  will  give  him  fire  to  light  him  on  his  way,"  exclaimed  Sam, 
with  a  forced  laugh,  and  calling  his  men  he  turned  and  walked  towards 
his  late  encampment,  and  was  soon  lost  to  view. 

His  gang  followed  close  at  his  heels,  and  we  were  not  sorry  to  see 
them  depart,  although  we  could  not  help  wondering  what  was  meant  by 
the  threat  of  finding  fire  for  the  supposed  ghost.  We  found  out,  how- 
ever, full  soon,  and  owed  the  scamp  a  bitter  grudge  for  his  work. 

The  shepherd  pretended  to  walk  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the  stock- 
house,  but  concealed  himself  amid  the  trees,  and  waited  until  he  thought 
the  last  robber  had  retired  from  sight,  when  he  again  joined  us,  and 
received  our  hearty  congratulations  for  his  good  conduct. 

"  Now,  then,  let  us  have  another  search  for  the  treasure,"  cried  Mr. 
Brown,  springing  into  the  hole  which  Day  had  excavated,  after  he  had 
frightened  us  from  the  island. 

"  And  you  can't  be  too  quick  about  the  work,  neither,"  muttered  the 
shepherd. 

I  asked  for  a  meaning  to  his  expression,  but  he  declined  answering, 
and  seizing  the  pick  began  to  tear  up  the  sods  with  lusty  strokes,  but 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  489 

6efore  a  dozen  blows  were  struck,  I  heard  the  point  of  his  pick  strike 
something  that  gave  forth  a  metallic  sound. 

"  Hold  on,  Day,"  I  cried,  "  the  prize  is  within  our  grasp  at  last." 

I  carefully  removed  the  dirt  with  my  hands,  and  had  the  satisfaction 
of  bringing  to  light  a  canvas  bag  that  was  so  decayed  that  it  barely  sup- 
ported the  heavy  weight  which  it  contained. 

Mr.  Brown  and  the  shepherd  were  almost  frantic  with  delight,  anrf 
would  have  cheered  lustily,  had  not  fear  of  bringing  the  bushrangers 
upon  us  again  restrained  them. 

"  Down  with  it,  so  that  I  can  say  I  have  seen  some  money  in  my  life- 
time ! "  cried  Day.  "  Empty  it  out,  and  let  me  feel  of  it ;  let  me  but 
touch  the  precious  yellow  boys  with  my  fingers,  and  wonder  how  many 
splendid  funerals  it  would  pay  for." 

I  took  one  of  his  sheepskins  and  poured  the  contents  of  the  bag 
upon  it,  and  out  rattled  gold  dust,  sovereigns,  doubloons,  a  number  of 
American  gold  pieces  —  all  bearing  the  date  of  1832  —  articles  of  jew- 
elry, such  as  finger  rings  and  watch  chains,  and  at  the  bottom  of  the 
bag  was  a  lady's  gold  watch,  enamelled  back,  and  half  a  dozen  small 
diamonds  set  in  the  form  of  a  cross  upon  the  case.  I  examined  the 
watch  carefully,  and  saw  a  stain  near  the  diamonds.  Something  told  me 
that  the  mark  was  the  blood  of  the  unfortunate  owner.  I  laid  the  jewel 
down  with  a  shudder,  and  thought  of  the  cruelties  to  which  the  owner 
had  undoubtedly  been  subject  before  she  met  her  death.  Day,  however, 
partook  of  none  of  my  feelings,  for  he  was  eager  to  possess  so  attrac- 
tive a  trinket. 

"  Take  it  if  you  desire  it,"  I  said,  handing  the  watch  to  the  shepherd, 
"  but  you  will  always  recollect  that  there  is  a  stain  of  blood  upon  the  case." 

"  Not  I,"  he  replied,  handling  the  article  with  as  much  pride  and 
pleasure  as  a  boy  receives  a  new  toy ;  "  I  didn't  shed  her  blood,  and  so 
shan't  trouble  myself  about  this  little  spot  that  is  on  the  case.  It's  as 
pretty  as  a  mahogany  coffin,  but  it  don't  go." 

"  The  works  are  rusted,  and  it  will  be  necessary  to  send  it  to  Mel- 
bourne for  repairs." 

"  Not  I,"  answered  the  ghost,  with  a  chuckle ;  "  somebody  might  see 
it  and  lay  claim  to  it,  and  then  where  would  be  my  watch,  and  where 
would  I  be  ?  Another  term  at  the  hulks  is  not  agreeable  to  think  of, 
and  my  accounts  of  the  manner  in  which  I  got  hold  of  the  thing 
wouldn't  be  believed.  No,  no ;  I'll  wear  it  out  of  sight  until  I  leave 
the  country,  or  am  rich  enough'to  escape  suspicion." 

I  thought  that  Day's  course  was  the  best,  if  he  desired  to  retain  pos- 
session of  the  property,  for,  as  he  said,  a  number  of  awkward  questions 
would  probably  have  been  asked  him  at  Melbourne,  the  mere  carrying 
of  a  watch  by  a  ticket  of  leave  man  being  looked  upon  as  suspicious  by 
people  who  were  not  so  honest  as  Day. 

We  continued  our  examination  of  the  treasure,  and  were  delighted 
to  find  that  it  exceeded  our  expectations,  and  so  engrossed  were  we  in 
speculating  upon  the  nature  of  the  dust  that  we  forgot  the  hardships 
attendant  upon  obtaining  it. 

We  counted  the  coins,  and  found  that  we  had  about  three  thousand 
dollars,  and  I  judged  the  dust  was  worth  about  as  much  more,  as  it  was 
of  good  quality,  and  entirely  free  of  dirt. 


490  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OR 

"Now,  Day,  how  much  shall  we  give  you  for  your  valuable  ser- 
vices ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"  O,  I  am  satisfied  with  this,"  he  answered,  holding  up  his  watch, 
which  he  was  polishing  on  his  shirt  sleeve. 

"  But,  of  course,  you  expect  a  portion  of  the  dust  and  gold  coins  ?  " 

"No,  I  don't  expect  any  thing,  'cos  I  volunteered  my  services,  and 
I'm  always  happy  to  accommodate,  as  the  man  said  who  was  willing  to 
be  put  in  a  coffin  before  he  was  dead.  Never  mind  me,  I'm  satisfied." 

The  shepherd's  modesty  surprised  me,  for  I  had  anticipated,  from  his 
eagerness  to  get  hold  of  the  watch,  that  he  would  be  equally  as  eager 
for  a  share  of  the  gold,  and  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  were  both  aware 
that  he  deserved  a  handsome  reward  for  the  dangers  through  which  he 
had  passed  to  free  us  from  the  inquisitiveness  of  the  bushrangers. 
Therefore,  the  more  backward  Day  appeared  the  more  firmly  did  we 
insist  upon  doing  justice  to  his  merits. 

Mr.  Brown  and  myself  consulted  together  for  a  few  minutes,  and 
then  concluded  to  give  him  a  thousand  dollars  in  gold  coin  ;  and  when 
we  announced  our  decision,  the  shepherd  was  frantic  with  delight. 

"  O,  luddy ! "  he  cried,  "  wouldn't  I  have  a  time  to-night  if  I  was  in 
London  and  had  this  money  in  my  pocket  ?  Wouldn't  I  drink  'alf  and 
'alf  till  I  couldn't  speak,  and  then  go  to  bed  with " 

So  elated  did  Day  get  with  the  idea  that  he  clapped  his  hands 
together,  and  sprang  into  the  air,  cutting  antics  of  the  most  singular 
kind.  While  he  was  thus  expressing  his  gratitude,  and  even  while  his 
face  was  teeming  with  pleasure,  I  saw  a  wonderful  change  come  over  it. 
He  stopped  speaking,  and  muttered,  — 

"  D — n  'em ;  now  they  have  done  it,  and  no  mistake ! " 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Day  ? "  asked  Mr.  Brown,  rather  sternly, 
thinking  the  remark  was  applied  to  us. 

The  shepherd  pointed  with  his  hand  in  the  direction  of  the  main 
land,  and  one  look  was  sufficient  to  convince  us  that  the  threat  which 
Sam  had  uttered  was  no  idle  one,  for  a  cloud  of  black  smoke  was  issu- 
ing from  the  trees,  not  in  one  place  alone,  but  in  fifty,  and  before  we 
could  recover  from  our  astonishment,  a  sheet  of  flame  darted  from  the 
woods,  and  gathering  headway  as  it  crept  along,  seized  upon  the  dry 
grass,  and  rapidly  approached  the  peninsula. 


CHAPTER    LXXIII. 

THE  ESCAPE  FROM  THE  FIRE. 

ALL  the  troubles  through  which  we  had  passed  were  mere  child's 
play  compared  to  our  situation  at  the  present  time,  for  a  forest  on  fire 
was  a  danger  that  was  calculated  to  test  our  energies  to  the  utmost  if 
we  expected  to  escape  with  whole  skins  and  our  lives.  For  a  few  min- 
utes, therefore,  we  were  overwhelmed  and  speechless,  and  gazed  into 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  491 

each  other's  faces  for  counsel.  Our  first  thoughts  were  that  we  could 
remain  on  the  island  and  escape  the  fury  of  the  flames,  and  so  we 
might  have  done  had  we  possessed  water  sufficient  to  quench  not  only 
our  own  thirst  but  that  of  the  animals.  A  moment's  reflection,  how- 
ever, convinced  us  that  we  could  not  exist  for  half  a  day  where  we 
were,  with  a  scorching  sun  overhead  and  a  roaring  fire  in  front,  and 
that,  if  we  intended  to  Escape,  we  must  begin  to  make  preparations 
without  delay,  as  every  second  the  flames  increased  and  extended  on 
all  sides. 

"Pocket  the  gold,"  shouted  Day,  setting  us  an  example  with  his 
share.  "  We  will  try  and  save  that  and  our  own  lives,  but  as  for  the  rest 
of  the  baggage  we  must  leave  it  behind." 

We  were  not  backward  in  filling  our  pockets  with  the  dust  and  coins, 
and  by  the  time  we  had  secured  the  last  scale  Day  was  saddling  the 
horses  and  putting  on  their  bridles. 

"  We  can  never  get  the  animals  through  the  fire,"  Mr.  Brown  said, 
well  knowing  the  reluctance  with  which  horses  approach  flames. 

"  I've  thought  of  that,"  responded  Day,  "  and  intend  to  cover  their 
eyes  with  sheepskins." 

The  idea  was  a  capital  one,  and  was  immediately  carried  into  effect. 
The  skins  which  Day  had  used  to  play  the  ghost  were  now  employed  to 
cover  the  heads  of  our  restless  animals,  for  as  the  fire  increased  they 
seemed  to  be  aware  of  their  danger,  and  were  with  difficulty  prevented 
from  plunging  into  the  bog,  where  they  would  soon  have  been  smoth- 
ered in  defiance  of  our  exertions.  The  instant  that  their  eyes  were 
blindfolded  they  became  perfectly  quiet,  and  suffered  themselves  to  be 
led  to  the  peninsula,  which  they  crossed  without  accident,  and  while  we 
debated  for  a  few  minutes  which  course  we  should  take  to  avoid  the 
danger,  the  animals  remained  motionless,  as  though  they  had  every 
confidence  in  our  wisdom. 

"  We  must  look  to  you  for  guidance  here,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  turning 
to  the  shepherd,  who  was  attentively  watching  the  course  of  the  flames. 
"  There  is  a  horse  for  each  of  us,  and  a  few  blows  must  not  be  spared 
to  make  them  carry  us  safe  through  the  fire." 

We  threw  ourselves  into  the  saddles,  and  left  the  pack  horse,  a  stout 
brute,  for  Day  to  take  charge  of'.  Every  thing  that  we  had  packed 
upon  his  back  we  had  left  on  the  island,  and  the  only  articles  that  we 
carried  on  our  own  persons  were  revolvers.  Even  our  powder  flasks  we 
emptied  for  fear  of  an  explosion,  as  the  air  was  full  of  cinders  blown  in 
all  directions  by  light  breezes  which  began  to  spring  up  with  the  morn- 
ing sun. 

"  Which  direction  shall  we  take,  Day  ?  "  I  asked,  thinking  that  it  was 
about  time  we  started,  as  the  fire  was  creeping  towards  us  at  a  rapid 
rate. 

"  Ton  my  word,  I  don't  know,"  he  replied,  with  a  puzzled  expression 
upon  his  face.  "  You  see  that  the  woods  on  our  right  are  on  fire,  and 
so  are  those  on  our  left  leading  to  the  banks  of  the  Loddon.  'Tisn't 
the  trees  that  I  care  so  much  about  as  the  grass.  If  I  only  knew 
whether  the  grass  was  on  fire  beyond  the  woods  on  our  right  I'd  give 
half  of  the  gold  I've  got  in  my  pockets,  and  think  myself  fortunate." 

"  If  our  situation  is  so  desperate  it  won't  do  to  stand  here  and  talk 


492 

about  it.  Let  us  make  a  bold  push  and  reach  the  river  if  possible, 
unless  you  thiuk  the  bushrangers  have  retreated  in  that  direction,"  \ 
remarked. 

"  Them  coveys  are  safe  enough,"  replied  Day,  pointing  to  the  moun- 
tain, from  which  we  were  separated  by  a  wall  of  fire  that  almost  blis- 
tered our  faces  where  we  stood.  "  They  have  gone  up  there  like  so 
many  kangaroos,  and  no  doubt  are  laughing  at  the  sight,  and  thinking 
how  surprised  the  ghost  will  be  when  he  appears  to-night.  Them 
coveys  hain't  got  much  respects  for  beings  of  this  world  or  'tother,  I 
should  judge  by  their  treatment  of  the  best  specimen  of  a  goblin  ever 
got  up  in  any  country." 

"  D — n  your  long  yarns,  let's  get  out  of  this  confounded  furnace 
before  we  stop  to  talk,"  was  the  response  of  Mr.  Brown,  who  began  to 
grow  impatient  under  the  fiery  ordeal. 

Day  looked  as  though  he  would  like  to  discuss  the  matter,  but  he 
altered  his  mind  when  he  found  that  the  fire  was  within  ten  feet  of 
•where  we  stood. 

"  For  God's  sake,  are  you  going  to  keep  us  here  till  we  are  smoth- 
ered ? "  yelled  my  friend ;  and  there  was  some  danger  of  it,  for  the 
smoke  swept  towards  us  in  clouds,  and  made  us  gasp  for  breath  and 
long  for  a  drink  of  the  sweet  water  of  the  Loddon. 

Thus  urged,  Day  made  another  hasty  survey  of  the  smoking  plain, 
and  then,  striking  his  sharp,  bony  heels  into  the  sides  of  his  horse,  led 
the  way  over  the  burning  grass  at  a  tremendous  pace,  closely  followed 
by  Mr.  Brown  and  myself. 

The  animals,  as  though  aware  that  their  lives  and  our  own  depended 
upon  their  good  behavior,  galloped  over  the  plain  that  separated  us 
from  the  woods  without  once  balking,  although  I  feared  and  expected  it 
every  moment.  After  we  reached  the  trees  where  the  fire  was  raging 
severely,  and  where  it  was  impossible  to  discover  the  path  which  we  had 
followed  when  we  were  on  our  way  to  the  treasure,  I  was  fearful  that  we 
should  be  obliged  to  dismount  and  trust  to  our  legs  for  an  escape,  for 
to  have  checked  our  animals  even  for  a  moment  would  have  so  bewil- 
dered them  that  we  should  have  lost  all  control  over  them.  Our  good 
genius,  Day,  however,  by  some  peculiar  landmark,  knew  the  trail  in 
spite  of  the  smoke,  and  did  not  hesitate  for  a  moment. 

"  Keep  close  to  me,"  he  shouted,  looking  back  for  a  moment,  and 
then,  with  a  wild  yell,  he  gave  his  horse  free  rein,  and  on  we  dashed 
close  to  his  heels. 

On  each  side  of  us  the  flames  were  roaring  and  surging  like  the 
breaking  of  a  heavy  surf  upon  the  seashore,  and  every  moment  the  fire 
was  extending  by  the  aid  of  the  grass  and  dead  branches  of  trees,  which 
were  like  tinder,  no  rain  having  fallen  in  that  part  of  the  country  for 
three  months. 

We  could  see  but  a  short  distance  ahead  of  us  owing  to  the  smoke, 
and  for  a  while  we  were  in  a  state  of  great  uncertainty  whether  there 
was  an  outlet  in  the  direction  which  we  were  pursuing.  Our  retreat 
was  cut  off,  for  the  fire  had  rolled  across  our  track,  consuming  every 
blade  of  grass  in  its  course,  and  our  only  hope  of  safety  was  to  continue 
onward  and  endeavor  to  outstrip  our  enemy. 

Suddenly  Day  checked  his  horse,  and  waited  for  us  to  gain  his  side. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  493 

"  We  can't  get  to  the  river  this  way,"  he  said,  hurried)",.  "  for  the 
grass  is  all  on  fire  in  front  of  us,  and  is  burning  like  a  furnace.  Our 
animals  would  drop  before  they  got  twenty  rods,  and  then  where  should 
We  be?" 

The  question  was  too  pertinent  to  be  answered  readily,  even  if  we  had 
the  time. 

"  I  think  that  we  had  better  take  to  the  woods  on  our  right  and  en- 
deavor to  gain  the  mountain,  or  the  foot  of  it  at  least.  The  fire  does 
not  spread  so  fast  in  the  vicinity  of  the  trees,  although  there  is  more 
smoke  than  on  the  open  land." 

"  There  is  danger  of  our  getting  confused,  and  rushing  into  the 
fire,  instead  of  out  of  it,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  in  answer  to  my  sug- 
gestion. 

"  Not  if  Day  knows  the  ground,"  I  replied. 

"  I  know  every  rod  of  it  between  here  and  the  Loddon,"  he  answered, 
promptly. 

"  Then  lead  the  way,  and  the  risk  be  on  my  head,"  I  said,  turning  my 
horse's  head  in  the  direction  of  the  woods. 

The  shepherd  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  while  he  was  considering 
the  matter,  a  huge  kangaroo  bounded  from  the  woods  on  our  left,  passed 
within  ten  feet  of  us,  and  disappeared  in  the  smoke  that  was  rising 
from  the  trees  on  our  right.  A  second  afterwards  my  horse  suddenly 
started,  and  with  difficulty  could  I  control  him.  I  thought  that  the  fire 
had  got  under  his  feet,  but  a  glance  to  the  ground  convinced  me  that 
such  was  not  the  case,  and  that  the  animal  was  frightened  at  something 
more  dreadful  than  the  flames,  for  creeping  across  the  trail,  with  head 
erect  and  flashing  eyes,  was  a  huge  diamond  snake,  nearly  fifteen  feet 
long  and  about  fourteen  inches  in  diameter.  The  serpent  was  too  eager 
to  make  his  escape,  and  was  too  much  frightened  to  think  of  molesting 
us,  but  I  was  not  sorry  to  lose  sight  of  him,  although  at  any  other  time 
I  would  have  given  him  the  contents  of  my  revolver. 

"  That  kangaroo  knows  the  best  route  for  getting  clear  of  the  danger. 
Let's  follow  him." 

Day's  idea  of  following  the  animal  was  good,  but  it  was  exceedingly 
probable  that  the  brute  was  half  a  mile  from  us  before  we  made  up  our 
minds  which  direction  to  take.  Kangaroos  get  over  the  ground  with 
more  than  railroad  speed,  each  bound  which  they  make  averaging  from 
fifteen  to  twenty-five  feet  in  length. 

We  turned  our  horses'  heads  and  urged  them  through  the  smoke, 
avoiding  the  fire  as  well  as  possible,  so  that  our  animals  would  not 
become  alarmed  and  refuse  to  move,  except  in  the  direction  of  danger. 
By  this  means  we  made  some  progress,  and  soon  hoped  to  get  clear  of 
the  trees ;  but  before  we  had  advanced  a  quarter  of  a  mile  a  long  wall 
of  fire  headed  us  off,  and  again  brought  us  to  a  stand  still.  To  retreat 
was  impossible,  for  the  fire  was  surging  after  us,  and  feeding  upon  the 
long  grass  with  a  fierceness  that  told  us  we  could  not  cross  the  line  and 
hope  to  live,  while  if  we  advanced  a  like  result  was  certain.  On  every 
side  of  us  we  could  hear  the  trees  crack,  and  sway  to  and  fro,  and  then 
fall  with  a  heavy  crash  that  showed  how  rapidly  the  flames  had  spread, 
and  with  what  intensity  the  fire  was  burning.  Our  fate  began  to  look 
doubtful,  and  I  had  almost  a  mind  to  throw  away  the  gold  which  loaded 

42 


494  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,    OU 

down  my  pockets,  and  to  possess  which  I  had  encountered  so  many 
dangers. 

"  What  shall  we  do  now  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Brown,  his  voice  as  firm 
and  apparently  as  composed  as  when  in  Bullarat,  surrounded  by  his  po- 
licemen. 

Day  was  evidently  at  the  end  of  his  expedients,  for  he  sat  on  his 
horse  and  only  stared  at  us  in  reply,  not  offering  a  word. 

"  In  which  direction  is  Mount  Tarrengower  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  stockman  pointed  with  his  hand  to  the  right  of  us. 

"  Are  you  sure  ?  "  I  demanded. 

"  Positive,"  he  answered. 

"  Then  follow  me ! "  and  with  a  word  I  encouraged  my  horse,  and 
started  at  as  rapid  a  pace  as  possible  in  the  direction  indicated. 

Mr.  Brown  and  Day  followed  as  close  as  possible,  and  for  a  few  min- 
utes we  were  kept  hard  at  work  dodging  the  branches  of  trees,  and 
guiding  our  blindfolded  horses  through  the  labyrinths  for  the  purpose 
of  avoiding  the  fire  as  much  as  possible.  Sometimes  we  were  com- 
pelled to  halt  until  a  cloud  of  black  smoke,  impregnated  with  the  juice 
of  gum  trees  and  stately  palms,  had  passed  over  us  and  revealed  the 
course  which  it  was  necessary  for  us  to  pursue  to  find  safety.  Amidst 
all  this  it  was  a  consolation  to  know  that  we  were  not  getting  into  hot- 
ter localities,  and  that  the  flames  were  raging  more  extensively  in  the 
quarter  which  we  had  left  but  a  minute  before,  for  we  could  see 
the  fire  rolling  over  the  very  spot  we  had  stopped  at  when  Day  had  re- 
linquished the  head  of  the  party. 

On  we  went,  and  at  length  the  smoke  gradually  diminished,  and 
above  the  tree  tops  could  be  seen  the  rugged  sides  of  Mount  Tarren- 
gower. Even  then  we  did  not  consider  that  we  were  in  safety,  for 
a  change  of  wind  would  bring  the  fire  upon  us  a  second  time,  and  then 
we  should  be  hemmed  in  between  the  sides  of  the  mountain  and  the 
woods  —  no  very  enviable  situation.  We  felt  thankful,  however,  for 
our  escape  so  far,  and  prayed  as  well  as  we  were  able  that  the  wind 
would  hold  in  its  present  position  until  we  were  in  safety. 

For  a  few  minutes  we  sat  upon  our  horses  and  watched  the  flames  at 
our  feet,  —  for  we  were  on  elevated  ground,  a'hd  could  overlook  a  large 
portion  of  the  fire  —  and  a  grand  sight  it  was  to  see  tree  after  tree  fall 
with  a  tremendous  crash,  sending  up  sparks  and  jets  of  flame,  and  thick 
clouds  of  black  smoke  which  rose  high  in  the  air,  and  then  sailed  in 
majestic  grandeur  in  the  direction  of  Ballarat.  We  were  too  busy  with 
our  thoughts  to  converse  for  some  time  after  our  escape,  but  at  length 
Mr.  Brown  suggested  to  Day  that  his  sheep  would  suffer  during  his 
absence,  even  if  they  were  not  all  destroyed  by  the  fire. 

"  No  fear  of  that,"  replied  the  shepherd,  with  a  grin  which  showed 
how  much  interest  he  had  in  his  employer's  property,  forced,  as  he  was, 
to  take  care  of  it  by  the  strong  arm  of  law.  "  Sheep  ain't  such  devil- 
ish fools  a,s  to  run  into  fires  with  their  eyes  wide  open.  When  I  go 
back  I  shall  find  my  flock  all  right,  and  if  I  don't  'tain't  much  matter. 
My  comrades,  however,  will  wonder  more  about  my  absence  than  the 
animals,  and  I  s'pose  they  will  think  I'm  a  goner." 

"  How  near  are  we  to  the  station,  Day  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Let  me  see,'?  replied  the  shepherd,  after  a  moment's  reflection, 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  495 

"  We  can't  be  more  than  five  miles  from  the  Loddon,  and  if  we  follow 
the  left  bank  of  the  river  long  enough  we  shall  reach  Wright's  station, 
where  we  can  get  something  to  eat,  and  perhaps  be  sure  of  a  welcome." 

"  Humph,"  grunted  Mr.  Brown,  "  your  directions  are  not  very  plain, 
and  you  seem  to  be  in  doubt  whether  we  will  fare  well  or  ill  after  we 
gain  the  farm.  Why  should  we  not  be  received  with  kindness  ?  " 

"  Well,  to  tell  you  truth,"  replied  the  shepherd,  with  commendable 
frankness,  "  I  don't  think  that  the  looks  of  you  two  coveys  are  very 
prepossessing,  and  I  have  a  fear  that  you  will  be  mistaken  for  bush- 
rangers, and  get  a  dose  of  lead  instead  of  a  dinner.  I  'spose  that  if  I 
was  to  go  ahead  and  speak  for  ye  'twould  be  all  right." 

We  could  not  help  laughing  at  the  impudence  of  the  fellow,  and  yet 
he  was  perfectly  serious  in  his  belief. 

"  Let  us  shape  our  course  for  the  farm,  and  not  be  all  day  thinking 
of  the  matter,"  Mr.  Brown  said  testily.  "  If  Wright  won't  give  us  a 
Bupper  and  a  bed  we  can  go  without." 

"  Remember,"  shouted  Day,  as  we  urged  our  horses  along  as  fast  as 
possible  over  the  uneven  ground,  keeping  close  to  the  base  of  the 
mountain,  to  avoid  the  fire  which  was  still  raging  parallel  to  our  course, 
"  I  don't  hold  out  hopes  that  you  will  be  well  received.  I  ain't  much 
acquainted  with  the  covey  Wright,  so  that  it  will  be  no  use  for  me  to 
ride  in  advance." 

"  Don't  distress  yourself,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  somewhat  annoyed  to 
think  that  a  stockman  should  want  to  vouch  for  his  respectability ;  but 
I  looked  at  the  matter  in  the  light  of  a  good  joke,  and,  riding  by  the 
side  of  Day,  I  managed  to  discover  the  reasons  for  not  wishing  to 
appear  before  the  farm  house  of  the  proprietor. 

It  seemed  that  Mr.  Wright  was  engaged  extensively,  not  only  in 
agriculture  but  in  stock  raising,  and  that  to  carry  on  his  business  it  was 
necessary  to  employ  quite  a  small  army  of  laborers,  as  well  as  a  small 
colony  of  dogs,  who  guarded  the  sheep  during  the  night,  and  formed  a 
regular  cordon  around  them,  into  which  circle  none  could  enter  or 
depart  except  the  shepherds.  In  case  of  an  alarm  by  an  invasion  of 
bushrangers,  the  employees  were  required  to  turn  out  and  act  as  skir- 
mishers to  repel  the  enemy ;  and  as  every  person  was  well  armed  and 
compelled  to  be  a  good  marksman,  Mr.  Wright,  after  a  few  battles,  in 
which  the  bushrangers  suffered  no  insignificant  loss,  finally  concluded 
that  it  was  better  to  get  their  mutton  at  some  station  where  blows  were 
less  plenty  and  flesh  equally  as  good. 

Still,  in  spite  of  these  drawbacks,  Mr.  Wright  was  compelled  to  be 
constantly  on  the  alert,  and  never  laid  his  head  upon  his  pillow  of  dried 
grass  at  night  expecting  to  wake  up  alive  in  the  morning,  for  the  region 
in  which  his  farm  was  situated  was  surrounded  by  bands  of  depreda- 
tors ;  and  how  should  he  know  but  they  would  join  forces  and  make 
common  cause  against  a  man  whom  they  considered  an  enemy  ? 


496  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

CHAPTER    LXXIV. 

ARRIVAL  AT  MR.  WRIGHT'S  STATION. 

A  LOVE  of  excitement  was  the  key  to  Mr.  Wright's  secret  for  remain- 
ing on  his  farm  and  cultivating  it,  while  danger  attended  him  at  every 
step  that  he  took,  unless  surrounded  by  a  body  guard  of  laborers.  Yet 
he  neglected  no  precaution  to  insure  his  safety,  and  those  under  his 
charge ;  and  for  this  purpose  he  had  two  natives  of  Australia  attached 
to  his  farm,  and  their  duty  consisted  in  watching  for  the  footsteps  of 
strangers,  and  following  their  trail  until  satisfied  that  no  wrong  was  in- 
tended ;  or,  if  danger  threatened,  the  occupants  of  the  farm  could  be 
prepared  to  meet  it  from  the  timely  warning  of  the  industrious  blacks. 
I  think  that  I  have  before  spoken  of  the  ability  of  the  Australian  to 
follow  a  trail  with  the  fidelity  of  a  bloodhound  —  no  matter  how  light 
the  step  or  what  kind  of  ground  is  passed  over,  the  native  is  never  at 
fault,  or  thrown  off  the  scent ;  and  even  if  a  dozen  men  attempt  to 
deceive  him,  he  picks  out  the  footsteps  of  the  person  he  is  in  pursuit 
of,  and  knows  an  enemy  from  a  friend. 

Their  tact  and  knowledge  in  this  respect  is  marvellous,  and  is  only 
equalled  by  their  skill  at  throwing  the  boomerang,  —  a  curved  piece  of 
wood,  measuring  from  twenty  inches  to  three  feet  in  length. 

As  I  listened  to  Day's  description  of  the  farmer  of  the  Lodden,  and 
his  means  of  repelling  attacks,  and  precaution  against  surprise,  I  no 
longer  regretted  the  dangers  of  the  excursion  and  its  hardships.  I 
longed  to  see  a  farmer  of  Australia,  and  learn  his  method  of  planting, 
and  what  kind  of  tools  he  used,  and  all  the  information  which  I  hoped 
would  be  interesting  to  my  agricultural  friends  in  this  country.  I  forgot 
that  I  was  not  clothed  in  exactly  the  kind  of  costume  that  would  insure 
me  a  warm  reception,  and  I  forgot  that  the  farmers  of  Victoria,  as  a 
general  thing,  are  as  aristocratic  in  feeling  as  the  gentlemanly  farmers 
of  England. 

I  could  have  wished  for  a  white  shirt  and  a  decent  riding  costume ; 
but  as  I  was  destitute  of  those  luxuries,  I  determined  to  appear  like  an 
American  gentleman,  even  if  I  didn't  look  like  one. 

As  for  Mr.  Brown,  he  manifested  the  most  profound  contempt  for 
clothing  when  I  hinted  the  matter  to  him,  and  concluded  by  expressing 
a  hope  that  if  Mr.  Wright  didn't  like  our  personal  appearance  he 
wouldn't  look  at  us,  which  I  considered  only  just  and  reasonable,  al- 
though, as  a  general  thing,  I  prefer  open  hostility  to  quiet  contempt. 

In  about  two  hours  time  we  gained  the  banks  of  the  Loddon,  and 
quenched  our  thirst  with  its  pure  water,  and  then  followed  the  stream 
along  for  a  number  of  miles  until  we  began  to  approach  signs  of  culti- 
vation, when  we  struck  a  very  good  road  that  apparently  had  been  used 
for  the  carting  of  water  to  the  farm  house.  In  a  short  time  we  came  in 
view  of  an  immense  field  of  wheat,  ripe  and  ready  for  reaping,  but 
without  a  fence  or  hedge  to  guard  it  against  the  depredations  of  ani- 
mals, although,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  the  grain  had  not  suffered  in 
that  respect. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  497 

Still,  we  met  with  no  one  connected  with  the  farm  ;  a  circumstance 
-  that  gave  Day  some  uneasiness,  for  he  was  continually  urging  us  to  be 
cautious  how  we  moved  along,  and  to  check  our  horses  the  instant  a 
word  was  addressed  to  us. 

"  It's  all  very  well  for  you  coveys  to  pretend  that  you  don't  care, 
but  if  a  few  bullets  should  happen  to  fly  this  way  and  knock  you  off 
your  horses,  what  satisfaction  would  there  be  in  letting  the  coveys 
know  that  they  had  made  a  mistake.  Recollect,  you  don't  look  over 
genteel." 

We  calmed  the  shepherd  with  assurances  that  we  would  be  extremely 
careful,  and  continued  onward,  and  when  we  least  expected  it,  a  sudden 
rounding  of  the  road  freed  us  from  the  trees  which  grew  upon  the  banks 
of  the  Loddon,  and  we  emerged  upon  an  open  space  containing  about 
sixty  acres,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  vast  square  was  the  farm  house 
belonging  to  Mr.  Wright.  It  was  quite  a  respectable  building,  two 
stories  high,  with  flat  roof,  and  constructed  entirely  of  rough  logs,  yet 
fitted  together  with  considerable  pretensions  to  skill  and  nicety. 

On  the  roof,  to  keep  out  the  rain,  and  to  prevent  the  bushrangers  or 
natives  from  setting  fire  with  burning  arrows,  was  dirt  about  a  foot 
deep,  and  sodded  over  with  turf.  The  body  of  the  building,  we  could 
see,  was  full  of  loopholes,  and  commanded  every  approach,  and  there 
was  no  tree  or  outhouse  sufficiently  near  to  interfere  with  this  arrange- 
ment, or  any  unequal  ground  which  a  foe  could  take  advantage  of. 

At  some  distance  to  the  left  of  the  castle,  as  Mr.  Brown  facetiously 
called  it,  were  three  immense  pens,  one  filled  with  sheep,  and  the  others 
with  horses  and  other  animals,  and  I  judged  there  were  as  many  dogs 
on  the  outside  of  the  pens  as  there  were  rams  on  the  inside,  for  the 
instant  we  appeared  in  sight  we  were  greeted  with  such  frightfully  dis- 
cordant yelling  and  barking  that  I  began  to  fancy  we  must  indeed 
present  a  woful  spectacle,  or  we  never  should  be  saluted  by  such  vin- 
dictive sounds.  Still,  not  a  shadow  -of  a  human  being  did  we  discover, 
and  I  began  to  think  that  the  bushrangers  had  made  a  descent,  mur- 
dered those  connected  with  the  farm,  and  then  escaped,  when  I  was  sud- 
denly convinced  of  my  error  by  hearing  the  report  of  a  musket,  and 
an  ounce  ball  whizzed  by  my  head  and  struck  the  ground  about  ten 
rods  in  the  rear  of  us. 

"  That  says,  stop  where  you  are,  plain  enough,"  remarked  Day, 
checking  his  horse ;  an  example  which  we  were  not  slow  in  following. 

"  But  if  we  remain  here  we  shall  get  no  supper,"  I  remarked. 

"  That  is  the  truest  word  that  you  ever  uttered,"  cried  Mr.  Brown, 
with  a  grin,  at  our  predicament. 

"  Will  you  go  forward,  Day,  and  let  Mr.  Wright  know  that  we  are 
friends  ?  "  I  asked  ;  but  the  shepherd  shook  his  head,  and  declined,  and 
manifested  a  willingness  to  retreat  from  the  neighborhood  of  the  house, 
ajthough  I  will  do  him  the  justice  of  stating  that  he  showed  no  signs  of 
fear. 

"  Look  at  the  cowards  at  the  windows  of  the  house,"  cried  Mr.  Brown ; 
and  sure  enough,  the  inmates  of  the  building  had  thrown  open  the  iron 
shutters,  and  were  gazing  at  us  with  some  curiosity,  although  I  noticed 
that  each  man  held  a  musket  in  his  hand  for  fear  of  surprise. 

"  I  wouldn't  refuse  to  speak  with  all  the  bushrangers  in  Australia,  if 

42* 


LIFE   IX  AUSTBALIA,   OE 

I  had  a  fortress  like  that  to  retreat  into,"  muttered  Mr.  Brown,  with  a 
smile  of  contempt. 

"  Let  us  cross  the  Lodden,  and  find  the  Hawkswood  station,"  sug- 
gested Day,  "  I'll  warrant  that  we  shall  get  something  to  eat,  and  per- 
haps a  drink  of  rum  there.  I've  had  a  taste  of  the  hospitality  of  that 
place  more  than  once." 

I  was  almost  resolved  to  follow  the  advice,  but  a  look  at  the  heavens 
convinced  me  that  we  should  have  rain  before  many  hours,  owing,  prob- 
ably, to  the  fire  which  was  raging  at  a  distance,  as  fiercely  as  ever,  and 
night  was  nearly  upon  us.  Besides,  I  began  to  feel  really  exhausted 
for  the  want  of  food  and  rest,  and  I  was  fearful  that  if  Day  should 
miss  the  trail  we  might  wander  about  until  daylight,  and  still  be  some 
distance  from  the  place  we  were  in  search  of. 

With  these  opinions  I  combated  both  Mr.  Brown  and  Day,  and 
made  an  impression,  for  the  former  exclaimed  pettishly,  that  if  I  was 
desirous  of  remaining,  I  might  devise  some  way  of  giving  Mr.  Wright 
and  his  numerous  proteges  intelligence  of  our  honesty.  The  task  was 
a  difficult  one,  but  I  scorned  to  be  at  a  loss  for  expedients. 

In  the  bosom  of  my  shirt  I  had  a  handkerchief,  made  of  India  silk, 
and  of  a  yellow  color,  but  at  a  short  distance  it  appeared  white,  and  I 
thought  it  would  answer  for  a  flag  of  truce.  Therefore,  before  my  com- 
panions were  aware  of  my  intention,  I  flourished  the  handkerchief  over 
my  head,  and  galloped  at  a  moderate  pace  towards  the  house,  expecting 
every  moment  that  I  should  get  a  shot  for  my  recklessness,  but  I  in- 
tended, if  there  was  any  firing,  to  wait  until  the  farmers  were  satisfied 
that  I  meant  honestly,  provided,  of  course,  I  escaped  getting  hit,  of 
which  I  was  in  some  fear,  I  must  confess. 

Luckily  for  my  safety,  Mr.  Brown  and  Day  remained  where  I  left 
them,  and  were  watching  my  movements  with  some  curiosity,  and  con- 
siderable anxiety.  Had  they  advanced  towards  the  house  at  the  same 
moment  as  myself,  we  should  all  have  bitten  the  dust,  and  rich  pickings 
the  stockmen  would  have  had  emptying  our  pockets,  and  boasting  of 
their  exploits  in  shooting  three  men  with  but  a  single  effective  revolver 
to  defend  themselves. 

On  I  galloped,  waving  my  handkerchief  in  token  of  friendship,  and 
exciting  dismal  howls  from  the  canine  brutes,  whom  I  expected  every 
moment  would  desert  their  flocks  and  attack  me,  but  I  afterwards  un- 
derstood that  the  dogs  were  so  well  trained  that  no  amount  of  tempta- 
tion could  induce  them  from  their  charges.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  my 
gallant  horse  would  have  had  to  put  his  speed  to  good  account,  tired  as 
he  was. 

When  within  three  rods  of  the  house,  I  halted,  and  prepared  for  a 
parley  with  the  garrison,  and  I  was  the  more  ready  to  commence  it, 
from  the  simple  circumstance  of  seeing  about  a  dozen  old  muskets 
pointed  at  me,  and  the  holders  of  the  same  glancing  along  the  barrels, 
as  though  meaning  mischief. 

"  Can  you  give  me  and  my  friends  supper  and  lodgings  tonight  ?  "  I 
asked,  addressing  the  crowd,  seeing  no  one  that  I  supposed  was  in 
authority. 

"  Go  away  wid  ye,  ye  thaves  and  murderers,"  cried  a  voice  "  rich  with 
brogue,"  and  I  could  not  help  laughing  in  the  fellow's  face  at  the 
answer. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  499 

"  We  will  pay  you  well  for  our  entertainment,"  I  continued,  after  I 
had  sufficiently  recovered  my  composure. 

"  Will  ye  lave,  yer  blackguard  ?  "  demanded  the  first  speaker,  shak- 
ing his  old  gun  at  me,  and  motioning  for  me  to  depart  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. 

"  We  have  been  without  food  all  day,"  I  continued,  "  and,  after  escap- 
ing the  dangers  of  the  burning  plains,  it  seems  hard  to  be  driven  away 
from  a  Christian's  door  like  dogs." 

"  It's  a  pity,  so  it  is,  that  ye  wasn't  consumed  in  that  same  fire. 
Away  wid  ye,  and  don't  bother  honest  people  like  us.  Ye  can't  come 
in  here,  and  that's  flat." 

"I  suppose  that  you  imagine  we  are  bushrangers,"  I  said  ;  "in  that 
you  are  mistaken.  We  have  just  escaped  from  a  gang." 

"  Thin  ye  had  better  'scape  back  agin,  as  fast  as  yer  two  legs  will  carry 
ye,"  cried  the  Irishman. 

"  It's  the  first  time  that  I  ever  knew  a  native  of  the  Emerald  Isle  to 
refuse  a  stranger  a  crust  of  bread  or  a  drop  of  water,"  I  continued,  re- 
solved to  try  what  virtue  there  was  in  flattery. 

"Will  yer  save  yer  blarney?"  demanded  the  fellow,  again  levelling 
his  gun  in  my  direction,  a  proceeding  that  I  did  not  thank  him  for, 
although  I  did  not  manifest  alarm. 

"  Go  to  the  devil ! "  I  cried,  thoroughly  out  of  patience,  "  and  send 
your  master  to  me." 

"  O,  holy  St.  Patrick !  only  hear  him !  He  calls  me  master  the  devil, 
and  thinks  I  won't  resent  the  insult.  Look  out  for  yer  eye,  for  by  the 
piper  that  played  before  Moses,  I'll  bore  yer  through  and  through ! " 

I  believe  the  fellow  would  have  kept  his  word,  and  I  was  just  about 
to  show  them  my  horse's  heels,  when  I  heard  a  man  speak  in  a  tone  of 
authority,.  — 

"  Up  with  your  guns,  and  don't  make  fools  of  yourselves  by  shooting 
an  unarmed  man." 

In  obedience  to  the  order  the  guns  were  lowered,  and  a  number  of 
the  men  fell  back  from  the  window,  and  allowed  me  to  get  a  glimpse  of 
the  person  whom  I  supposed  to  be  Mr.  Wright.  He  was  a  tall,  well- 
built  man,  with  broad  shoulders,  and  a  face  entirely  English,  covered 
with  sandy  whiskers. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  asked,  with  the  bluffness  and  arrogance  of  3 
native  of  Great  Britain. 

"  A  man,"  I  replied. 

"  I  have  your  word  for  that,  but  I  require  better  evidence." 

"  What  better  evidence  do  you  require  ?  "  I  demanded. 

He  did  not  notice  the  remark,  but  continued,  — 

"  I  see  many  people  every  week,  and  although  they  have  the  form  of 
men,  they  are  villains." 

"  The  more  reason  why  you  should  treat  honest  people  with  courtesy 
when  chance  brings  them  this  way,"  I  replied. 

"  Hear  the  feller's  blarney,"  muttered  the  Irishman. 

"  Silence,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  and  the  command  was  obeyed. 

"  We  have  to  be  extremely  cautious  whom  we  admit  within  these 
walls,"  Mr.  Wright  continued,  "  for  a  gang  of  bushrangers  has  been 
prowling  around  the  farm  for  a  week  or  more,  and  are  endeavoring  to 


500  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

destroy  my  flocks.  How  shall  I  know  that  you  don't  belong  to  the 
gang?" 

He  waved  his  hand  in  a  significant  manner,  and  I  could  not  have 
been  more  surprised  had  an  earthquake  shaken  me  from  my  horse. 

"  My  deeds  have  always  been  squared  in  accordance  with  the  great 
principles  of  the  fraternity,"  I  replied,  and  it  was  pleasing  to  see  what 
a  change  took  place  in  the  demeanor  of  the  farmer. 

"  Down  with  your  guns,"  he  shouted,  "  and  unbolt  and  unbar  the 
door.  See  to  the  gentleman's  horse,  and  let  us  have  for  supper  the 
best  that  the  station  affords." 

The  heads  disappeared  from  the  windows  as  if  by  magic,  and  in  a 
few  seconds'  time  the  heavy  outer  door  was  thrown  open,  and  forth 
issued  Mr.  Wright  at  the  head  of  his  employees.  I  signalized  to  Mr. 
Brown  and  Day  to  advance,  and  then  dismounted  and  met  the  strong 
grip  of  the  farmer's  hand  with  one  equally  as  hearty. 

"  I  ask  ten  thousand  pardons,"  he  said,  "  for  my  questions,  but  I  am 
obliged  to  keep  a  strict  guard  over  my  property,  or  I  should  be  sur- 
prised by  the  forest  rovers,  who  would  amply  repay  the  numerous 
checks  which  they  have  received  at  my  hands,  were  they  able  to  do  so." 

"  Make  no  apologies,"  I  replied,  "  for  I  don't  blame  you  for  classing 
me  with  suspicious  characters  ;  but  the  fact  is,  we  have  passed  through 
a  cordon  of  flames,  and  I  think  our  clothing  is  somewhat  damaged,  and 
our  personal  appearance  not  very  prepossessing.  We  should  not  have 
troubled  you  had  not  necessity  compelled  us." 

"  No  trouble,  no  trouble,"  he  exclaimed,  with  all  the  heartiness  of  an 
Englishman  who  is  disposed  to  be  friendly ;  "  I  am  always  glad  to  see 
company,  provided,  of  course,  it's  the  right  kind." 

By  this  time  Mr.  Brown  and  Day  had  joined  us,  and  were  waiting  to 
receive  the  same  welcome  that  had  been  bestowed  upon  me.  I  intro- 
duced them  in  due  form,  and  gave  Mr.  Brown  his  ex-title,  which  pleased 
him  excessively. 

"  I  know  you,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  addressing  Mr.  Brown.  "  Haven't 
we  met  before  ?  " 

"  I  should  say  that  we  had,"  replied  my  friend,  scanning  the  farmer's 
face  keenly. 

"  You  were  stationed  at  one  time  in  Melbourne  ?  "  Mr.  Wright  in- 
quired. 

"  For  a  number  of  years." 

"  And  of  course  you  remember  that  I  landed  at  that  city  ten  years 
since,  with  one  hundred  pounds  in  my  pocket  ?  " 

"  Large  numbers  of  emigrants  arrived  with  more  money  than  that," 
replied  the  ex-inspector. 

"  But  my  case  was  a  peculiar  one,  for  the  first  night  that  I  stopped 
on  shore  my  hundred  pounds  were  stolen,"  continued  Mr.  Wright. 

"  Quite  a  common  case,"  my  friend  said ;  "  women  are  fair  to  look 
upon  after  a  long  sea  voyage." 

"  D it,  you  have  hit  the  nail  on  its  head,"  cried  the  Englishman, 

hastily.  "  I  lost  all  my  money." 

"  I  knew  you  would  say  that,  if  you  told  all.     Go  on." 

"  I  complained  to  the  police,  and  you  investigated  the  circumstances, 
and  found  my  hundred  pounds  after  soJ»e  trouble,"  he  continued. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  501 

"  Be  thankful  that  I  was  young  and  inexperienced  at  that  period," 
cried  the  ex-inspector,  with  a  laugh. 

"  More  —  you  refused  to  accept  of  a  reward  that  I  offered  for  the  re- 
covery of  the  money." 

"  I  must  have  been  dreaming.  I  am  glad  to  think  that  there  is  one 
circumstance  in  my  life  that  I  can  refer  to  and  not  blush,"  cried  my 
friend,  jocosely. 

"  Bah ! "  cried  the  farmer,  who  didn't  believe  that  Mr.  Brown  was 
speaking  what  he  felt.  "  You  gave  me  good  advice,  and  from  it  I  trace 
all  my  property." 

"  I  am  glad  to  think  that  I  have  given  one  person  good  advice  in  my 
lifetime.  I  wish  that  I  had  taken  some  of  it  myself." 

"  I  followed  your  directions  and  bought  stock  with  my  hundred 
pounds,  and  now  look  around  and  see  my  flocks.  I  count  my  cattle 
by  the  thousands,"  continued  Mr.  Wright,  pointing  to  his  immense 
pens. 

"  I  remember  you,"  my  friend  said,  "  and  knew  you  the  instant  you 
spoke,  but  I  preferred  to  let  you  recall  reminiscences  of  by-gone  days, 
to  see  if  there  is  any  gratitude  in  the  world." 

"  Gratitude  ?  "  echoed  Mr.  Wright ;  "  darn  it,  man,  when  you  are  tired 
of  stopping  with  me  I'll  give  you  a  hundred  head  of  cattle." 

"  Don't  do  it,  for  mercy's  sake.  I  prefer  that  you  should  give  us 
something  to  eat  now.  Show  your  liberality  that  way,  for  we  are  fam- 
ishing." 

"  Eat,  man  !  you  shall  have  the  best  that  I  can  get.  Here,  Mike,  Pat, 
Peter,  where  are  you  all  P  Take  charge  of  the  gentlemen's  horses,  and 
give  them  a  feed  of  grain  and  a  thorough  rubbing  down.  Put  supper 
on  the  table  instantly,  and  brew  us  a  bowl  of  punch  that  will  make  us 
sing  like  nightingales,  and  sleep  like  honest  men.  This  way,  gentlemen, 
there  is  my  holise  —  rough  and  uncouth,  but  better  than  the  shelter  of 
a  tree  during  a  rainy  night.  You  are  welcome  to  my  hospitality." 


CHAPTER     LXXV. 

SUPPER.  —  RETURN  OF  MR.  WRIGHT'S  SCOUTS. 

THE  room  into  which  Mr.  Wright  conducted  us  was  on  the  ground 
floor,  and  was  about  thirty  feet  deep  and  fifteen  feet  wide.  Around  the 
walls  were  hung  skins  of  kangaroos,  stuffed  parrots,  and  other  birds  of 
gaudy  plumage,  while  confined  in  brackets  were  old  muskets  in  suffi- 
cient quantities  to  frighten  all  the  natives  of  Australia,  but  their  ap- 
pearance, imposing  as  th.ey  were,  would  not  have  sufficiently  impressed 
a  bushranger  of  nerve  into  the  belief  that  they  were  dangerous,  even  if 
loaded  with  their  proper  quantum  of  powder  and  lead. 

We  had  hardly  crossed  the  threshold  of  the  building  when  a  shrill 
roice  greeted  us  with,  — 


502  LITE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

"  D — n  bushrangers  —  d — n  bushrangers  —  caught  at  last !  —  ha,  Via! 
-- 1  knew  it !  —  I  said  so !  —  steal  sheep,  will  you  ?  " 

We  started  back  at  such  a  reception,  and  Mr.  Brown  began  to  mut- 
ter something  about  "  gratuitous  insults,"  when  Mr.  Wright  pointed  to 
a  remarkably  large  parrot  that  was  roosting  on  the  back  of  a  chair,  sur- 
veying us  with  quiet  dignity,  and  evidently  with  considerable  worldly 
wisdom. 

Our  anger  vanished,  and  we  made  immediate  overtures  to  Poll,  for 
the  purpose  of  establishing  a  firm  friendship,  but  our  advances  were 
met  with  dignified  coolness,  while  Day,  who  attempted  to  scratch  the 
bird's  head,  got  severely  bitten  for  his  pains. 

"  D — n  the  beast ! "  muttered  the  shepherd,  rubbing  his  finger. 

"  That's  right  —  swear !  D — n  it,  why  don't  you  swear  ?  Sheep  steal- 
ers !  Who  robs  people  ?  Ha,  ha !  Set  the  dogs  on  'em ! " 

"  A  precocious  parrot,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  "  and  he  is  indebted  for  his 
profanity  to  my  men,  who  learn  him  much  that  is  bad,  and  little  that  is 
good,  and  to  tell  the  truth,  he  learns  the  former  much  more  readily 
than  the  latter." 

'•  In  which  he  closely  resembles  our  policemen,"  muttered  the  ex- 
inspector. 

"  These  gentlemen  are  my  friends,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  addressing  the 
parrot,  and  formally  presenting  us  for  its  distinguished  considera- 
tion. 

"  O,  friends,  hey  ?  "  croaked  the  bird,  eyeing  us  sharply ;  "  why  didn't 
you  say  so  before  ?  give  Poll  something ;  pretty  Poll !  " 

We  were  unable  to  comply  with  the  request,  and  the  parrot  didn't 
spare  us  in  his  denunciations  for  our  illiberality,  and  to  relieve  us,  Mr. 
Wright  proposed  that  we  should  visit  his  private  apartment  and  change 
our  clothes,  seeing  that  we  stood  in  need  of  different  raiment  very 
much,  and  having  none  of  our  own  at  hand. 

The  room  into  which  we  were  shown  was  used  as  a  sleeping  apart- 
ment and  wardrobe  by  the  proprietor  of  the  station,  and  while  it  con- 
tained but  few  of  the  luxuries  of  civilized  life,  it  was  not  entirely  desti- 
tute of  a  comfortable  appearance. 

In  one  corner  was  a  rude  bedstead,  with  a  hair  mattress  and  blan- 
kets, a  looking  glass  of  miniature  dimensions,  a  rifle  of  English  pat- 
tern, heavy  and  cumbersome,  a  pair  of  splendid  duelling  pistols,  a  long 
sword  with  basket  hilt,  and  a  bowie  knife. 

"  Here's  where  I  sit  and  read,  and  sometimes  write,"  said  our  host, 
throwing  open  a  window  to  enable  us  the  better  to  see  his  treasures ; 
"  my  library  is  small,  and  I  seldom  make  additions  to  it,  but  the  few 
books  which  I  have  are  like  friends  whom  I  can  trust,  old  and  true. 
Now  I  desire  that  you  shall  change  your  garments,  and  if  you  Nvish, 
take  a  bath  before  supper." 

The  proposition  which  our  host  made  was  not  to  be  neglected,  for  my 
skin  felt  as  though  parched  in  an  oven,  and  my  clothes  were  so 
scorched  that  they  were  ready  to  fall  to  pieces.  We  did  not  scruple, 
therefore,  to  avail  ourselves  of  the  courtesy  of*  Mr.  Wright,  and  after  a 
wash  in  a  huge  hogshead,  that  was  used  for  bathing  purposes,  we  once 
more  found  ourselves  comfortable,  with  clean  garments,  and  when  we 
were  dressed  supper  was  announced. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  503 

Day,  who  had  participated  in  our  toils  and  struggles,  and  whom  we 
iad  learned  to  regard  with  considerable  affection,  declined  seating  him- 
self at  the  table  with  us,  and  all  our  urging  did  not  overcome  his  diffi- 
dence, although  backed  by  Mr.  Wright,  but,  I  must  confess,  rather 
feebly,  and  it  was  so  evident  that  the  farmer  did  not  care  about  the 
company  of  Day  that  I  no  longer  urged  it. 

"  I  saw  the  fire  that  is  raging  in  the  woods  early  this  morning,"  Mr. 
Wright  said,  when  he  saw  that  our  appetites  were  slightly  checked, 
"  and  I  feared  that  it  would  spread  this  way,  and  so  gave  orders  to 
drive  in  the  cattle  and  pen  them  up  until  all  danger  was  passed.  I  was 
more  willing  to  do  this  from  the  fact  that  my  two  Australians  reported 
bushrangers  in  the  vicinity,  and  that,  after  hovering  around  for  a  day  or 
two,  they  had  left  for  Mount  Tarrengower." 

While  Mr.  Wright  was  speaking,  we  could  hear  roars  of  laughter  in 
the  next  room,  which  seemed  to  be  the  kitchen. 

"  My  men  are  at  their  supper,  and  I  suppose  that  your  follower, 
whom  some  of  my  people  tell- me  belongs  at  the  next  station,  is  amus- 
ing them  with  his  wonderful  adventures." 

"  He  is  as  honest  a  fellow  as  ever  lived,  and  has  served  us  most 
faithfully.  Without  his  aid  we  should  not  have  escaped  the  fury  of  as 
savage  a  flock  of  bushrangers  as  ever  roamed  through  the  woods  of 
Australia." 

.1  spoke  with  some  warmth,  for  I  considered  that  Day  deserved  as 
good  treatment  as  ourselves. 

"  I  don't  doubt  his  honesty  or  his  bravery,"  returned  our  host,  dryly, 
"  but  I  am  compelled  to  believe  that  if  you  knew  how  much  I  have  to 
contend  with  here  in  the  wilderness,  hardly  knowing  friend  from  foe, 
and  desired  to  treat  all  alike,  I  am  sure  that  you  would  not  think  hard 
of  me  if  I  did  desire  to  exclude  the  shepherd  from  the  table.  Be  as- 
sured that  he  is  happier  where  he  is,  and  when  another  stockman  visits 
my  farm  he  will  not  be  expected  to  sit  at  the  same  table  with  myself. 
Discipline  is  what  keeps  my  men  in  subjection." 

Another  roar  of  laughter  from  the  kitchen, -and  the  servant  who 
attended  upon  our  table  entered  the  apartment  with  a  broad  grin  upon 
his  face. 

"  Well,  Jackson,  something  is  going  on  in  the  kitchen  that  amuses 
you  as  well  as  the  rest,"  Mr.  Wright  said. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  that  covey  from  the  other  station  is  telling  the  funniest 
things  about  his  playing  ghost,  and  frightening  bushrangers  into  fits. 
He's  a  wild  'un,  and  no  mistake." 

A  sudden  darkness  and  pattering  of  rain  drops  outside  told  us  that 
the  storm  had  begun,  and  we  felt  thankful  that  we  were  under  shelter 
for  the  night. 

"  Tell  the  men  who  are  on  duty  to  look  well  to  the  cattle,  and  then 
make  themselves  comfortable  for  the  night,"  our  host  said,  addressing 
the  man,  who  seemed  to  be  Mr.  Wright's  especial  attendant. 

The  person  alluded  to  departed  on  his  errand,  and  while  he  was  gone 
we  surveyed  the  heavens  from  the  windows,  and  found  that  the  clouds 
were  black  and  full  of  moisture,  while  the  rain  was  descending  in 
torrents. 

"  Let  it  continue  this  way  for  an  hour  or  two.  and  I  shall  have  the 


504  LIFB   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OR 

pleasure  of  your  company  for  a  day  or  two  at  least,"  Mr.  Wright  said, 
apparently  pleased  with  the  thought. 

"  Why  so  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because  the  Loddon  will  be  impassable,  and  resemble  no  more  the 
quiet  river  such  as  you  saw  to-day  than  to-morrow  morning  will  resem- 
ble the  present  moment.  But  come,  let  us  return  to  the  table,  and 
have  our  coffee  and  pipes ;  cigars  I  have,  if  you  prefer  them." 

But  no  one  desired  them,  for  after  once  getting  acclimated  to  pipes, 
cigars  are  of  a  secondary  consideration. 

We  again  took  seats  at  the  table,  and  lighting  our  pipes,  sipped  some 
of  the  excellent  coffee  at  our  leisure,  and  while  the  storm  raged  with- 
out, we  talked  and  chatted  of  the  past  with  as  much  freedom  as  though 
we  had  been  friends  all  our  lifetime. 

Lights  were  brought,  and  the  heavy  window  shutters  closed,  and  we 
drew  our  chairs  nearer  to  each  other  as  the  wind  howled  around  the 
stout  building,  and  the  lightning  played  in  the  air  with  extraordinary 
vividness  as  the  darkness  increased. 

"  This  storm  will  soon  extinguish  the  fire  in  the  brush,"  Mr.  Wright 
said,  "  and  I  shall  not  be  sorry  to  know  that  my  wheat  is  no  longer  in 
danger  of  being  consumed  by  fierce  flames,  instead  of  hungry  men. 
Ah,  well,  I  have  seen  many  fires  raging  since  I  settled  on  the  thousand 
acres  that  I  own,  but  somehow  I  have  escaped  much  injury,  excepting 
once." 

"  Let  us  hear  the  particulars ;  a  story  will  suit  me  above  all  things  at 
this  time,"  I  said. 

"  There  is  not  much  of  a  story  connected  with  the  matter,  and  I'm  a 
poor  hand  at  a  yarn,  but  such  as  it  is  you  shall  have." 

He  touched  a  bell,  and  his  attendant  entered  as  promptly  as  though 
serving  in  a  first  class  hotel,  and  had  been  trained  to  the  business  all 
his  lifetime. 

"  Is  the  punch  ready  ?  "  asked  our  host. 

"  Yes,  sir." 

"  Bring  it  in,  then,  and  clear  the  table  of  dishes." 

A  bowl  holding  about  a  gallon  was  placed  upon  the  table,  and  the 
fumes  of  the  Santa  Cruz  rum  were  grateful  to  our  nostrils.  Mr.  Brown 
rubbed  his  hands  with  glee,  and  was  impatient  to  begin  the  attack. 

"  Give  the  men  a  stiff  glass  of  grog  all  round,  and  when  I  want  you 
I  will  ring,"  said  Mr.  Wright  to  the  servant. 

The  man  bowed,  and  left  the  room  to  make  the  hearts  of  the  labor- 
ers happy  by  announcing  the  gift. 

Mr.  Wright  filled  his  glass  and  was  about  to  commence  his  story, 
after  wetting  his  lips  with  the  punch,  when  Jackson  suddenly  entered 
the  room. 

1  Well?"  asked  Mr.  Wright,  with  some  surprise. 

'  Kala  and  lala  have  returned,  and  desire  to  see  you  immediately,  sir." 

'  What  is  the  matter  ?  "  asked  our  host,  with  visible  uneasiness*. 

1  They  have  seen  footprints  in  the  bush,  sir,"  was  the  brief  rejoinder. 

'  The  devil  they  have.  Let  them  come  in  and  report."  And  while 
Jackson  was  absent  Mr.  Wright  remained  in  a  thoughtful  mood. 

Jackson  was  absent  about  five  minutes,  when  he  returned,  ushering 
in  two  natives  of  Australia,  whose  names  were  Kala  and  lala.  They 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  505 

were  bareheaded,  and  the  water  was  running  down  their  necks  in  minia- 
ture streams,  while  their  long,  straight  hair  hung  over  their  shoulders 
and  faces,  almost  concealing  their  deep-set,  large,  piercing  eyes,  which 
were  fixed  upon  us  in  amazement.  Their  legs  and  arms  were  bare,  and 
r\i(\  not  'ook  larger  than  those  of  a  child,  while  their  long,  bony  feet 
tfere  entirely  unprotected  by  shoes  or  sandals,  yet  they  were  so  hard- 
;jned  that  the  tooth  of  a  serpent  would  have  broken  in  an  attempt  to 
bite  through  the  skin. 

"  Well,  Kala,  what  news  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Wright  of  the  native  who  ap- 
peared to  be  the  spokesman.  He  spoke  in  the  language  of  the  Aus- 
tralians, but  as  the  reader  is  not  supposed  to  understand  it  I  shall 
interpret  it,  as  Mr.  Wright  did  for  us. 

"  We  have  been  in  the  bush,"  was  the  brief  rejoinder, 

"  And  what  did  you  see  ?  "  was  asked. 

"We  'go  many  miles  from  here  on  the  trail  leading  to  the  big 
village,"  Kala  said. 

«  Go  on." 

"  We  see  many  tracks,  and  we  followed  them." 

"  In  which  direction  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Wright,  eagerly. 

"  Come  this  way,"  the  native  said. 

"  Did  you  see  the  people  ?  "  asked  our  host. 

"  We  see." 

"  How  many  ?  " 

"  Six,"  Kala  answered,  holding  up  one  of  his  fingers. 

"  Bushrangers  ?  "  our  host  continued. 

i  t  this  question  the  two  natives  seemed  puzzled,  and  they  looked  at 
other  as  though  wondering  what  answer  they  should  return. 

"  Two  of  them  were  not  men,"  at  length  the  native  said. 

"  Boys  ? *  suggested  Mr.  Wright. 

The  faintest  shadow  of  a  smile  stole  over  their  faces  as  Kala  re- 
plied, — 

"  No  boys.  Wear  things  like  shirt  round  legs,  and  funny  hats  on 
heads." 

"  Why,  darn  it,  the  rascals  mean  women,"  cried  our  host,  with  some 
energy  and  considerable  relief. 

"  Yes,"  was  the  prompt  reply  of  Kala. 

"  They  won't  hurt  you,  man,  unless  they  happen  to  fall  in  love  with 
your  black  skin  and  marry  you.  Then  I'd  not  be  responsible  for  your 
head." 

"  Men  have  long  gun's,  and  little  guns  in  belts,"  continued  Kala. 

"  Pooh ! "  said  Mr.  Wright,  turning  to  us  and  refilling  our  glasses, 
"  the  poor  fellows  have  got  frightened  at  their  shadows.  They  have  seen 
a  small  party  of  miners  on  their  way  to  Ballarat,  and  it's  probable  that 
they  have  missed  the  direct  road  and  got  on  one  of  the  numerous  trails 
tvhich  sometimes  puzzle  the  best  stockmen.  They  will  find  their  way 
out  after  a  fashion,  although  this  is  rather  a  hard  night  for  exposing 
females.  You  can  go,"  he  said,  addressing  the  two  natives,  but  the 
men  still  lingered  as  though  not  satisfied  with  their  visit. 

"  Miners  no  kill  children,"  Kala  exclaimed,  briefly. 

"  How  ?  Who  has  killed  children  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Wright,  setting 
his  glass  upon  the  table,  its  contents  untouched. 

'    43 


506  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,    OR 

Mr.  Brown  pricked  up  his  ears  and  listened,  for  he  had  a  slight 
knowledge  of  the  aboriginal  language,  and  understood  a  portion  of  the 
conversation. 

"  Men  take  child  and  throw  against  a  tree.    No  cry  more,"  Kalasaid. 

"  The  brutes  ! "  muttered  Mr.  Wright,  struck  with  consternation  at 
the  atrocity  of  the  deed. 

"  Four  men,  two  women,"  continued  Kala,  holding  up  his  fingers  for 
us  to  count.  "  All  come  this  way,  and  seem  in  a  hurry.  Women  cry, 
and  men  swear ;  men  make  them  ride  on  horses  to  go  last." 

"  This  is  news  indeed,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  turning  to  us,  "  and  I 
hardly  know  what  to  make  of  it.  Can  you  solve  the  riddle  ?  "  address- 
ing Mr.  Brown. 

"  It  is  plain,"  my  friend  rejoined.  "  A  party  of  miners  have  been 
attacked  by  the  bushrangers,  and  the  latter  are  now  endeavoring  to  es- 
cape with  two  women  prisoners.  The  fellows  probably  belong  to  Tyr- 
ell's  gang,  and  will  make  towards  Mount  Tarrengower  to  join  him." 

The  solution  seemed  probable,  and  for  a  few  moments  there  was  a 
profound  silence.  The  natives  glanced  from  face  to  face  as  though  en- 
deavoring to  read  the  thoughts  of  the  white  men,  although  they  did  not 
appear  much  distressed  at  the  events  which  they  had  related. 

"  I  pity  the  poor  women,"  remarked  Mr.  Wright,  at  length.  "  Their 
fate  will  be  a  sad  one,  and  death  a  welcome  release  from  their  suffer- 
ings." 

"  Can't  you  make  an  effort  for  then*  release  ?  "  I  asked,  but  our  host 
shook  his  head. 

"  The  night  is  dark  and  stormy,"  he  said,  "  and  it's  impossible  to  tell 
where  the  party  is  at  the  present  time.  To-morrow  we  may  be  able  to 
do  something." 

"  To-morrow  will  be  too  late,"  replied  Mr.  Brown.  "  The  rogues  by 
that  time  will  have  joined  the  main  body  of  the  gang,  and  will  laugh  at 
our  efforts  to  dislodge  them  from  their  rendezvous  on  the  mountains." 

Still  our  host  did  not  seem  impressed  with  the  idea  that  we  could 
afford  the  unfortunate  females  relief,  although  I  judged  that  his  dispo- 
sition to  do  so  was  strong. 

"  Ask  Kala  if  he  thinks  that  he  can  find  the  fellow's  trail  to-night, 
and  promise  him  from  me  a  pound  of  tobacco  and  a  bottle  of  rum  if  he 
eucceeds,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  addressing  Mr.  Wright. 

The  message  was  conveyed  to  the  natives,  and  Kala's  eyes  sparkled 
at  the  idea  of  gaining  the  promised  luxuries,  but  lala  did  not  set-in  so 
enthusiastic,  owing  to  his  name  not  being  mentioned  in  connection 
with  the  presents. 

"  Tell  lala  from  me,"  I  exclaimed,  "  that  he,  too,  shall  have  a  pound 
of  tobacco  and  a  bottle  of  rum  like  his  brother  if  he  succeeds." 

The  look  of  displeasure  disappeared  from  the  dark  face  of  the  native 
as  he  heard  the  offer,  and  he  displayed  his  sharp,  white  teeth  in  token 
of  approval. 

"  The  men  go  by  the  old  trail  through  the  forest.  They  will  not  trust 
the  new  road  leading  to  the  house  for  fear  of  meeting  our  people.  The 
trail  is  much  longer,  but  safer.  After  they  get  through  the  woods  they 
will  have  to  cross  a  mud  creek.  The  horses  will  refuse  to  enter  tho 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  507 

Water,  and  considerable  time  will  elapse  before  they  can  be  got  across. 
If  we  can  meet  them  at  the  creek  there  is  no  escape  for  them." 

Such  were  the  expressions  of  Kala,  uttered  slow  and  distinct,  as 
tnough  he  was  weighing  each  word,  and  knew  the  importance  of  good 
counsel.  We  had  not  much  time  to  consider  the  matter,  for  the  native 
informed  us  that  he  and  his  brother  had  run  with  all  their  speed  to  the 
house,  after  once  making  sure  that  tha  bushrangers  intended  to  take  the 
trail  instead  of  the  road, 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  what  is  your  opinion  on  the  subject  ?  Shall  we 
sally  forth,  like  knights-errant  of  old,  and  rescue  the  women  from  the 
clutches  of  the  devils,  or  shall  we  sit  here  and  finish  our  punch,  and 
then  go  to  bed  ?  I  am  ready  to  hear  a  few  words  on  both  sides  of  the 
question,  but  no  long  arguments." 

Our  host  meant  work ;  I  could  see  that  by  his  flashing  gray  eyes. 

"  Can't  we  drink  the  punch  after  we  return  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Ay,  anrt  as  much  more  as  you  wish,"  promptly  responded  our  host, 
rising  from  the  table,  an  example  that  we  were  not  slow  to  follow. 

Jackson,  who  had  remained  waiting  in  the  room  during  the  interview, 
now  stepped  forward,  as  though  aware  that  his  services  would  be 
required  by  his  master. 

"  Bring  me  my  pistols,  and  oil-cloth  coat  and  cap,  and  be  in  a  hurry," 
were  the  only  commands  that  Mr.  Wright  issued,  and  Jackson,  who 
knew  the  man's  impulses,  did  not  delay  an  instant  in  executing  the 
order,  and  with  the  articles  named  he  brought  coats  and  water-proof 
hats  for  us,  while  to  our  surprise,  he  placed  upon  the  table  the  revolvers 
belonging  to  Mr.  Brown  and  myself,  cleaned,  oiled,  and  loaded. 

"  I  supposed  that  you  would  want  them  in  good  condition  when  you 
left  the  farm,  so  while  you  were  at  supper  I  took  the  liberty  of  attend- 
ing to  them,"  Jackson  said,  in  an  apologetic  tone,  as  though  fearful  that 
he  had  exceeded  instructions. 

"  You  are  deserving  of  a  pardon,  and  hang  mo  if  I  don't  get  you  one 
before  six  months  are  passed,"  cried  my  friend,  enthusiastically,  after  a 
slight  examination  of  his  weapon,  which  showed  him  that  it  was  loaded 
correctly  and  capped  with  great  nicety. 

The  poor  fellow  started  with  surprise,  and  his  face  flushed  with  agita- 
tion. I  saw  him  turn  away,  as  though  ashamed  to  display  his  weakness. 

"  There  is  no  such  joyful  news  for  me,  sir,"  he  said,  at  length,  in  as 
firm  a  voice  as  he  could  command. 

"  Don't  you  believe  that  story,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  heartily.  "  Plenty 
of  men  have  received  pardons,  and  they  didn't  deserve  them  as  much 
as  you.  My  word  for  that." 

"  Bushrangers  get  there  before  us,"  muttered  the  natives. 

"Kala  is  right.  We  must  be  under  way,  or  the  fellows  will  slip 
through  our  fingers.  One  drink  all  round,  and  here's  success  to  our 
expedition." 

While  I  was  fitting  my  head  gear  the  door  opened,  and  in  walked 
Day,  his  eyes  glistening  as  though  he  had  drank  a  cup  too  much  of  Mr. 
Wright's  strong  water. 

"  No,  you  don't,"  he  said,  surveying  us  from  head  to  foot ;  "  if  you 
think  that  you  can  get  off  without  the  best  ghost  that  the  country  can 
Vroduce  you  are  mistaken-  You  can  count  me  in." 


508  LIFE  IN   AUSTEALIA,  OE 

"Then  hurry  and  get  ready,"  I  exclaimed,  "for  we  have  not  > 
moment  to  lose." 

"  Ready  ?  "  asked  the  shepherd,  "  ain't  I  all  ready  as  I  am  ?  I  don't 
want  your  ile-skins  to  keep  off  a  little  wet.  I'm  used  to  it.  Lead  the 
way,  blackies,  and  I'll  keep  close  to  your  heels." 

"  But  you  have  no  weapons,"  Mr.  Wright  said. 

"  Ain't  I  got  'em  ?  Look  here ! "  and  to  my  surprise,  he  produced 
from  the  bosom  of  his  flannel  shirt  a  large  pair  of  horse  pistols,  which 
he  had  borrowed  from  one  of  the  farm  hands. 

"  You'll  do ;  go  ahead,"  our  host  said.  And  as  we  sallied  into  the 
entry  we  saw  that  all  the  laborers  were  drawn  up  in  a  line,  as  though  to 
take  formal  leave  of  us. 

"  Please,  sir,  let  me  go  wid  you,"  I  heard  the  familiar  voice  of  th» 
Irishman,  who  greeted  me  on  my  arrival,  say. 

"  And  me,"  cried  a  dozen  voices,  in  the  same  breath. 

"  I  don't  want  you  all,  but  Mike  may  go,"  was  the  brief  reply. 

"  Glory  to  God !  we'll  lick  thunder  out  of  all  the  bloody  bushrangers 
that  iver  dared  to  show  their  homely  faces  this  side  of  the  Loddon. 
I'm  off;"  and  Mike,  who  feared  that  the  order  for  his  going  would1  be 
revoked,  snatched  a  long  spear  that  stood  in  the  entry,  and  rushed  out 
of  the  house  hatless  and  shoeless,  and  full  of  fight. 

"  Take  good  care  of  the  house,  Jackson,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  address- 
ing his  servant,  who  stood  near  him. 

"  You  don't  wish  me  to  accompany  you,  sir  ?  "  he  asked. 

"No,  no.  Stay  here  and  take  care  of  the  house,  and  mind  that- you 
defend  it  against  all  odds,  in  case  of  an  attack." 

"  Bushrangers  move  quick,"  muttered  Kala. 

"I'm  coming.  Now,  gentlemen,  we  will  try  the  speed  of  your 
limbs ; "  and  out  of  the  house  we  sallied,  and  stood  in  the  driving  storm 
for  a  few  minutes,  completely  bunded  by  the  sudden  transition  from 
light  to  pitchy  darkness. 

"  Follow  Kala,"  muttered  the  native ;  but  the  request  was  an  impos- 
sibility, because  Kala  was  invisible  even  a  foot  from  where  we  stood. 

"  Give  the  strangers  your  arms,  and  lead  them  until  then*  eyes 
get  accustomed  to  the  darkness,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  addressing  the 
natives. 

"  That  is  a  good  arrangement  for  us,  but  how  are  you  to  find  the 
way  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Brown, 

"  We  know  every  foot  of  land  within  a  circle  of  five  miles,"  was  the 
prompt  response  of  our  host ;  and  to  show  that  he  made  no  idle  boast, 
he  started  towards  the  field  of  wheat  which  we  had  noticed  early  in  the 
afternoon,  while  we  followed  close  at  his  heels  as  best  we  could,  much 
to  the  disgust  of  the  natives,  I  have  no  doubt,  for  they  could  scarcely 
restrain  their  impatience  at  the  slowness  of  our  pace. 

The  dogs  saluted  us  with  a  mighty  howl  as  we  passed  them,  but  a 
word  from  their  master  quieted  their  valor,  and  by  the  time  we  had  got 
clear  of  the  cattle  pens  our  eyes  were  sufficiently  accustomed  to  the 
darkness,  and  were  enabled  to  dispense  with  the  guidance  of  Kala  and 
lala,  who  gladly  got  at  the  head  of  the  column  and  led  the  way  towards 
the  creek,  which  it  was  stated  the  bushrangers  would  have  to  pass. 
•  "  Under  this  tree,"  said  our  host,  pointing  to  a  gum  tree  of  gigantio 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  50£ 

proportions,  "  I  killed  one  of  the  largest  diamond  snakes  that  I  ever 
saw  in  the  country.  There  used  to  be  a  nest  of  them  near  this  place, 
but  I  think  that  they  are  exterminated  by  this  time.  You  recollect  the 
snake,  do  you  not?"  he  continued,  addressing  the  natives  in  theii 
dialect. 

"  We  remember,"  was  the  brief  reply. 

"  Couldn't  you  conveniently  change  the  conversation  ?  "  Mr.  Brown 
asked,  and  I  shared  his  interest  in  the  matter,  for  I  didn't  like  the  topic 
in  so  dark  a  night. 

"  Pooh !  you  ain't  afraid  of  snakes,  are  you  ?  "  Mr.  Wright  asked,  in 
a  tone  that  implied  that  he  was  not. 

"  Well,  I  don't  care  if  I  confess  that  I  have  seen  more  agreeable 
eights  than  a  d — n  big,  black  snake,  with  a  mouth  large  enough  to 
swallow  a  baby  without  much  trouble.  I  don't  wish  to  be  rigid,  but  it 
strikes  me  that  I  prefer  daylight  when  the  conversation  is  tending 
towards  such  cheerful  topics." 

I  could  see  that  Mr.  Brown  was  intently  engaged  in  scanning  the 
ground  while  speaking,  as  though  he  feared  there  might  be  a  few  of  the 
varmints  unkilled  from  the  nest  spoken  of. 

"About  a  mile  further,  gentlemen,"  and  we  felt  thankful  for  the 
information,  for  a  more  disagreeable  night's  tramp,  so  far,  I  had  never 
experienced.  Still,  the  thoughts  of  the  two  suffering  women  enabled 
me  to  keep  my  spirits  up,  and  to  press  forward  with  eagerness  to  the 
point  at  which  we  expected  to  relieve  them. 

There  was  no  cessation  to  the  rain,  and  the  lightning  was  as  vivid  as 
ever,  but  the  thunder  was  rolling  away  to  the  southward,  and  muttering 
and  growling  as  though  sorry  at  having  relinquished  the  battle  without 
more  of  a  struggle. 

"  If  I  was  only  as  wet  within  as  I'm  without,  it's  in  fighting  trim  I'd 
be,"  Mike  said,  addressing  the  shepherd,  who  was  tugging  along  with 
the  most  stoical  indifference  as  to  the  falling  rain  and  bad  road. 

"  I  can  fight,  wet  or  dry,"  was  the  answer. 

"  And  can't  I  do  the  same  ?  "  asked  Mike,  inclined  to  take  umbrage 
at  the  remark. 

"  I  suppose  so." 

"  Show  me  a  thing  that  an  Irishman  can't  do  as  well  as  an  English- 
man," cried  Mike. 

"  Can  you  play  the  ghost  like  me  ?  "  demanded  the  shepherd. 

"And  why  not?" 

"  Because,  who  ever  heard  of  a  ghost  speaking  with  the  brogue  ? " 
asked  the  stockman,  triumphantly. 

"  Bedad,  I  didn't  think  of  that,"  Mike  muttered,  completely  crushed 
by  this  new  evidence  of  his  companion's  superiority. 

"  If  you  two  grumblers  don't  stop  your  wrangling  I'll  choke  you," 
Mr.  Wright  exclaimed,  angrily. 

"  I'm  dumb,"  Mike  said. 

"  I'm  silent  as  a  corpse,"  cried  the  undertaker. 

"  I'll  spake  no  more  this  night,"  continued  Mike. 

"  See  that  you  don't,"  answered  our  host. 

"  Divil  a  bit,  till  I  see  a  bushranger,  and  then  I'll  give  him  a  taste  of 
noy  spear." 

43* 


610  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,  OB 

"  That  you  may  do,  and  you  shall  have  a  glass  of  grog  for  every  on* 
that  you  kill,"  answered  Mr.  Wright. 

"  Holy  St.  Patrick !  you  don't  say  so.  Don't  any  one  go  near  'em 
but  me.  I'll  fight  the  thaves  and  vagabonds  every  one,  single  handed 
and  alone,  like  a  Killarney  man  that  I  am." 

For  twenty  minutes  we  continued  on  our  course,  expecting  to  strike 
the  creek  every  moment,  —  yet  the  night  was  so  dark  that  it  was  impos- 
sible to  tell  whether  we  were  on  the  trail,  or  wading  over  the  pasturage 
of  the  farm. 

Even  Kala  was  at  fault,  and  glanced  towards  the  trees,  and  examined 
them  to  discover  if  we  were  in  the  proper  locality,  but  apparently  with- 
out much  success,  and  I  began  to  think  that  our  expedition  was  a  fail- 
ure, when  the  native  uttered  a  grunt. 

"  Well,  Kala,  what  now  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Wright. 

"  There  be  creek,"  he  said,  and  by  the  aid  of  a  flash  of  lightning  we 
could  see  his  thin  black  arm  pointing  to  a  line  of  trees  on  our  right. 

"  And  the  trail  ?  "  suggested  our  host. 

"  We  reach  it  by  and  by.     Come  now,  and  don't  talk." 

We  followed  the  native,  with  the  renewed  hope  of  soon  terminating 
an  adventure,  and  as  we  gained  the  edge  of  the  gum  trees,  which  were 
convincing  proof  that  we  were  near  the  water,  the  Australians  bent 
themselves  to  the  task  of  finding  the  trail,  or  the  place  where  the  bush- 
rangers were  expected  to  ford.  On  their  hands  and  knees  they  crawled 
about  from  place  to  place,  aided  occasionally  by  a  flash  of  lightning, 
hut  still  they  were  unsuccessful,  though  not  discouraged.  Their  natures 
were  too  patient  for  that. 

"  To  the  devil  with  the  trail,"  muttered  Mike,  hitting  one  of  the  pros- 
trate natives  with  his  spear.  "Let's  find  the  brook,  and  then  we'll 
be  all  right,  shan't  we  ?  Find  the  main  thing  first,  and  then  foller  up 
the  little  ones,  used  to  be  the  advice  of  me  father,  God  rest  his  soul, 
and  keep  him  well  supplied  wid  whiskey  in  the  nixt  world !  Ah,  what 
a  man  he  was  to  be  sure !  You  knew  him,  sir  ?  "  continued  Mike,  ad- 
dressing Mr.  Wright,  who  was  awaiting  the  result  of  the  Australians 
with  exemplary  patience,  considering  that  the  rain  was  falling  in  tor- 
rents. 

"  Be  quiet,"  said  our  host,  "  or  if  you  must  do  something  go  and  see 
how  near  we  are  to  the  creek,  and  don't  make  a  noise." 

"  I'll  do  that  same,"  muttered  Mike,  "  but  it's  the  opinion  of  a  man 
who  knows  more  than  a  dozen  nagers,  that  the  creek  is  a  mile  from 
here  in  the  udder  direction." 

He  went  on  his  mission,  grumbling  at  the  supposition  that  the  creek 
was  near  us,  when  suddenly  we  heard  a  loud  splash,  and  Mike's  voicfe 
raised  in  supplication. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTUBES.  511 

CHAPTER    LXXVI. 

MlKE  TUMBLES  INTO  THE  RlVER. — ARRIVAL  OF  THE  BTTSHRANGERS. 

"THAT  d d  Irishman  has  tumbled  into  the  creek,"  cried  Mr. 

Wright,  endeavoring  to  suppress  a  laugh  that  did  find  utterance. 

"  Here's  the  river,  sure ! "  shouted  Mike,  "  and  a  cussed  mane  one  it 
is.  Help  me  out ! " 

"  Be  quiet,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  "  or  you'll  alarm  the  bushrangers." 

"  And  do  you  intend  that  I  shall  strangle  myself  for  the  purpose  of 
letting  the  blackguards  git  kilt  ?  "  remonstrated  the  Hibernian  ;  "  I've 
swallowed  a  gallon  of  the  dirty  water  already,  and  it's  cowld  on  my 
stomach.  Help  me  out,  will  ye  ?  " 

We  reached  the  scene  of  the  Irishman's  disaster,  and  were  compelled 
to  wait  for  a  flash  of  lightning  for  the  purpose  of  seeing  his  situation. 
When  the  flash  did  reveal  his  position,  we  saw  that  he  was  clinging  to 
some  rocks  most  tenaciously,  while  the  boiling  waters  were  bubbling 
over  his  head,  which  he  made  no  attempt  to  raise  beyond  the  reach  of 
danger. 

"  Crawl  up  the  bank,  you  loon !  "  cried  Mr.  Wright,  but  the  advice 
was  unheeded. 

"  Save  me ! "  yelled  Mike ;  "  I  can't  swim  and  I'm  filled  with  the 
bloody  dust,  that  weighs  me  down  like  lead.  A  thousand  dollars  to  the 
man  who  gives  me  his  hand  first." 

"  Well,  give  me  the  thousand  dollars,  and  I'll  help  you  out,''  Mr. 
Wright  said,  facetiously. 

"  Ah,  master  dear,  won't  you  take  my  word  for  the  money,  or  wait 
till  I  am  it?" 

"  Just  as  I  always  thought,"  grumbled  our  host ;  "  an  Irishman  will 
promise  any  thing  in  distress,  even  while  .he  knows  that  he  has  110 
means  of  performing  his  engagements." 

"  But  isn't  it  better  to  do  so,  master  dear,  than  to  make  no  promises 
and  die  ? "  asked  the  Irishman,  and  I  rather  thought  that  he  had  liiiu 
on  that  question. 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right,"  our  host  answered,  and  extending  his  hand, 
he  helped  Mike  to  terra  firma,  and  landed  him  just  as  Kala  informed  ua 
that  the  ford  was  ten  or  twelve  rods  down  the  stream. 

Mike  recovered  his  spear,  and  we  once  more  started,  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  natives,  and  quickly  gained  the  spot  that  we  had  spent  go 
much  time  in  searching  for. 

The  ford  had  been  used  but  seldom,  and  resembled  the  rest  of  the 
creek,  with  the  exception  that  the  bushes  and  underbrush  had  been  cut 
from  the  banks  of  the  stream,  so  that  horses,  and  other  cattle,  after 
fording,  could  gain  the  plain  without  trouble. 

Kala  threw  himself  upon  his  hands  and  knees,  and  carefully  exam- 
ined, by  the  lightning  flashes,  the  various  footprints  which  marked  tb# 
«pot,  and  which  the  heavy  rain  had  failed  to  wash  away. 

"  Well,  Kala,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  impatiently. 


612  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  No  come  yet,"  answered  the  native,  quietly. 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that  ?  "  our  host  asked. 

"  Yes,  horses  no  cross  stream  now,"  was  the  reply. 

"  I  might  have  known  that,  if  I  had  only  given  the  subject  a  thought,* 
muttered  our  host. 

"  Well,  what  are  we  to  do  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown,  gathering  his  oilcloth 
around  his  person,  and  evidently  thinking  of  the  punch,  and  a  good 
night's  rest ;  "  are.  we  to  stay  here  until  daylight,  and  watch  for  a  party 
of  men  who  may  be  upon  the  summit  of  Mount  Tarrengower  at  the 
present  time  ?  I  wouldn't  object  to  waiting,  but  I  don't  like  the  idea 
of  sitting  here  and  doing  nothing,  while  the  rain  is  endeavoring  to  ob- 
tain a  nearer  acquaintance  with  my  neck  and  bosom." 

"  I  don't  see  any  other  course,"  Mr.  Wright  replied ;  "  it's  evident 
that  the  devils  have  not  crossed  the  creek,  and  can't  to-night,  but  the 
streams  of  Australia  subside  rapidly,  and  the  instant  the  rain  ceases  to 
fall  they  will  attempt  to  ford.  We  must  stay  here  and  watch  for  the 
scamps.  Remember  the  female  prisoners." 

"  It's  all  very  well  to  say  "remember  the  females,  but  if  I  ruin  my 
health  who  is  to  remember  me,  and  take  care  of  me  ?  "  grumbled  Mr. 
Brown. 

"  I  will,"  promptly  responded  our  host. 

"  Then  I  suppose  that  I  must  stay  here  all  night,  and  make  a  fool  of 
myself  by  running  my  head  into  danger,  as  I  have  done  fifty  times 
before,  and  get  no  thanks  for  it  —  hullo !  what  was  that  ?  " 

Before  Mr.  Brown  spoke,  Kala  had  glided  to  the  side  of  Mr.  Wright, 
and  called  his  attention,  in  a  quiet  manner,  to  a  crashing  of  branches 
that  he  had  heard  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Our  host  was  too 
busy  listening  to  the  ravings  of  Mr.  Brown  to  pay  attention  to  him  at 
that  moment,  and  the  native  knew  the  disposition  of  his  master  too  well 
to  be  imperative,  so  Kala  didn't  have  the  honor  of  alarming  our  squad, 
or  calling  attention  to  what  was  going  on  on  the  other  side. 

In  an  instant  after  Mr.  Brown's  exclamation,  there  was  a  breathless 
silence,  and  not  a  man  moved  to  the  right  or  left. 

"  They  come,"  whispered  Kala. 

He  was  correct  in  his  supposition,  for  in  a  few  minutes  we  could  hear 
the  party  we  were  in  pursuit  of  halt  at  the  edge  of  the  brook,  opposite 
to  us,  and  discuss  the  prospect  of  attempting  to  ford,  high  as  the  water 
was. 

We  quietly  retreated  behind  trees  and  bushes,  so  that  the  lightning 
should  not  reveal  our  presence  to  the  enemy,  but  we  were  no  sooner 
secreted  than  we  were  rewarded  by  getting  a  view  of  the  four  bush- 
rangers, who  were  holding  horses,  on  which  were  mounted  the  two 
females,  whose  capture  had  so  excited  our  sympathy. 

"  D n  it,  Bill,"  I  heard  one  of  the  fellows  exclaim,  for  the  creek 

was  not  more  than  four  yards  across,  "  didn't  I  tell  you  that  we  couldn't 
ford  here  to-night  with  the  bosses  ?  If  we  had  come  the  other  way 
'twould  been  all  right." 

"  Yes,  and  run  our  heads  flat  agin  that  d d  Wright,  who  is  always 

on  the  lookout,  with  his  tribe  of  cussed  Irishmen,  ready  to  fight  or  drink 
bad  whiskey,"  grumbled  the  man  whom  they  had  called  Bill. 

"  Do  ye  hear  him  reflecting  on  me  country  ?  "  whispered  Mike,  grasp- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  513 

nig  his  long  spear,  as  though  he  would  like  to  encounter  the  libellers  of 
iiis  countrymen  without  a  moment's  delay. 

"  Be  quiet,"  ordered  Mr.  Wright,  "  and  let  us  hear  what  the  villains 
calk  about." 

"  If  it  hadn't  been  for  these  'ere  wimin,  we  might  have  been  out  of 
this  fix,"  cried  the  first  speaker,  still  grumbling. 

"  Well,  what  could  we  do  with  'em,  'cept  bring  'em  along  ?  "  asked 
Bill. 

"  Do  with  em  ?  "  cried  the  ruffian,  with  a  bitter  oath,  "  why,  draw  our 
knives  across  their  throats,  and  let  'em  run.  That's  the  way  to  clear 
out  prisoners.  Women  have  no  business  with  the  gang.  There's 
always  a  quarrel  about  'em." 

"  And  'spose  there  is  ?  ain't  it  a  compliment  to  the  dear  creatures  ? 
I'd  rather  fight  for  'em,  I  tell  you,  than  not  see  their  faces  after  they  get 
good  natured,  and  the  cap'n  generally  brings  'em  round  in  a  precious 
short  time.1' 

"  Eh,  don't  he  ?  "  grunted  the  third  man,  speaking  for  the  first  time. 

"  I  tell  ye  my  plan  is  best,  and  it's  time  ye  knowed  it.  We  carry 
half  a  dozen  into  camp  to  eat  up  the  grub,  and  make  the  men  lazy. 
There's  no  getting  work  out  of  the  coveys  while  they  is  alive,  and  you 
know  it." 

"  For  pity's  sake  kill  us,  and  end  our  misery,"  I  heard  one  of  the 
females  say,  appealing  to  the  fellow  who  seemed  in  favor  of  killing  pris- 
oners, to  save  the  trouble  of  taking  care  of  them. 

"  If  I  had  my  way,  I'd  do  it  d d  quick,"  he  grumbled. 

"  We  are  tired,  and  can  hardly  sit  on  the  horses.  For  the  sake  of 
your  mothers,  who  were  women,  leave  us  here  in  the  wilderness  to  per- 
ish, or  to  find  shelter,  as  it  shall  please  Heaven." 

"  Cease  that  whine  of  yours,  or  I'll  throw  you  into  the  creek,"  threat- 
ened the  ruffian  of  the  party. 

"  Do  so,  if  you  dare  ! "  exclaimed  another  voice,  which  I  imagined 
belonged  to  a  female  of  more  advanced  age  than  the  first  speaker ;  "  you 
are  ugly  enough  for  any  thing,"  she  continued,  growing  excited  as  she 
proceeded,  and  raising  her  voice  until  it  approached  a  scream,  "  but  I 
don't  believe  that  you  have  the  true  courage  of  a  man.  A  man ! "  she 
repeated,  "  you  are  nothing  but  a  tailor.  Where's  your  goose  ?  " 

I  could  hear  the  bushrangers  indulge  in  a  chuckling  laugh,  as  though 
the  language  used  to  their  companion  was  relished. 

•'  Stop  your  mouth,  you  dirty ,  or  I'll  stuff  a  goose  down  your 

throat ! "  shouted  the  ruffian,  furious  with  rage. 

"  You  ? "  she  asked,  contemptuously ;  "  why,  if  my  old  man  was 
within  sound  of  my  voice,  you  would  run  like  a  sheep  from  a  dog. 
You  are  the  biggest  coward  connected  with  the  gang,  and  they  only 
keep  you  'cos  you  can  mend  their  clothes.  A  tailor !  Bah,  you  are 
only  the  ninth  part  of  a  man,  and  a  botch  at  that." 

"  By  G — d,  woman,  you  shall  feel  the  length  of  my  knife  if  you 
don't  close  your  mouth,"  shouted  the  ruffian,  that  the  woman  was  gor- 
ing to  madness. 

"  O  Nancy,  do  be  quiet,"  cried  her  companion. 

"Keep  quiet  for  the  threat  of  that  braggart?"  the  shrill-voiced 
woman  demanded ;  "  why,  if  I  had  a  bodkin  I'd  spit  him  on  it." 


514  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  Would  you  ?  "  cried  the  bushranger  ;  "  then  I'll  give  f  >u  a  taste 
of  the  same  sort  of  stuff ! " 

We  heard  a  struggle  for  a  few  seconds,  and  then  the  earnest  tones  oi 
the  most  liberal  ruffian  in  remonstrance. 

"  Put  up  your  knife,  you  fool,  and  don't  let  a  woman  get  the  better 
of  you.  Don't  you  see  that  she's  trying  to  provoke  you  to  kill  her." 

"  And  I  will  do  it,  too,"  yelled  the  brute. 

"  No  you  won't,  not  as  long  as  I've  got  charge  of  this  squad.  I  ain't 
going  to  do  all  the  work,  and  then  let  you  act  as  you  please,  by  a 

d n  sight.     Touch  that  woman,  and  I'll  make  a  hole  in  your  side 

big  enough  to  throw  in  a  Bible.    Put  up  your  knife,  and  let  us  see  if 
we  can't  cross  the  creek  before  daylight." 

"  Well,  don't  let  her  insult  me  again,  that's  all,"  the  fellow  said,  in 
reply  to  the  threat,  although  it  seemed  that  he  was  prepared  to  obey 
the  order,  much  as  he  disliked  it 

"  Insult  you !  you  miserable  specimen  of  a  fool  ?  why,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  insult  you,  for  your  life  is  but  an  insult  to  your  Maker ! " 
cried  the  shrill-voiced  woman,  who  had  been  addressed  by  the  name  of 
Nancy. 

"  I'd  like  to  hire  that  woman  to  do  my  scolding,"  whispered  Mr. 
Wright.  "  Lord,  how  she  would  make  the  men  fly  if  they  didn't  come 
to  dinner  at  the  exact  time." 

By  a  flash  of  lightning  we  could  see  three  of  the  bushrangers  exam- 
ining the  banks  of  the  creek,  for  the  purpose  of  judging  whether  it 
could  be  forded  by  the  horses  or  not. 

They  seemed  to  decide  against  its  feasibility,  for  we  heard  them  grum- 
bling at  the  idea  of  stopping  there  all  night,  and  getting  sighted  by 
"  d d  old  Wright "  in  the  morning. 

Our  host  listened  to  the  complimentary  remarks  about  himself  with 
great  glee,  for  it  showed  that  he  was  a  power  that  was  respected  by  the 
robbing  fraternity,  and  that  they  took  good  care  to  visit  his  range  of 
land  as  little  as  possible. 

"  Are  we  to  stay  here  in  the  wet  all  night  ?  "  grumbled  Mr.  Brown. 

"  I  don't  see  how  we  are  to  avoid  it,"  Mr.  Wright  replied. 

"  Let  us  cross  the  creek,  and  take  those  fellows  in  the  rear,"  I  whis- 
pered ;  "  in  half  an  hour  we  can  have  every  one  of  them  prisoners,  or 
else  hors  du  combat." 

Mr.  Wright  didn't  like  the  project,  as  he  thought  that  it  was  running 
too  great  a  risk.  Mr.  Brown  meditated  on  the  undertaking,  while  the 
ghost  was  pleased  with  the  idea,  and  vowed  that  he  could  accomplish 
the  project  alone.  As  for  Mike,  he  was  in  ecstasies  at  the  plan,  only 
he  couldn't  swim,  which  somewhat  damped  his  ardor. 

"  Ask  Kala  if  there  is  a  place  where  we  can  cross,  where  the  water  is 
not  over  our  heads  ?  "  I  inquired  of  Mr.  Wright. 

He  put  the  question,  and  the  native  replied  that  a  few  rods  down  the 
stream,  at  a  bend,  we  could  cross  on  a  bar,  where  the  water  would  not- 
be  more  than  up  to  our  armpits. 

Mr.  Wright  no  longer  hesitated,  but  gave  the  order  to  move  down 
the  stream  to  the  place  proposed,  and  as  the  rain  had  nearly  ceased, 
and  the  moon  was  high  in  the  heavens,  we  had  no  difficulty  in  finding 
the  spot  which  Kala  indicated 


A   GOLD    HUNTER  S   ADVENTURES. 

Our  only  trouble  was  to  prevent  the  bushrangers  from  seeing  our 
movements,  so  that  they  should  not  be  prepared  for  our  reception. 
This  we  were  enabled  to  do  by  keeping  within  the  shade  of  the  bushe* 
and  trees,  which  grew  in  profusion  upon  the  banks  of  the  stream. 

"  Lead  the  way,  Mike,  and  find  out  the  deep  places  with  your  spear," 
commanded  Mr.  Wright,  but  the  Irishman  held  back. 

"  I  couldn't  think  of  taking  advantage  of  my  betters,  and  going 
before  'em,"  pleaded  Mike. 

"Are  you  afraid  ?  "  our  host  demanded,  angrily. 

"  Divil  a  bit,  master ;  but  it's  misgivings  I  have  about  the  water. 
What  it  was  made  for,  'cept  to  mix  with  punch,  I  don't  see." 

"  Kala  go  first,"  muttered  the  native,  and  without  waiting  for  orders, 
he  dropped  quietly  into  the  stream,  followed  by  lala. 

"The  divil!  but  can't  I  go  where  the  nager  does?"  demanded  Mike, 
and  he  was  up  to  his  shoulders  in  the  brook  before  we  could  answer 
him. 

The  ghost  followed  Mike,  and  then  the  rest  of  us,  leaving  our  oil- 
cloth coverings  on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  crossed  without  difficulty, 
taking  good  care  that  our  revolvers  were  kept  dry. 

"  Now,  I  want  all  to  keep  silent,  and  obey  my  orders,"  whispered  Mu 
Wright ;  "  when  I  give  the  word  to  fire,  do  so,  but  not  before. 

"  Now  then,  let  us  steal  forward  as  fast  as  possible,  and  Kala,  you  and 
lala  can  remain  behind,  if  you  please." 

"  Kala  and  lala  will  go  with  you,"  was  the  prompt  reply,  and  I  mar- 
velled at  it,  for  the  natives  are  dreadfully  afraid  of  firearms  when  in  the 
the  hands  of  white  men. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,  let  us  onward,  and  may  the  God  of  battles  give"  us 
success.  If  any  accident  should  befall  either  of  us,  we  shall  have  the 
satisfaction  of  knowing  that  we  suffered  in  a  good  cause.  Be  careful 
how  you  step,  and  don't  be  impatient." 

Mr.  Wright  placed  himself  at  the  head  of  the  column,  and  moved 
along  carefully,  and  with  some  considerable  knowledge  of  woodcraft, 
although  I  almost  lost  all  patience  by  his  continually  stopping  and  lis- 
tening, as  though  that  part  of  the  performance  was  really  necessary  to 
insure  success. 

The  rain  had  now  entirely  ceased,  and  the  black  clouds  overhead  had 
parted,  and  showed  light  fleecy  ones,  tinged  by  the  rays  of  the  moon, 
which  was  struggling  to  show  its  face,  as  though  angry  at  Laving  been 
hid  from  the  earth  for  such  a  length  of  time. 

This  circumstance  required  our  movements  to  be  prompt  if  we  wished 
to  surprise  the  ruffians,  but  Mr.  Wright  was  not  a  man  to  be  hurried 
by  such  trifles.  He  had  a  peculiar  idea  of  how  such  matters  should  bo 
conducted,  and  neither  Mr.  Brown  nor  myself  were  disposed  to  inter- 
fere with  his  plans. 

Suddenly,  when  within  twenty  rods  of  the  place  where  the  bushrang- 
ers were  camped  we  saw  a  light,  and  for  a  few  minutes  Mr.  Wright  was 
uncertain  whether  to  advance  or  retreat,  thinking  that  the  light  was  in- 
tended as  an  ambush  to  draw  us  under  fire. 

In  vain  I  explained  that  the  bushrangers  had  kindled  a  fire  for  the 
purpose  of  cooking  a  sheep,  or  a  portion  of  one,  and  Mr.  Brown  enteri 
tained  the  same  idea,  but  Mr.  Wright  said  we  were  young  men,  and 
rash  at  that,  and  that  we  were  not  to  t>e  trusted. 


516  LIFE   IN  AUSTEAL'\,   OE 

We  were  more  amazed  than  indignant,  knowing  that  our  host 
regarded  our  safety  more  than  his  own,  for  he  was  as  brave  as  a  lion, 
and  would  have  willingly  fought  the  whole  gang  had  it  been  necessary  to 
prove  his  courage. 

At  length  I  volunteered  to  act  the  part  of  a  scout,  and  investigate 
matters,  but  for  a  long  time  Mr.  Wright  would  not  listen  to  my 
advances,  until  I  saw  that  there  was  a  prospect  of  our  remaining  on  the 
ground  all  night,  and  then  I  tore  myself  away,  and  requested  my  friends 
to  remain  quiet  until  my  return. 

This  they  promised  to  do,  and  I  started  on  my  mission,  not  a  danger- 
ous one,  as  I  knew  full  well,  for  the  ruffians  did  not  suspect  the  presence 
of  our  force,  and  I  felt  certain  that  they  had  no  sentinels  posted. 

The  result  justified  my  expectations,  for  when  I  had  crawled  as 
noiselessly  as  a  cat  to  within  a  rod  of  the  light,  I  saw  that  the  robbers 
had  in  some  way  managed  to  kindle  a  fire,  which,  by  the  way,  attracted 
myriads  of  flies  and  mosquitoes,  and  they  were  biting  as  only  Austra- 
lian flies  and  mosquitoes  know  how  to  bite,  much  to  the  rage  of  the 
bushrangers,  who  were  cooking  meat,  and  endeavoring  to  beat  off  the 
cloud  of  insects  by  threshing  their  heavy  hands  about  their  heads,  and 
uttering  oaths  that  were  frightfully  original  and  emphatic. 

They  were  coarse-looking  fellows,  but  dressed  better  than  bushrangers 
usually  were,  and  I  accounted  for  it  by  supposing  that  they  had  made  a 
successful  plundering  expedition,  and  got  new  suits  from  their  victims  ; 
and  such  I  afterwards  found  to  be  the  case. 

I  endeavored  to  get  a  view  of  the  faces  of  the  women,  and  by 
changing  my  position  I  succeeded.  The  youngest  one  was  not  more 
than  twenty-five  years  of  age,  but  she  looked  careworn  and  weary,  and 
seldom  removed  her  hands  from  her  face,  except  to  answer  a  question 
addressed  to  her  by  her  companion,  who  seemed  about  forty  years  of 
age,  and  by  the  flickering  light  of  the  fire  I  read  determination  upon 
every  line  of  her  countenance,  weather-beaten  and  grim  as  it  was. 

The  bushrangers  were  broiling  their  meat  upon  sticks,  and  eating  it 
with  a  relish  that  smacked  of  a  long  fast ;  and  while  the  women  were 
seated  near  the  fire  on  saddles  taken  from  the  horses,  which  were  tied 
to  a  tree,  and  were  browsing  upon  the  tender  branches,  the  men  did 
not  offer  them  food,  until  one  fellow,  whose  appetite  seemed  sated, 
offered  the  younger  one  his  stick,  upon  which  was  a  huge  lump  of  flesh 
nearly  raw. 

She  declined  the  tempting  morsel  with  a  shudder,  and  the  action 
produced  an  oath  from  the  ruffian,  and  an  insulting  gesture,  so  vile  that 
I  could  hardly  keep  my  hand  from  seeking  the  lock  of  my  revolver 
and  shooting  him  on  the  spot. 

"  O,  well,  Miss  Dainty,  you'll  come  to  your  appetite  one  of  these 
days,  see  if  you  don't.  Mark  what  I  tell  you ; "  and  the  other  ruffians 
smiled  at  their  companion's  wit. 

"  There's  blood  on  the  hand  that  offered  her  food  —  her  husband's 
blood.  How  do  you  suppose  she  can  touch  what  you  feel  disposed  to 
give  ?  "  cried  the  elderly  woman,  who  was  called  Nancy. 

"  Hullo,  old  croaker/I  thought  that  you  were  asleep,"  the  bushranger 
said ;  but  still  I  noticed  that  he  glanced  at  his  hand,  and  wiped  it  on  his 
clothes,  as  though  the  stain  was  burning  his  flesh  like  a  coal  of  fire. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  517 

CHAPTER     LXXVIT. 

CAPTURE   OF   THE   BUSHRANGERS. 

"  I'VE  not  been  asleep,  but  still  I've  had  a  dream,"  Nancy  replied  to 
the  insulting  taunt  of  the  robber. 

"  Hullo,  here's  a  go.  An  old  woman  can  dream  with  her  eyes  open. 
Tell  us  what  it  was  all  about,  old  Tabby." 

The  woman  looked  sternly  at  her  tormentor,  but  did  not  deign  to 
reply ;  but  the  robbers  were  not  disposed  to  have  her  rest  in  peace. 

"  Come,  Tabby,  tell  us  the  dream,"  cried  the  first  speaker. 

"  You  would  know  it,  would  you  ?  "  she  asked,  her  dark  face  looking 
grim  and  sardonic  in  the  wavering  light  of  the  fire,  which  was  kept  up 
by  throwing  on  wood  that  had  long  laid  exposed  to  the  hot  sun  of 
Australia. 

"  To  be  sure  I  would  ;  and,  while  you  are  about  it,  tell  my  fortune. 
Whether  I  shall  be  rich  and  marry  a  princess,  like  them  old  fellers, 
hundreds  of  years  ago,  that  we  read  about  in  some  book,  blast  me  if  I 
know  the  name  of  it.  Come,  fire  away  while  I  smoke  my  pipe,  and  try 

to  kill  a  few  of  these  d d  mosquitoes  that  have  got  bills  longer  than 

a  criminal  lawyer  in  full  practice  in  Old  Bailey." 

The  man  filled  his  pipe  with  tobacco,  an  example  that  was  followed  by 
those  who  had  finished  gorging,  and  after  he  had  lighted  it,  he  turned 
his  head  in  the  direction  of  the  prisoners,  as  though  signifying  that  he 
was  ready  to  listen. 

"  The  only  wife  that  you  will  marry  will  be  the  gibbet,"  the  old 
woman  said,  spitefully. 

"  Peace,  you  old  hag,"  cried  the  bushranger,  angrily.  "  How  dare 
you  talk  to  me  in  that  sort  of  way  ?  " 

"  I  thought  that  you  wanted  to  hear  what  I  have  been  dreaming 
about  ?  "  she  replied,  with  a  sneer. 

"  So  I  do,  but  don't  you  mention  gibbets,  do  you  hear,  'cos  you 
might  provoke  me,  and  then  you  would  dangle  from  one  of  these  trees, 
a  scarecrow  that  would  cause  old  Wright  much  wonder.  Now  you  go 
ahead." 

"  I  dreamed  that  I  was  in  a  crowd  of  excited  people,  who  were  walk- 
ing towards  a  prison  where  they  said  an  execution  was  to  take  place.  I 
went  with  them,  for  I  felt  that  I  had  received  so  many  injuries  at  the 
hands  of  men  that  it  would  be  joy  to  my  wounded  heart  to  see  them 
suffer.  I  struggled  until  I  reached  the  front  ranks  of  the  crowd,  and 
then  waited  patiently  until  a  procession,  headed  by  soldiers  with  solemn 
music,  left  the  prison  and  marched  towards  the  scaffold." 

"  Didn't  I  tell  'you  not  to  talk  about  such  things  ?  "  cried  the  bush- 
ranger, fiercely. 

"  Then  I  will  not ; "  and  the  woman  remained  silent. 

"  Let  her  go  on  with  the  yarn,"  the  other  robbers  exclaimed.     "  Let 
her  tell  what  she  likes  about  hanging  coveys,  if  she  pleases.    Fire  away, 
'  old  woman." 

44 


518  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

Thus  commanded,  she  resumed  the  subject  of  her  pretended  dream. 

"  I  thought  that  I  saw  three  prisoners,  with  faces  covered  with  black 
crape,  march  with  trembling  steps  towards  the  scaffold,  while  the  hang- 
man, who  walked  beside  them,  continually  shouted,  with  a  voice  so  loud 
that  it  was  heard  by  every  one,  '  Behold,  these  men  are  about  to  be 
executed  for  murder  and  robbery.  Don't  pray  for  them,  Christians,  for 
your  prayers  will  be  in  vain.  They  are  denounced  by  God  and  man, 
and  hell  alone  knows  how  to  punish  them  as  their  many  crimes 
deserve.' " 

"  You  old  she  devil,  can't  you  tell  us  something  more  lively  than 
that  ?  "  demanded  one  of  the  bushrangers,  glancing  around  uneasily. 

"  The  best  is  yet  to  come,"  she  replied,  calmly,  her  eyes  fixed  upon 
vacancy,  as  though  she  really  saw  the  scenes  she  was  narrating. 

"  Well,  let's  have  the  rest,  and  don't  be  too  hard  on  bushrangers,  if 
it's  all  the  same  to  you." 

"  I  saw  the  procession  reach  the  scaffold,  and  the  three  condemned 
men  ascend  the  steps,  although  they  trembled  so  that  they  had  to  be 
supported  by  the  soldiers,  for,  though  they  could  kill  and  rob,  they 
were  cowards  at  heart,  and  were  to  die  like  dogs." 

"  They  should  have  given  the  coveys  a  pint  of  brandy  each,  and  then 
they  would  have  been  all  right,"  grunted  the  fellow  whom  the  bushran- 
ger called  Bill. 

"A  prayer  was  made  by  the  clergyman,"  continued  Nancy,  not 
heeding  the  interruption,  "  and  then  the  men  were  informed  they 
could  say  any  thing  if  they  wished.  The  crape  was  removed  from  their 
faces,  and  I  saw " 

"  Who  ?  "  exclaimed  the  listeners,  eagerly. 

"  Your  face,  and  yours,  and  yours,"  she  cried,  pointing  to  three  of 
the  men,  who  sprang  to  their  feet  with  frightful  oaths,  and  murder  in 
their  hearts. 

"  Let's  hang  her,"  cried  one. 

"Burn  her  for  a  witch,"  said  another. 

"  D m  her,"  cried  the  third ;  while  the  fourth,  who  seemed  to  be 

much  pleased  that  he  was  left  out  of  the  galaxy  of  rascality,  remained 
silent  and  thoughtful. 

"Don't  harm  her,"  exclaimed  the  younger  woman,  removing  her 
hands  from  her  face,  and  endeavoring  to  shelter  the  person  of  her  com- 
panion ;  but  the  bushrangers  were  regardless  of  her  entreaties,  and 
pushed  her  aside  with  rudeness. 

I  did  not  stop  to  see  more.  I  rapidly  made  my  way  back  to  Mr. 
Wright  and  party,  who  were  anxiously  expecting  me,  for  they  had  begun 
to  grow  alarmed  at  my  absence. 

"  Not  a  moment  is  to  be  lost,"  I  said.  "  Follow  me,  and  make  no 
noise." 

"  What  is  up  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Wright,  who  perhaps  did  not  like  to 
have  his  command  usurped  so  rudely,  although  he  did,  not  object. 

"  I  cannot  stop  to  explain  now.  Haste,  or  there  will  be  murder  com- 
mitted," I  replied. 

No  more  questions  were  asked,  and  in  less  than  five  minutes  after  we 
were  in  motion  we  were  near  enough  to  the  bushrangers  to  witness 
their  operations.  They  were  holding  a  council,  and  debating  violently 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  519 

what  sort  of  death  poor  Nancy  should  die,  but  could  not  agree.  They 
supposed  her  words  were  deserving  of  instant  punishment,  and  each 
man  thought  his  method  of  taking  her  life  the  more  praiseworthy. 
The  discussion  saved  Nancy,  for  we  were  enabled  to  reach  the  spot  be- 
fore the  fellows  could  make  up  their  minds. 

Even  in  that  dreadful  moment  the  tongue  of  Nancy  did  not  lose  its 
bitterness,  and  she  was  bold  enough  to  boast  that  her  words  would 
come  true,  and  then  what  she  had  told  as  a  vision  would  prove  a 
reality. 

"  Now,  then,  men,  rush  on,  but  don't  use  your  pistols  unless  neces- 
eary.  Let  us  make  them  prisoners,"  whispered  Mr.  Wright. 

We  answered  back  that  we  were  ready,  and  dashed  forward  just  as 
the  ruffians  had  decided  that  to  hang  the  woman  would  be  a  more 
pleasant  spectacle  than  to  burn  her. 

"  Hurrah  for  Ireland,"  shouted  Mike,  springing  into  the  clearing 
where  the  enemy  were  encamped. 

The  bushrangers  were  so  taken  by  surprise  that  they  had  no  chance 
to  gain  possession  of  their  weapons,  or  to  beat  a  retreat.  One  fellow, 
when  he  saw  us  emerge  from  the  bushes,  drew  his  knife  and  struck  at 
Mike ;  but  it  was  the  last  blow  that  he  ever  made,  for  the  enraged 
Irishman  shortened  his  spear,  so  that  he  could  use  it  to  more  advan- 
tage, and  then  drove  it  through  the  body  of  his  opponent,  and  from  the 
squirming  wretch's  back  protruded  the  barbed  point.  The  fellow  threw 
bis  arms  wildly  over  his  head,  and  fell  to  the  ground,  and  with  his  last 
breath  cursed  his  slayer  and  the  whole  of  mankind. 

There  was  not  much  for  us  to  do,  although  every  man  present, 
including  the  two  natives,  performed  the  limited  part  assigned  with 
fidelity  and  despatch. 

The  ghost,  whose  true  English  instincts  would  not  allow  him  to  be 
outdone  by  Mike,  made  the  welkin  ring  with  shouts  for  England  and 
himself  at  the  grand  charge,  and  then  had  deliberately  knocked  down 
the  most  burly  of  the  robbers,  and  placed  his  foot  upon  his  breast,  and 
held  him  there  until  the  melee  was  ended. 

Of  course,  the  other  robbers  were  easily  disposed  of,  for  we  were  two 
to  one ;  but  even  after  we  had  them  securely  pinioned,  they  taunted  us 
with  cowardice,  and  dared  us  to  meet  them  in  open  fight,  where  they 
.could  stand  some  chance  for  their  lives.  Their  complaints  were  un- 
heeded, although  Mike  and  the  ghost  both  expressed  a  wish  to  meet 
two  of  the  men,  and  give  them  fair  play,  according  to  the  well-known 
rules  of  the  prize  ring  of  London,  of  which  institution  the  shepherd 
professed  to  have  vast  admiration.  The  idea  was  not  to  be  thought  of, 
And  the  two  champions  were  discontented. 

The  women  had  remained  spectators  of  the  scene  without  offering  to 
escape,  for  they  knew  into  whatever  hands  they  fell  they  could  not  be 
treated  much  worse  than  they  had  been,  and  just  at  the  moment  we 
made  our  appearance  a  change  was  quite  desirable. 

I  thought  that  once  I  heard  the  shrill  voice  of  Nancy  raised  in  thanks- 
giving to  the  Lord  for  the  rescue,  and  the  death  of  the  bushranger,  but 
I  was  so  busy  at  the  moment  that  I  did  not  pay  much  attention. 

"  Ladies,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  "  we  have  rescued  you  from  your 
unpleasant  company,  and  I  shall  take  great  pleasure  in  offering  you  a 


520  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OE 

portion  of  my  house  until  you  can  make  arrangements  to  join  your 
friends.  My  name  is  Wright,  and  I  reside  but  a  short  distance  from 
this  fording  place." 

"  I  told  you  we  should  meet  with  some  of  old  Wright's  folks,"  grum- 
bled Bill,  who  was  extended  upon  the  ground,  his  hands  secured  behind 
his  back. 

"  Yes,  you  scamp,  I  am  '  old  Wright,'  as  you  termed  me,  and  believe 
me,  I  never  felt  prouder  of  the  name  than  at  this  moment,  when  I  have 
helped  rescue  the  women  from  your  clutches,  and  feel  that  there  is  a 
chance  of  seeing  you  hanged." 

"  God  be  praised,"  cried  Nancy ;  "  we  have  niet  with  Christians  at  last. 
When  men  speak  of  the  gibbet,  I  know  that  they  have  served  the  Lord 
and  will  fight  the  devil.  To-night  you  have  fought  four  devils  instead 
of  one,  and  like  angels  have  overcome  them." 

"  Do  you  hear  that,  Bill  ?  The  old  wench  calls  Wright  an  angel," 
exclaimed  one  of  the  scamps,  turning  his  head  towards  his  companion 
as  well  as  he  was  able.  * 

"  If  we  had  him  on  the  mountain  we  would  make  an  angel  of  him 

d d  quick,  by  singeing  off  his  hair,"  replied  the  fellow  addressed  as 

Bill. 

"  Who  is  the  woman  by  your  side  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  asked  Nancy. 

"  Ah,  poor  thing,  she  was  on  her  way  to  the  mines  with  her  husband, 
when  these  devils  set  upon  us,  killed  the  men,  and  made  us  prisoners. 
If  my  old  man  had  been  there  it  wouldn't  have  happened,  I  know,"  was 
Nancy's  confident  reply. 

"  Why  so  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Because  he  can  lick  half  a  dozen  such  cowards  as  these,  and  one 
glance  of  his  eye  would  have  been  sufficient  to  have  frightened  them." 

"  That  is  so,  Nance,"  laughed  one  of  the  prisoners ;  "  he  is  fright- 
fully cross-eyed,  and  as  homely  as  a  hedgehog." 

"  The  Lord  be  thankful  for  it,  for  I  know  that  if  his  eyes  are  not 
right  his  heart  is." 

"  Keep  your  remarks  to  yourself,"  said  Mr.  Wright,  sternly,  address- 
ing the  prostrate  man ;  but  that  they  had  no  intention  of  doing,  for, 
like  all  desperadoes,  they  were  determined  to  appear  "  game "  to 
the  last. 

"  Don't  you  think,  master,  dear,  that  I'd  better  string  'em  on  me 
spear  like  herring  ?  'Twould  save  a  dale  of  trouble,"  asked  Mike. 

"  That  death  would  be  too  easy  for  them.  They  must  die  on  the 
gallows,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  impressively. 

"And  how  do  you  know  which  is  the  easiest,  old  cock?"  demanded 
Bill.  "  Was  you  ever  hung  for  sheep  stealing,  or  skewered  for  house 
breaking  ?  " 

"Pay  no  attention  to  them,  sir,"  Nancy  exclaimed.  "They  are 
demons  from  the  other  world,  and  will  soon  be  at  home." 

"  Amen,"  piously  ejaculated  the  ghost. 

We  managed,  after  some  little  persuasion,  to  get  the  women  upon 
their  feet,  and  inspire  them  with  energy  enough  to  undertake  the  jour- 
ney to  the  house. 

As  for  the  horses  and  the  dead  bushranger,  we  left  them  at  the  ford 
until  morning,  when  Mr.  Wright  proposed  to  send  men  out  to  bury 


"Don't  liarm  her!  "  exclnimod  the  younger  woman.  remnYinft  IUT  hands  from  her 
face,  and  eiidenvnring  to  shelter  the  person  of  her  companion ;  but  the  bushrangers 
•were  regardless  of  her  entreaties,  and  imal^d  her  aside  with  rudeness.  l'«ge  618. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  52l 

the   we,  and  secure  the  others,  and,  if  possible,  return  them  to  their 


Ad  we  walked  along,  Nancy  related  to  me  the  adventures  which  she 
had  encountered  since  leaving  Melbourne.  She  was  an  old  campaigner 
in  Australia,  and  was  on  her  way  to  Tares  Creek  to  join  her  husband, 
who  had  been  mining  in  that  location  ever  since  gold  was  first  dis- 
covered. 

He  had  intrusted  her  with  a  few  hundred  pounds  to  visit  the  city  and 
purchase,  provisions  and  articles  of  daily  use  sufficient  to  last  them 
through  the  wet  season,  and  she  had  performed  her  mission,  and  instead 
of  waiting  for  one  of  the  regular  freighting  teams  to  take  her  to  the 
creek,  she  had  engaged  passage  with  two  miners,  one  of  whom  had  his 
wife  with  him,  and  who  owned  a  pair  of  horses  and  a  wagon.  Luckily 
Nancy  had  left  her  goods  in  the  city,  with  orders  to  forward  them  by 
the  freight  wagons,  so  that  she  lost  nothing  personally,  even  if  the  ruf- 
fians did  search  her  person,  disbelieving  her  assertion  that  she  was  desti- 
tute of  money  and  valuables. 

The  bushrangers  had  ambushed  the  party  and  shot  them  at  their 
leisure,  and  did  the  business  as  coolly  and  with  as  much  indifference  as 
though  the  poor  fellows  had  been  sheep,  and  the  ruffians  hungry  and  in 
want  of  mutton.  They  didn't  seem  to  think  that  they  had  done  a  cruel 
action  ;  and  when  the  younger  female,  whose  name  was  Betsey  True- 
man,  shed  bitter  tears  at  her  loss,  the  brutes  jested  at  her  grief,  and 
promised  to  supply  his  place  with  a  fresher  and  more  active  husband. 
They  couldn't  understand  why  a  woman  should  mourn  for  one  man 
when  there  were  others  ready  to  take  his  place. 

"  The  onfeeling  wretches,"  Nancy  said,  concluding  her  story,  "  they 
had  the  impudence  to  put  their  hands  not  only  in  Betsey's  pocket,  but 
mine,  too.  I  boxed  the  puppy's  ears,  and  he  had  to  bear  it,  although 
he  did  draw  his  knife  and  threaten  to  cut  me  to  pieces.  I  wish  that 
my  old  man  had  been  there  when  he  made  the  attempt.  He  would 
have  broken  every  bone  in  his  body,  and  then  tore  him  limb  from 
limb." 

"  That  would  have  been  rather  a  cruel  fate,"  I  remarked,  somewhat 
amused  at  her  eulogistic  description  of  her  husband's  strength. 

"  Well,  he  could  do  it,"  was  her  confident  answer,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  she  thought  so. 

We  reached  the  bend  of  the  stream,  where  we  had  crossed  an  hour 
before,  without  accident,  for  the  moon  was  shining  full  and  bright,  but 
when  we  intimated  to  our  prisoners  that  it  was  desirable  that  they 
should  wade  through  the  water,  which  already  began  to  subside,  they 
doggedly  refused,  and  all  our  urging  was  useless.  They  feared  that  we 
intended  to  drown  them  ;  and  even  when  we  sent  Kala  to  the  other  side 
of  the  creek  to  prove  that  the  water  was  not  deep,  they  still  remained 
sulky  and  obstinate. 

"Let  me  argue  the  point  wid  'em,"  Mike  said,  appealing  to  Mr. 
Wright,  who  reluctantly  gave  his  consent. 

"  Step  up,  ye  divils,"  the  Irishman  shouted,  applying  his  sharp-point- 
ed spear  to  the  sides  of  the  most  obstinate  robber. 

"  Go  to  the  devil,  you  Irish  bogtrotter  !  "  was  the  reply. 

"  Did  ye  hear  him,  master,  dear,  call  me  name*  ?  O,  that  the  ruffians 

44* 


522  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

should  abuse  a  dacent  lad,  who  has  worked  night  and  day  for  the  para- 
ties  that  he  ates,  and  the  meat  that  he  drinks." 

"  Whiskey,  more  like,"  grunted  Bill. 

"  I'll  whiskey  ye,  ye  devils ;  start  at  once,  or  by  St.  Patrick  I'll  drive 
ye  into  the  water  like  the  holy  man  did  the  toads  and  snakes — long  life 
to  him." 

Still  the  ruffians  held  back,  and  swore  roundly,  that  they  would  not 
stir,  unless  carried  across  the  stream ;  and  at  this  display  of  obstinacy, 
Mike  lost  all  mercy. 

"  Ye  won't  go,  hey  ?  "  he  shouted,  bringing  his  spear  fair  against  the 
broadest  portion  of  one  of  the  bushranger's  bodies ;  "  of  coorse  ye  won't 
move,  hey  ?  " 

As  he  spoke,  he  pressed  harder  and  harder,  but  the  ruffian  stood  his 
ground  remarkably  well,  although  he  must  have  suffered  considerably. 

"  Is  that  one  of  the  poisoned  spear  points  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  asked,  caret 
lessly. 

"  Of  coorse  it  is,"  replied  Mike,  promptly,  seeing  the  pertinence  of 
the  question. 

"  You  Irish  thief,  do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  spear  is  pisened  ?  " 
demanded  the  robber,  eagerly. 

"  Of  coorse  I  do ;  ye  die  in  less  than  an  hour,  unless  the  pisen  is 
worked  out  of  the  wound." 

The  bushrangers  waited  to  hear  no  more.  They  sprang  into  the  creek 
with  wonderful  rapidity,  and  waded  across,  followed  by  Mike,  who  con- 
tinually threatened  them  with  a  repetition  of  his  weapon  unless  they 
behaved  themselves  like  dacent  lads. 

"  The  spear  is  not  poisoned,  I  hope,"  I  said  to  Mr.  Wright. 

"  No,  if  it  had  been,  I  should  have  objected  to  its  use.  The  fellows 
are  born  to  be  hanged,  so  there's  no  danger  of  their  dying  any  other  way." 

As  soon  as  the  bushrangers  were  on  the  other  side,  we  carried  the 

women  across,  and  then  picked  our  way  to  the  house,  tired  and  sleepy, 

and  extremely  desirous  of  a  taste  of  the  punch  which  we  had  left  behind. 

Our  prisoners  no  longer  objected  to  obeying  Mike's  injunctions,  and  he 

<was  quite  proud  of  his  authority  over  them. 

Kula,  swift  of  foot,  had  hastened  on  in  advance  of  us,  and  announced 
our  arrival  to  the  inmates  of  the  house,  and  as  we  drew  near,  the  labor- 
ers nocked  towards  us  with  cheers  of  triumph  at  our  success,  and  words 
of  scorn  for  the  prisoners. 

So  much  did  the  men  sympathize  with  the  women,  that  they  insisted 
upon  carrying  them  to  the  house ;  and  although  Nancy  kicked  and 
scratched  when  she  found  a  pair  of  strong  arms  around  her,  she  was 
obliged  to  succumb,  and  was  ultimately  landed  in  the  dining  room,  half 
angry,  and  yet  half  pleased,  at  her  conveyance. 

The  noise  awakened  the  parrot,  and  he  added  his  voice  to  the  general 
uproar. 

"  More  bushrangers !  more  bushrangers"! "  the  bird  shouted ;  "  I  told 
you  so ;  I  see  'em !  rascals !  rascal !  steal  sheep,  ho,  ho ! " 

"  Keep  quiet,  Poll,"  said  Mr.  Wright. 

"  I  won't ! "  promptly  responded  Poll ;  and  he  was  as  good  as  his 
word,  for  as  long  as  we  talked  he  would,  although  sometimes  his 
speeches  were  not  quite  apropos  while  the  ladies  were  present. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  523 

"  I  don't  know  how  you  can  change  your  clothes,  ladies,"  Mr.  Wright 
said,  seeing  that  they  stood  in  great  need  of  such  an  arrangement; 
u  the  fact  of  it  is,  I  never  had  the  fortune  to  have  a  wife,  so  women's 
garments  are  unknown  in  my  poor  house." 

"  Give  'em  men's,"  shrieked  the  parrot ;  "  who  cares  ?  " 

"  The  first  sensible  words  that  you  have  spoken  to-night,  Poll,"  the 
master  exclaimed. 

"  Is  it  ?  "  was  the  brief  ejaculation  of  the  bird,  as  though  inclined  to 
doubt  the  truth  of  that  remark. 

"  If  you  will  retire  to  a  room  that  shall  be  allotted  to  you  during  your 
stay  here,  I  will  provide  you  with  such  garments  as  I  have.  They  are 
dry  and  clean,  and  you  can  use  them  until  your  own  are  in  proper  order. 
No  one  will  notice  the  change,  for,  believe  me,  we  all  sympathize  too 
deeply  in  your  misfortunes  to  feel  aught  but  pity." 

"  As  for  myself,"  replied  Nancy,  promptly,  "  I  shall  feel  extremely 
obliged,  for  I  have  worn  damp  garments  so  long  that  I  am  almost  like  a 
mermaid.  But  this  poor  thing,"  pointing  to  Betsey,  "  only  desires  to 
lay  her  aching  head  upon  a  pillow,  and  forget  her  misery." 

"  Haven't  got  one  in  the  house,"  promptly  responded  Poll. 

"  She  needs  food.  Let  her  come  to  the  table  after  you  have  made 
such  alterations  as  are  necessary." 

"  So  do  I,"  croaked  the  bird. 

"  If  you  will  have  a  cup  of  tea  made,  I  am  confident  that  it  will  bene- 
fit her  more  than  food.  As  for  myself,  I  don't  fear  to  confess  that  I  am 
hungry,  and  shall  eat  heartily,"  Nancy  said. 

"  Of  bushrangers  ?  "  roared  Poll,  who  seemed  to  be  undecided  how 
to  class  the  ladies  of  our  party,  never  having  seen  a  woman  in  that  part 
of  the  country. 

"  The  tea  shall  be  prepared,  and  by  the  time  you  have  changed  your 
clothes  supper  will  be  ready.  Jackson,  give  me  a  candle,  and  I  will 
show  the  ladies  into  the  west  room,  where  they  can  be  as  secluded  as 
though  in  their  own  house ; "  and  it  was  admirable  to  see  the  hearty 
farmer  bow,  and  precede  the  females  up  the  wide,  hard  wood  stairs,  dis- 
playing as  much  gallantry  and  care  for  their  comfort  as  though  he  was 
to  marry  one  of  them  next  day. 

"  Good  night,  master,"  shrieked  the  mischievous  bird,  bringing  a  red 
flush  to  Mr.  Wright's  face. 

"  I'm  coming  back  to  punish  you  for  your  impudence,  sir,"  our  host 
said,  shaking  his  finger  at  the  bird. 

"  Don't  hurry  yourself.  D n  bushrangers  —  where's  the  d n 

bushrangers  ? "  and  as  Mr.  Wright  disappeared  from  view,  the  bird 
turned  its  attention  to  other  topics,  and  after  surveying  us  with  com- 
mendable attention,  croaked  out,  — 

"  Give  me  bread ;  Poll's  hungry." 

"  And  so  am  I,"  Mr.  Brown  answered,  making  an  attempt  to  stroke 
the  bird's  head,  but  the  familiarity  was  rebuked  by  a  vigorous  peck,  that 
almost  started  the  skin. 

"  You  little  devil,  what  do  you  mean  ?  "  my  friend  said,  almost  angry. 

"That's  right;  swear  and  d n!  Where's  the  women?  I  love 

women !  I  should  like  to  hug  one." 

"  You  vulgar  little  brute !  Where  did  you  learn  your  bad  manners  ?  " 
I  asked. 


524  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Mike,  Mike,  Mike." 

"  Well,  Mike  might  be  in  better  business.  You  have  got  some  queer 
crotchets  in  your  head  that  are  hardly  suitable  for  a  ladies  boudoir,  es- 
pecially if  she  expected  gentlemen  visitors,"  and  Mr.  Brown  surveyed 
the  talented  bird  with  considerable  admiration,  although  he  kept  at  a 
respectful  distance. 

Jackson  now  made  his  appearance,  and  began  to  lay  the  dishes  for 
supper,  first  driving  the  laborers  into  their  own  sitting  room,  where  they 
surrounded  the  bushrangers,  and,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  did  not  treat  them 
exactly  as  prisoners  should  have  been  used. 

Left  together,  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  superintended  Jackson,  and 
wished  for  supper,  so  that  we  could  get  a  few  hours'  sleep  before  day- 
light. 


CHAPTER    LXXVIII. 

PUNISHING  THE  BULLY. 

THERE  are  moments  when  the  hardest  hearts  are  softened  with  a  feel- 
ing akin  to  pity  for  criminals ;  and  although  I  thought  that  I  had  got 
pretty  well  toughened  to  all  sentiments  of  the  kind,  yet  I  must  confess 
that  while  I  looked  at  the  imprisoned  bushrangers,  I  wished  them  upon  the 
very  summit  of  Mount  Tarrengower,  and  compelled  to  remain  there 
amid  snow  and  storm,  until  all  their  wickedness  was  washed  away,  and 
their  past  sins  were  forgiven. 

I  was  more  inclined  to  feel  as  I  did  from  the  fact  that  the  farm  hands 
were  encircling  the  poor  devils,  and  criticising  and  abusing  them  with- 
out mercy.  I  hate  to  see  a  fallen  enemy  ill  treated.  I  always  thought 
that  it  was  more  noble  to  treat  a  fallen  foe  with  some  slight  show  of 
respect,  but  that  standard  was  not  thought  of  by  the  laborers. 

At  last,  one  man,  carried  away  by  his  feelings,  deliberately  spat  into 
the  face  of  old  Bill,  and  the  act  was  hailed  with  shouts  of  applause  and 
laughter.  The  bushranger  was  unable  to  remove  the  indignity,  and  it 
remained  upon  his  grizzly  countenance,  a  dirty  monument  of  reproach 
to  his  tormentors.  I  saw  the  old  robber's  eyes  flash  fire,  and  I  could 
imagine  his  feelings  while  standing  there  with  bound  arms,  powerless. 

"  Can't  you  interfere,  and  prevent  so  disgraceful  a  recurrence  ? "  I 
asked  of  Mr.  Brown ;  but  that  gentleman  thought  that  it  was  best  to 
wait  until  Mr.  Wright  made  his  appearance,  and  get  him  to  check  the 
abuses. 

I  thought  so  myself  for  a  few  minutes,  but  when  I  found  that  one 
individual  in  the  crowd  was  disposed  to  add  cruelty  to  his  insults,  I 
could  no  longer  remain  silent. 

Mike  had  told  the  men  the  method  which  he  took  to  get  the  bush- 
rangers to  cross  the  creek,  and  now  one  fellow,  whom  I  noticed  was 
foremost  in  the  disgraceful  proceedings,  was  testing  the  most  tender 
portion  of  their  bodies  by  the  aid  of  a  sharp-pointed  knife ;  and  al- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  525 

though  the  robbers  uttered  no  complaints  or  groans,  I  saw  that  they 
tfere  suffering,  and  that  it  was  time  to  interfere. 

"  These  men  are  prisoners,"  I  said,  urging  my  way  through  the  crowd 
until  I  stood  before  the  robbers  and  their  tormentors.  "  Let  them 
receive  good  treatment,  for  we  may  desire  it  ourselves  some  day." 

The  laborer  whom  I  addressed  paid  not  the  slightest  attention  to  my 
words,  but  continued  to  prick  the  prisoners  with  his  knife  as  if  he  en- 
joyed it.  Old  Bill  had  uttered  a  few  savage  oaths  in  remonstrance,  but 
they  were  unheeded. 

"  Excuse  me  for  interfering  in  your  sport,  my  man,"  I  continued, 
laying  one  hand  on  his  shoulder,  "  but  you  will  gratify  me  if  you 
desist." 

"  What  is  it  to  you  ?  "  he  demanded,  rudely ;  and  I  noticed  that  there 
was  an  uncommon  stillness  in  the  room,  and  many  anxious  glances  were 
cast  towards  me,  which  convinced  me  that  I  was  dealing  with  the  bully 
of  the  farm,  and  a  man  whom  they  all  feared,  and  I  fancied  disliked. 

"  Excuse  me  for  interrupting  you,  but  I  think  that  I  have  a  right  to. 
I  assisted  to  capture  the  men,  and  therefore  have  a  voice  in  relation  to 
their  disposal." 

I  was  perfectly  cool  and  collected  while  speaking,  for  I  did  not  intend 
that  the  fellow  should  get  the  advantage  of  me  by  displaying  passion. 

"  Your  voice  is  of  no  account  here  in  this  house,  so  you  will  just  take 
yourself  off,  and  go  to  the  devil,  if  you  wish." 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  see  your  relations,  so  I  shall  do  no  such  thing. 
I  have  a  right  to  be  in  the  house,  and  I  have  authority  to  ask  you  to 
desist  from  ill  treating  these  men.  If  you  do  not,  I  shall " 

"  What  ?  "  the  bully  asked,  thrusting  his  face  close  to  mine,  and  leer- 
ing most  insultingly. 

"  Make  you,"  I  answered,  decidedly. 

"  You  will  ?  "  he  demanded,  with  a  malignant  look. 

"  I  shall  do  my  best,"  I  replied. 

The  bully  did  not  utter  a  word  in  reply,  but  he  put  the  point  of  his 
knife  to  a  bushranger's  arm,  and  pressed  so  hard  that  the  prisoner  ut- 
tered a  half  suppressed  cry  of  pain. 

"  You  see ! "  the  fellow  exclaimed,  turning  to  me.  "  Now,  what  are 
you  going  to  do  about  it  ?  " 

I  saw  that  Mr.  Brown  and  every  person  in  the  room  were  watching 
my  motions  with  considerable  curiosity,  and  that  I  should  be  disgraced 
if  I  retreated  from  my  unpleasant  position.  The  quarrel  was  not  serious 
enough  to  use  my  weapons,  although  I  was  not  blind  to  the  fact  that 
the  bully  had  a  knife  in  his  hand,  and  looked  like  a  fellow  who  would 
not  scruple  to  use  it. 

There  was  but  one  course  for  me  to  pursue  —  so,  no  sooner  had  he 
proposed  his  question  than  I  raised  my  armband  struck  him  a  blow 
between  his  eyes  that  caused  a  stream  of  claret  to  spurt  out,  and  sent 
the  bully  reeling  backwards  to  the  further  end  of  the  room. 

"  Good ! "  cried  a  dozen  voices,  and  I  heard  Mr.  Brown's  deep  bass 
foremost  in  the  exclamation. 

"  Take  care,"  shouted  the  crowd  ;  "  he's  got  a  knife,  and  will  use  it." 

The  warning  came  none  too  soon,  for  suddenly  the  crowd  opened  to 
the  right  and  left,  and  I  caught  sight  of  the  bully,  with  bloody  face  and 
inflamed  eyes,  rushing  towards  me. 


526  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

There  was  no  time  to  draw  my  revolver,  or  even  my  knife,  for  before 
I  could  lay  my  hand  upon  either  the  fellow  was  within  three  feet  of 
me,  with  uplifted,  hand.  I  stood  firm,  and  when  I  saw  the  weapon  de- 
scending, like  lightning  I  sprang  aside.  The  point  of  the  knife  touched 
the  barrel  of  my  pistol,  glanced  aside,  and  such  was  the  force  of  the  blow 
that  the  ruffian  fell  to  the  floor,  completely  at  my  mercy. 

"  You  would,  would  ye  ?  "  I  heard  Mike  shout,  as  the  bully  struggled 
to  regain  his  feet.  "  Take  that,  for  a  bad  man  that  ye  are." 

The  Irishman,  as  he  spoke,  snatched  a  boomerang  from  Kala's  hand 
and  struck  the  fallen  man  a  blow  upon  his  head  that  I  thought  had 
crushed  his  skull. 

"  Served  him  right ! "  I  heard  the  laborers  say,  who,  now  that  their 
companion  was  beaten,  could  afford  to  give  some  expression  of  their 
opinion. 

"  The  d d  blackguard  !  he  not  only  insults  our  guests,  but  must 

pick  on  prisoners  he  never  dared  to  face.  O,  the  spalpeen,  I've  a  good 
mind  to  fetch  him  another  winder,"  and  Mike  raised  his  weapon  as  if 
to  do  so,  but  I  stayed  his  hand,  for  the  bully  appeared  to  be  really  suf- 
fering, and  groaned  as  though  his  head  ached. 

"  What  is  the  cause  of  this  disturbance  ?  "  I  heard  Mr.  Wright  ask, 
while  endeavoring  to  persuade  Mike  to  remain  quiet. 

"  Faith,  the  cause  of  it  was  insolence,  and  right  well  has  it  been  pun- 
ished," replied  Mr.  Brown.  "  But  come  into  the  other  room,  and  I'll 
tell  you  the  whole  story." 

Our  host  followed  the  ex-inspector  to  the  room  where  we  had  supped, 
while  I  left  the  now  quiet  crowd  as  soon  as  possible,  and  passed  out  of 
doors  with  Mike  at  my  heels. 

"  It's  close  to  your  heart  he  struck,"  said  Mike,  alluding  to  the  blow 
of  the  knife.  "  An  inch  would  have  been  the  death  of  ye.  Long  life 
to  ye." 

"  I  have  to  thank  you  for  your  efforts  in  my  behalf,"  I  replied,  and 
when  I  shook  his  hand  I  left  a  gold  piece  in  it. 

"  Bedad,  if  ye  wish,  I'll  go  back  and  give  'um  another  lick,"  Mike 
exclaimed,  with  enthusiasm,  when  he  felt  the  weight  of  the  coin. 

Before  I  could  reply,  Mr.  Wright  left  the  house,  and  hurried  to- 
wards us. 

"  Let  me,  in  the  first  place,  apologize  for  the  rudeness  of  my  servant, 
and,  in  the  second  place,  thank  you  for  punishing  him  as  he  deserves. 
Mr.  Brown  has  given  me  a  very  impartial  account  of  the  affair." 

"  And  did  he  tell  what  I  did,  bedad,"  cried  Mike. 

"  Yes,  I  am  glad  to  think  there  is  one  man  in  my  employ  who  knows 
how  to  back  my  friends  when  I  am  absent.  Mike,  from  this  night  your 
wages  are  raised  one  pound  per  month,  and  you  shall  have  Kelly's  place, 
whom  I  intend  to  discharge." 

This  news  excited  all  the  Irishman's  enthusiasm,  and  we  left  him  bid- 
ding defiance  to  the  moon,  a'nd  wondering  how  he  should  spend  all  his 
money. 

"  The  fellow  whom  you  punished  for  insolence,  has  long  held  the 
position  of  a  bully,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  "  owing  to  his  quarrelsome  dis- 
position, and  readiness  to  use  a  knife  on  slight  occasion.  I  have  over- 
looked several  faults  in  hope  that  he  would  improve  in  disposition,  but 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  521 

I  see  that  my  leniency  is  lost,  and  as  soon  as  his  head  is  healed,  he  goes 
to  Melbourne." 

I  begged  him  not  to  discharge  the  man  on  my  account,  but  Mr. 
Wright  was  firm  and  obstinate  as  any  Englishman,  when  once  resolved 
on  a  project,  so  I  let  the  matter  drop,  and  when  we  reached  the  house, 
Jackson  informed  us  that  our  second  supper  was  ready,  and  that  Nancy 
was  impatient  for  something  to  eat. 

"  Where  have  you  two  men  been  wandering  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Brown,  who 
was  pacing  the  room  like  a  hungry  bear.  "  Supper  has  been  ready  ten 
minutes ;  a  long  time  for  famished  people  to  wait." 

We  did  not  waste  precious  time  in  excuses,  for  it  was  near  three 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  I  felt  anxious  to  finish,  and  get  that  rest 
which  I  so  much  needed. 

"  Let  the  men  close  the  doors  and  windows,  and  set  a  guard  over  our 
prisoners,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  addressing  Jackson,  who  stood  in  readi- 
ness to  attend  to  our  wants. 

"  And  one  more  request,"  my  friend  said,  as  we  took  our  seats  at  the 
table,  "  when  we  once  get  to  sleep,  be  kind  enough  to  let  us  rest  until 
we  wake  of  our  own  accord.  For  the  past  three  days  our  naps  have 
not  been  very  long  or  sound." 

"  Every  thing  shall  be  as  you  desire,  gentlemen.  Now  fall  to,  and 
don't  forget  that  there  is  a  lady  present." 

Unless  our  host  had  alluded  to  the  fact,  it  is  probable  that  we  should 
have  forgotten  it,  for  Nancy  was  so  well  disguised  in  men's  apparel  that 
she  looked  like  a  respectable  farmer. 

She  seemed  perfectly  cool  and  unconcerned,  and  I  was  not  surprised 
to  hear  her  say  that  she  had  passed  many  months  so  disguised  while 
mining  with  her  husband  at  Bendigo,  Tarres  Creek,  and  Ballarat,  during 
the  early  history  of  the  mines,  when  it  was  neither  safe  nor  agreeable  to 
have  a  woman  in  camp.  Tired  as  we  were,  she  related  a  few  incidents 
connected  with  her  life  that  were  listened  to  with  much  interest,  and 
we  found  that  if  Nancy  was  rough,  she  possessed  a  true  heart  and  a 
Christian  spirit,  and  was  never  backward  in  extending  aid  to  the  sick, 
or  giving  good  advice  to  the  profane. 

"  Smoke  your  pipes,  gentlemen,"  she  said,  "  and  don't  be  afraid  that 
I  shall  be  sick,  or  that  the  smoke  will  injure  my  complexion.  My  old 
man  has  used  a  pipe  these  twenty-five  years,  and  I  hope  that  he  will 
live  twenty-five  more,  and  as  much  longer  as  the  Lord  is  willing.  I 
don't  think  that  using  a  pipe  will  shorten  his  days  or  his  nights.  When 
I  see  him,  after  a  hard  day's  work,  sucking  a  yard  of  clay,  I  thank  Heaven 
that  it  ain't  a  whiskey  bottle.  It's  but  little  comfort  the  poor  fellow 
gets  in  this  country,  and  if  he's  contented  I'm  happy." 

"  I  wish  that  I  could  find  a  wife  with  your  sentiments,"  Mr.  Wright 
remarked. 

"  So  you  can,"  Nancy  replied ;  "  but  you've  got  to  search  for  'em. 
They  ain't  found  out  here  on  the  sand  plains,  or  in  the  mines,  but  be- 
neath the  shelter  of  a  parent's  protection  in  the  large  cities,  where 
education  and  virtue  are  taught." 

"  If  you  speak  of  Melbourne,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  with  an  incredulous 
shrug  of  his  shoulders,  "  I  shall  be  inclined  to  doubt  you,  for  in  the  city 
no  such  word  as  virtue  is  known." 


528  LIFE   IN   AUSTBALIA,   OB 

"  Spoken  like  a  man  of  the  world,  and  without  a  thought  of  how 
much  that  is  good  and  true  is  placed  upon  a  level  with  the  vile  and 
unworthy.  For  shame,  gentlemen,  and  brave  men  as  I  know  you  are, 
to  utter  such  slanders  concerning  the  weaker  sex.  Remember  that  your 
mothers  were  women,  and  if  aught  was  spoken  against  them,  would  not 
your  blood  tingle  ?  " 

Mr.  Brown  did  not  jest  again  that  night,  and  I  think  that  the  reply 
made  us  all  reflect  upon  our  obligations  to  our  Maker,  for  we  pushed 
back  our  chairs  from  the  table,  and  declared  that  sleeping  was  better 
than  drinking,  and  that  we  would  finish  the  punch  some  other  time. 

Jackson  led  the  way  to  our  room,  while  our  host  did  the  honors  for 
his  lady  guests.  We  bade  all  good  night,  and  after  Mr.  Brown  and  my- 
self had  exchanged  a  few  words  relative  to  the  incidents  of  the  day,  we 
threw  ourselves  upon  the  mattresses  spread  upon  the  floor,  and  just  as 
daylight  began  to  glimmer  in  the  east  we  fell  asleep,  and  our  slumbers 
were  undisturbed  for  many  hours ;  but  at  length  we  were  awakened  by 
Mr.  Wright,  who  sat  in  the  only  chair  the  room  afforded,  smoking  his 
pipe  with  great  apparent  relish,  and  looking  as  though  he  had  been 
awake  since  sunrise. 

"  Come,  rouse  up,"  he  said,  "  or  you  will  have  no  appetite  for  supper. 
You  are  the  soundest  sleepers  that  I  ever  saw,  for  I  made  some  noise 
in  hopes  of  awakening  you,  but  I  found  that  was  an  impossibility,  so  I 
thought  I  would  try  tobacco  smoke." 

"  What  o'clock  is  it  ?  "  I  asked,  rubbing  my  eyes,  and  trying  to  think 
where  I  was. 

"  Near  four.  Come,  get  up,  and  help  me  entertain  the  women.  They 
have  got  their  proper  clothes  on,  and  don't  look  so  bad  as  they  might. 
The  young  one  still  wails  for  her  husband,  although  I  tell  her  to  keep 
up  her  spirits,  and  think  of  something  else." 

"  Advice  which  she  is  certain  not  to  follow.  Did  you  ever  know  of  a 
woman  that  would  be  advised  under  any  circumstances  ?  No,  I  thought 
not." 

"  You  are  always  grumbling  about  the  women,"  I  said,  addressing  Mr. 
Brown.  "  If  the  truth  was  known,  I  suppose  that  it  would  show  that 
you  have  been  jilted  some  day  by  a  female  with  a  pretty  face,  and  re- 
venge yourself  by  abusing  the  whole  sex.  That  is  ungallant." 

"  I  don't  care  how  ungallant  it  is,  for  I  know  it  to  be  true,"  replied 
Mr.  Brown,  with  great  candor ;  "  ten  years  ago,  I  made  love  to  the 
prettiest  piece  of  flesh  and  blood  that  ever  walked  on  two  legs,  or 
allowed  her  hair  to  curl  in  ringlets.  But  I  don't  like  to  talk  on  the 
subject." 

"  A  truce  to  your  love  affairs,"  interrupted  Mr.  Wright ;  "  come  and 
take  a  gallop  with  me  this  afternoon,  and  have  a  look  at  my  farm,  and 
I'll  warrant  that  you  will  think  no  more  of  women  or  of  marriaga 
Will  you  come  ?  " 

We  both  readily  assented,  and  a  good  cup  of  coffee,  which  Jackson 
had  kept  in  readiness  for  us  when  we  awoke,  was  swallowed  with  a 
relish,  and  then  we  found  our  horses  standing  at  the  door,  looking  in 
prime  order,  in  spite  of  certain  places  on  their  coats  which  had  been 
ainged  while  riding  through  the  fire  the  day  before. 

Mr.  Wright  had  been  very  attentive  to  our  comforts,  for  the  saddles 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  529 

were  repaired  and  made  smooth  where  they  were  rough,  and  the  bridles 
were  oiled  and  cleaned,  and  looked  like  new  ones.  We  mounted,  and 
turning  our  horses'  heads,  trotted  slowly  towards  the  field  of  wheat, 
which  we  had  passed  the  first  day  of  our  arrival. 


CHAPTER    LXXIX. 

MR.  WRIGHT'S  FARM.  —  DEATH  OF  KELLY. 

A  PLEASANT  ride  we  had  that  afternoon,  reviewing  flocks  and  growing 
crops,  and  discoursing  on  the  best  mode  of  cultivation.  I  found  that 
our  host  preferred  the  heavy  tools  of  English  farmers,  to  the  light,  easily 
managed  instruments  of  the  Americans,  and  I  took  occasion  to  point 
out  the  superior  advantages  which  the  latter  possessed ;  but  Mr.  Wright 
was  incredulous,  and  suspicious  of  my  innovations.  His  land  was 
level,  and  free  from  stones,  and  just  suited  for  light  American  ploughs, 
and  I  pledged  my  word  that  a  third  more  work  could  be  done  with  one, 
drawn  by  a  yoke  of  oxen,  than  could  be  performed  by  an  English  made 
plough,  a  huge,  clumsy  thing,  drawn  by  two  span  of  horses,  and  requir- 
ing three  men  to  attend  upon  its  wants.. 

I  exacted  a  promise  from  Mr.  Wright,  that  he  would  give  an  Ameri- 
can plough  a  fair  trial ;  and  the  next  time  he  visited  Melbourne  he  pur- 
chased one,  and  I  had  the  satisfaction,  before  I  left  the  country,  of 
hearing  him  say  that  he  was  delighted  with  its  performance,  and  that 
he  had  discarded  many  English  farming  tools,  and  substituted  American, 
which  were  lighter,  yet  quite  strong  enough,  and  saved  much  labor. 

If  I  had  accomplished  no  other  result  in  Australia  than  introducing 
a  few  articles  of  the  manufacture  of  the  United  States,  I  should  think 
that  I  was  amply  compensated  for  my  trouble,  convinced  as  I  am,  that 
we  have  found  a  market  that  will  consume  thousands  of  dollars  worth 
of  agricultural  tools,  and  be  paid  for  in  clean  gold  dust. 

Mr.  Wright  owned  fifty  thousand  acres  of  land,  —  not  one  thousand, 
but  fifty  thousand,  —  and  over  two  thirds  of  it  were  devoted  to  grazing 
purposes. 

For  instance,  he  had  five  hundred  acres  sowed  to  wheat,  five  hundred 
to  potatoes,  and  a  thousand  acres  to  vegetables,  fruits,  and  eats.  The 
rest  of  the  vast  domain  was  free  to  the  immense  herds  which  were  seen 
scattered  over  the  plains  in  all  directions. 

There  were  ten  thousand  head  of  sheep,  three  thousand  head  of  cat- 
tle, and  five  hundred  horses  on  the  farm,  and  all  owned  by  one  man, 
and  that  man's  wealth  increasing  every  year  to  an  almost  fabulous 
extent.  He  pointed  out  the  site  which  he  had  selected  for  building  an 
immense  barn,  to  be  used  for  the  storage  of  grain,  and  to  keep  a  num- 
ber of  his  most  highly  prized  horses  in  during  the  whiter  season,  and 
then  spoke  of  the  time  when  the  country  would  be  so  secure  that  he 
could  erect  a  house  more  in  accordance  with  his  ideas  of  comfort  and 

45 


530  "  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

good  taste,  and  lie  down  at  night  and  be  certain  of  awaking  in  the 
morning  and  find  his  herds  safe. 

The  ride  and  the  farmer's  conversation  were  most  interesting  to  me ; 
but  I  will  not  inflict  it  upon  the  readers,  for  it  is  probable  that  they  do 
not  take  that  interest  in  agriculture  that  I  do.  We  returned  to  the 
house,  and  I  was  more  than  ever  profoundly  impressed  with  the  magni- 
tude of  Australian  farmers'  operations. 

That  evening,  while  sipping  our  punch,  we  hinted  that  the  next 
morning  must  see  us  on  our  way  to  Ballarat.  Mr.  Wright  vainly 
urged  us  to  remain  with  him  for  a  week,  and  even  offered  the  induce- 
ment of  a  formidable  expedition  against  the  bushrangers  in  the  vicinity 
of  Mount  Tarrengower ;  but  we  turned  deaf  ears  to  the  allurements,  and 
promised  at  some  future  day  to  visit  him,  when  our  time  would  not  be 
limited. 

We  had  been  absent  from  the  mines  a  week,  and  unsettled  as  affairs 
•were  when  we  left,  we  knew  not  what  great  events  had  happened.  I 
had  considerable  property  that  required  looking  after,  and  I  supposed 
Fred  would  need  assistance  and  advice  in  case  there  was  a  rising  of  the 
miners  in  opposition  to  the  tax,  which  had  for  such  a  length  of  time 
caused  fierce  dissensions  and  a  few  bloody  collisions. 

"But  what  am  I  to  do  with  my  prisoners ? "  Mr.  Wright  asked,  with 
a  perplexed  look. 

"  Iron  them  securely,  and  send  them  to  Melbourne,  under  an  escort 
of  your  most  trusty  men,"  replied  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Yes,  I  can  do  that,  but  there's  the  other  party  —  the  women. 
What  can  I  do  with  them  after  you  are  gone  ?  " 

"  Send  them  to  Melbourne  also.  They  will  be  needed  as  witnesses, 
and  will  be  well  cared  for  during  their  stay.  After  the  men  are  hanged 
they  can  go  where  they  please.  That's  the  only  course  that  is  left  for 
you  to  pursue." 

"  I  will  leave  a  note  for  the  ladies  with  the  lieutenant  of  police  in 
Melbourne,  and  he  will  see  that  they  are  properly  cared  for,"  I  re- 
marked. 

"  Perhaps  you  had  better  give  it  to  me,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  thought- 
fully. 

"Why?" 

".Because  I  think  that  business  will  call  me  to  the  city  in  a  day  or 
two,  and  I  will  accompany  the  expedition,  and  see  that  the  women  have 
all  that  they  desire  on  the  route.  I  don't  like  to  trust  them  with  my 
men,  for  I  don't  know  how  the  latter  would  act  when  no  longer  under 
my  supervision." 

;  The  very  best  course  you  can  take,"  cried  Mr.  Brown  and  myself 


the  youth  and  tears  of  the  widow  had  made  an  impression  upon  his 
heart,  and  that  he  desired  to  be  as  near  her  as  possible,  so  as  to  condole 
with  her  on  her  misfortunes. 

We  settled  the  business  that  evening,  and  I  even  made  an  arrange- 
ment with  Mr.  Wright  to  forward  me  all  his  surplus  produce,  such  as 
vegetables  and  fruit,  and  all  the  cattle  he  desired  to  dispose  of.  I 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  531 

pointed  out  the  advantage  he  would  derive  from  the  trade,  and  that, 
instead  of  sending  his  stock  to  Melbourne,  and  waiting  for  consignees 
to  dispose  of  it,  I  would  pay  upon  delivery,  and  give  the  best  market 
price.  He  agreed  with  me,  and  we  closed  a  bargain  that  was  only 
interrupted  when  Fred  and  myself  left  the  country. 

The  next  morning  we  were  up  at  daylight,  and  so  were  the  whole 
household.  Breakfast  was  smoking  on  the  table  when  we  descended  to 
the  first  floor,  and  Jackson  stood  near  the  door  looking  quite  melan- 
choly at  the  prospect  of  our  departure,  while  Kala  and  lala  ventured  as 
near  the  dining  room  as  they  dared  for  the  purpose  of  reminding  us  of 
our  promised  bottles  of  rum,  and  tobacco.  We  satisfied  them  that 
they  were  not  forgotten,  and  that  they  should  receive  the  articles  by  the 
first  team  that  was  consigned  to  us  from  the  farm. 

"  And  me,  sir,"  whispered  Jackson ;  "  I  hope  that  I  shall  not  be  for- 
gotten after  your  departure." 

"  We  never  forget  our  promises,"  I  replied.  "  You  shall  have  a  par- 
don, if  money  or  influence  can  procure  one." 

With  this  assurance  he  was  perfectly  satisfied,  and  I  may  as  well  state 
here  that  he  was  pardoned  in  less  than  a  year  from  the  time  of  our 
visit,  and  that  he  left  Mr.  Wright's  employ,  went  to  Melbourne  with  a 
hundred  pounds  in  his  pocket,  commenced  a  small  business,  which 
gradually  expanded,  until  at  the  present  time  he  writes  me  that  he  is 
assessed  for  near  one  hundred  thousand  pounds.  He  has  been  fortu- 
nate in  all  his  speculations,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  honora- 
ble merchants  in  Melbourne. 

"  By  the  way,  that  fellow  whom  you  quarrelled  with  and  struck  has 
left  my  employ,"  Mr.  Wright  said,  as  we  took  our  seats  at  the  table. 

"  He  took  a  sudden  start,"  I  replied. 

"  Yes,  he  gave  me  no  intimation  of  his  leaving ;  if  he  had,  I  would 
have  settled  with  him  in  full,  and  discharged  him  in  regular  form.  He 
went  off  in  the  course  of  the  night,  and  has  taken  all  that  he  owned 
and  something  over.  He  will  turn  out  a  bushranger  yet,  or  I'm  no 
reader  of  faces." 

"  What  has  he  carried  off  that  didn't  belong  to  him  ?  "  Mr.  Brown 
asked. 

"  A  pair  of  large  sized  pistols,  and  a  lot  of  ammunition." 

"  You  can  afford  to  lose  them,  for  they  are  more  dangerous  to  the 
man  who  fires  them  than  the  one  who  stands  before  them.  Congratu- 
late yourself  on  their  loss.  It  is  your  gain." 

Our  host  laughed,  but  denied  the  truth  of  my  assertion,  and  during 
the  remaining  time  we  were  at  the  table  the  subject  was  not  again 
alluded  to. 

We  finished  our  breakfast,  received  our  gold  from  Mr.  Wright,  who 
had  locked  it  in  his  safe  during  our  stay,  and  had  not  asked  us  a  single 
question  concerning  it,  although  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  suspected  the 
truth  — •  shook  hands  with  the  men,  and  received  the  blessings  of  Nan- 
cy, and  the  tearful  adieus  of  Betsy  —  held  a  short  interview  with  the 
ghost,  who  was  inclined  to  shed  tears  because  he  could  not  accompany 
us,  but  who  was  consoled  when  we  promised  to  get  him  pardoned,  and 
t^  send  him  a  present  of  tobacco,  and  brandy  enough  to  last  a  twelve- 
month —  had  another  hand-shake  all  round,  and  then  we  mounted  our 


632  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

horses,  and  with  three  ringing  cheers  in  our  ears  we  started  on  oui 
journey  towards  Ballarat. 

"  A  pleasant  visit  we  have  had,"  muttered  Mr.  Brown,  after  we  were 
out  of  sight  of  the  house.  "  Faith,  I  would  have  no  objection  to  own- 
ing a  farm  like  this." 

"Which  you  would  sell  in  less  than  a  year  at  a  sacrifice." 

"  No,  I  don't  think  so.     But,  hullo !  we've  forgotten  something." 

•Well,  what  is  it?" 

"  Why,  something  to  eat  on  the  route." 

"Jackson  has  looked  to  our  welfare,  and  if  you  will  examine  the 
bundle  strapped  to  the  back  part  of  your  saddle  you  will  find  a  choice 
collection  of  eatables,  and  a  large  flask  of  something  stronger  than 
water.  You  see  that  I  am  provided  in  the  same  manner." 

"I  am  thankful  for  it,  and  sincerely  hope  that  you  will  make  no 
demands  upon  me  during  the  journey." 

"  Don't  alarm  yourself,"  I  replied,  laughing.  "  I  have  got  a  revolver, 
and  can  shoot  a  kangaroo  if  I  get  hungry." 

By  chance  I  drew  my  revolver  from  my  belt  as  I  spoke,  and  saw  that 
it  was  apparently  in  good  order,  although  I  thought  that  the  caps 
looked  as  though  they  had  been  put  on  in  a  bungling  manner.  The 
work  did  not  look  like  mine,  and  I  had  a  faint  suspicion  that  the  pistol 
had  been  tampered  with. 

I  said  nothing  to  my  friend,  but  dropped  the  rein  upon  my  horse's 
neck,  and  removed  one  of  the  caps  of  the  nipple.  I  saw  nothing  to 
alarm  me  until  I  had  wiped  away  the  corrosive  substance  that  clung  to 
the  iron,  when,  to  my  surprise,  I  discovered  that  a  small  plug  had  been 
driven  into  the  priming  tube,  thus  rendering  the  charge  in  the  barrel 
useless.  The  discovery  was  valuable,  for  I  did  not  know  what  designs 
the  man  who  did  the  work  might  have  on  us. 

A  brief  inspection  convinced  me  that  the  remaining  five  tubes  were 
in  the  same  condition,  and  then  I  called  for  a  halt. 

"  What's  the  matter  now  ?  "  demanded  my  friend,  who  was  considera- 
ble in  advance  of  me. 

"  A  slight  discovery  that  may  prove  of  value." 

"  What  is  it  —  another  bottle  of  liquor  ?  " 

"  No,  of  more  importance  than  that.  Had  it  been  a  bottle  I  should 
have  hardly  called  you  back,"  I  replied. 

"  No,  I'll  be  sworn  that  you  would  not.  But  go  on.  Tell  me  what 
you  have  found  out  now." 

"  Simply  that  our  pistols  have  been  tampered  with.  At  least  mine 
has." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  "  cried  Mr.  Brown,  hastily,  drawing  his  weapon  and 
inspecting  it. 

"  I  see  nothing,"  he  continued.  "  The  powder  and  ball  seem  to  be  in 
their  places,  and  the  caps  on." 

"  Take  off  the  caps,  and  then  see,"  I  remarked. 

He  did  as  I  requested,  and  found  the  tubes  stopped  as  mine 
were. 

"  The  devil ! "  he  muttered ;  "  I  don't  like  this  much." 

"  Neither  do  I ;  but  we  must  make  the  best  of  it.  The  quicker  wa 
extract  the  plugs,  the  more  safe  I  shall  feeL" 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  533 

The  task  was  a  long  one,  but  we  accomplished  it,  and  then,  to  make 
all  sure,  we  reloaded  our  weapons,  and  felt  relieved  when  we  found  that 
we  could  depend  upon  them. 

"  When  was  this  done  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  inquired. 

"  Probably  yesterday  afternoon,  while  we  were  looking  over  the 
form." 

"  But  who  could  have  done  it  ?  " 

"  There  you  ask  me  too  much.  It  may  have  been  known  to  the  farm 
hands  that  we  had  money  on  our  persons.  Indeed,  I  think  that  the 
shepherd,  while  in  his  cups,  boasted  of  the  rich  booty  which  we  had 
found,  and  so  excited  the  envious  spirit  of  some  reckless  fellow  who 
wishes  to  be  rich  at  our  expense." 

"  Then  we  must  have  the  satisfaction  of  riding  along,  anticipating  a 
bullet  every  few  minutes,"  grumbled  Mr.  Brown. 

"  I  suppose  that  is  the  case,  unless  we  change  our  route." 

"  And  go  thirty  miles  out  of  our  way  ?  "  exclaimed  my  companion, 
Bneeringly.  "  No,  sir.  I  have  no  desire  to  cross  a  sandy  plain  where 
the  sun  heats  the  earth  so  hot  that  a  mosquito  gets  its  wings  singed  if 
it  alights  before  twelve  o'clock  at  night." 

"  The  plain  must  be  a  paradise  if  insects  don't  exist  there.  Let  us 
go  by  that  route,"  I  replied. 

-"  I  didn't  say  that  flies  and  mosquitoes  were  not  there.  I  said  that 
they  didn't  touch  the  sand,  but  they  hover  in  the  air,  and  unfortunate 
is  the  man  or  beast  that  they  light  upon." 

I  found  out  that  Mr.  Brown  was  not  to  be  changed  from  his  purpose ; 
so  we  once  more  rode  on  side  by  side,  and  while  we  were  chatting  upon 
the  incidents  that  had  befallen  us  during  our  excursion,  we  almost  for- 
got the  plugging  of  the  pistols. 

At  the  edge  of  Mr.  Wright's  land,  on  the  route  to  Ballarat,  was  a 
small  forest  of  gum  trees,  through  which  ran  a  small  stream,  similar  to 
the  one  that  we  crossed  on  the  night  that  we  captured  the  bushrangers. 
The  water  was  shallow  and  sluggish,  with  a  soft,  sticky  bottom,  and 
boggy  sides.  This  stream  Mr.  Wright  had  told  us  we  should  have  to 
cross,  and  that  after  we  were  over  we  could  soon  find  the  numerous  trails 
and  roads  leading  to  the  mines,  and  probably  meet  with  parties  of 
miners. 

When  the  directions  were  given  a  number  of  the  farm  hands  were 
present,  so  that  I  arrived  at  the  conclusion  that  while  we  were  fording 
the  stream  an  attempt  would  be  made  upon  our  lives,  if  it  was  to  be 
made  at  all. 

As  soon,  therefore,  as  we  arrived  in  the  vicinity  of  the  brook  I 
checked  the  pace  of  my  horse,  and  carefully  scrutinized  the  trees  and 
places  where  an  ambush  might  be  expected. 

I  even  examined  the  ground  for  the  prints  of  horses'  feet,  for  I  knew 
that  it  was  customary  for  every  runaway  servant  or  farm  hand  to  steal 
a  horse. 

That  was  considered  a  matter  of  course,  and  it  was  no  unusual  thing 
for  the  police  of  Australia,  when  they  saw  a  poorly-clad  man  on  horse- 
back, to  ask  him  where  he  stole  it ;  and  unless  he  gave  pretty  correct 
answers,  the  animal  would  be  taken  away  and  confiscated  to  the  services 
»f  the  force. 

45* 


534  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,    OK 

I  could  tell  nothing  by  the  earth,  for  the  cattle  had  resorted  to  the 
brook  to  quench  their  thirst,  and  roll  in  the  cool  mud. 

I  glanced  hastily  around,  but  saw  nothing  to  excite  alarm  ;  so  I 
touched  my  horse  lightly  and  entered  the  brook.  The  animal,  disliking 
the  mud,  sprang  suddenly  half  way  across.  The  quick  motion  of  the 
brute  probably  saved  my  life,  for  just  as  the  animal  sprang  a  shot  was 
fired,  and  the  ball  whizzed  in  uncomfortable  proximity  to  my  head. 

I  struck  the  spurs  deeply  into  the  brute's  sides,  and  with  a  bound  like 
lightning,  he  landed  me  on  the  bank  of  the  stream ;  but  as  he  did  so, 
the  soil  yielded,  and  he  fell,  throwing  me  several  feet  from  him. 

Again  was  I  indebted  for  my  life  to  that  simple  accident,  and  it  was 
of  a  kind  that  had  not  occurred  before  during  my  residence  in  Austra- 
lia, for  just  as  the  horse  fell,  another  sharp  report  of  firearms  was  heard, 
and  a  bullet  struck  the  trunk  of  a  tree  over  my  head,  and  sent  a  shower 
of  bark  rattling  upon  my  face. 

"  I  see  the  d d  scoundrel ! "  shouted  Mr.  Brown,  and  he  spurred 

in  pursuit.  I  saw  the  form  of  a  stout-built  man,  mounted  on  a  powerful 
horse,  disappear  amid  the  trees,  and  I  quickly  urged  ray  animal  to  his 
feet,  so  that  I  could  join  in  the  pursuit. 

Before  it  could  be  done,  I  heard  two  quick,  ringing  shots,  which  my 
ears  told  me  came  from  Mr.  Brown's  revolver,  and  I  easily  guessed  the 
fate  of  the  would-be  assassin. 

By  the  time  I  had  scraped  the  mud  from  my  person,  Mr.  Brown  came 
riding  slowly  back,  looking  as  unconcerned  and  calm  as  possible. 

"  Did  you  hit  him  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  To  be  sure ;  both  shots  told,"  was  the  satisfactory  reply. 

"  Who  was  the  scamp  ?     Did  you  recognize  him  ?  " 

"  Certainly ;  I  could  hardly  fail  to  do  that,  when  he  bore  your  mark." 

"  How  —  my  mark  ?  "  I  asked  in  astonishment. 

"  Yes ;  one  of  his  eyes  was  black  and  blue,  where  you  struck  him 
last  night." 

"  You  mean  to  tell  me  that  it  was  Kelly  who  sought  my  life  ?  "  I 
cried,  recollecting  that  Mr.  Wright  had  informed  me  that  the  fellow  had 
left  the  farm  the  night  before. 

"  If  you  don't  believe  it,  you  will  find  the  body  a  few  rods  from  here 
with  two  wounds  —  one  on  the  right  shoulder  and  the  second  through 
the  body." 

"  I  have  no  desire  to  see  it,"  I  replied  ;  "  let  us  continue  our  journey, 
and  leave  the  scene  of  so  disagreeable  a  necessity." 

If  Mr.  Brown  did  not  utter  a  prayer  of  thanksgiving  for  his  escape, 
I  am  certain  that  I  did  ;  and  it  was  a  sincere  one  at  that,  for  nothing  but 
an  overruling  Providence  could  have  saved  one  from  the  effects  of  two 
shots  at  a  short  distance. 

On  we  pressed,  our  good  horses  exerting  themselves  to  the  utmost, 
and  almost  regardless  of  the  heat  which  poured  down  upon  our  heads, 
until  our  brains  seemed  melted,  and  ready  to  run  from  the  eyes.  Pro- 
fuse drinking  alone  saved  us  from  a  sun-stroke  that  day. 

At  length  we  reached  the  plain,  and  saw  stretched  before  us  half  a 
dozen  roads,  all  leading  to  the  mines,  but  all  deserted,  for  it  was  at  an 
hour  when  few  travellers  cared  to  move,  preferring  to  wait  until  the  sun 
kad  ceased  its  fiery  course,  and  the  earth  had  thrown  off  its  fervent  heat. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  535 

"  I  go  no  farther,"  I  exclaimed,  as  I  saw  that  my  horse  was  suffering 
from  his  over-exertions. 

Mr.  Brown  reined  in,  and  seemed  disposed  to  take  advice. 

"  Only  to  the  next  clump  of  trees,"  he  replied,  pointing  to  half  a 
dozen,  about  a  mile  distant. 

"  We  shall  kill  the  animals,  and  ourselves  in.  the  bargain,"  I  replied. 

"  A  mile  or  so  will  make  but  little  difference ;  I  \hink  that  I  can 
promise  you  a  good  camping  ground,  and  a  sink  hole  vith  pretty  fresh 
water  under  those  trees  ;  come." 

I  could  no  longer  resist  the  inducements,  and  once  more  we  put  our 
horses  in  motion. 

"  See,  as  I  told  you,  we  shall  find  company  under  the  trees ! "  cried 
Mr.  Brown ;  "  there  is  smoke  arising,  and  that  denotes  coffee  and  sup- 
per. Cheer  up,  and  we  shall  yet  learn  the  news  before  sunset." 

A  few  minutes  revealed  to  our  gaze  three  or  four  men  and  two  women, 
seated  near  a  wagon,  that  looked  as  though  it  had  made  many  journeys 
between  Ballarat  and  Melbourne,  before  the  roads  weie  in  good  order. 
A  brisk  fire  was  burning,  and  on  that  fire  we  could  see-  a  coffee-pot  and 
a  kettle.  A  short  distance  from  the  camp  were  two  skeleton  horses, 
with  just  life  enough  left  to  be  able  to  graze  upon  the  prairie,  and  who 
seemed  to  have  been  fed  on  thistles  during  the  last  few  years  of  their 
life.  With  no  suspicion  that  our  appearance  was  against  us,  we  rode 
boldly  on  until  we  were  brought  to  a  halt  by  a  couple  of  presented 
muskets,  held  in  the  hands  of  their  trembling  owners. 

"  Don't  ye  come  here,  ye  divils ! "  shouted  one  of  the  men  in  goodly 
•trong  brogue. 

"  If  ye  does,  it's  cowld  lead  ye'll  get ! "  cried  another. 

"  But,  my  good  friends,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  blandly. 

"  Away  wid  ye,  at  once,  and  the  divil  take  care  of  ye.     We  know  ye." 

"  If  you  know  us,  you  should  not  fear  us,"  my  friend  said,  in  the  in- 
sinuating argumentative  style  so  peculiar  to  him. 

"  O  !  betther  not  stand  there  blarneying,  but  go  away  wid  ye ! "  yelled 
out  one  of  the  women,  with  demonstrative  indications  of  throwing 
hot  water  or  potatoes  at  us. 

"  Why,  who  do  you  think  we  are  ?  "  I  asked,  Mr.  Brown  having  re- 
tired from  the  conversational  portion  of  his  duty  in  deep  disgust  at  the 
idea  of  having  his  gentlemanly  address  taken  for  blarney. 

"  We  think  ye  are  thaves !  may  the  divil  confound  ye,"  replied  one 
of  the  heathen. 

"  But  we  are  not  thieves,"  I  continued. 

"  Thin  yer  looks  belies  ye  wonderfully.  Go  on  yer  ways,  and  don't 
stop  here  thinking  that  we've  money,  or  any  stuff  to  stale,  for  we  ain't." 

"  Why,  you  d n  fools ! "  yelled  Mr.  Brown,  "  we  have  more  money 

in  our  pockets  than  the  carcasses  of  yourselves,  wives,  and  horses  would 
bring." 

This  announcement  produced  a  sensation,  and  we  were  happy  to  see 
the  fellows  whisper  together,  as  though  they  had  made  a  mistake,  and 
were  willing  to  rectify  it. 

"  Have  ye  whiskey  ?  "  at  length  one  of  them  asked. 

I  shook  a  bottle  in  their  faces,  but  made  no  reply. 

"  Is  it  the  rale  poteen  ?  "  he  demanded. 


536  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  Irish  all  over,"  I  answered. 

"  Thin  glory  to  God,  come  along  and  welcome." 

The  muskets  were  lowered,  the  hos.tile  attitude  ceased,  and  we  rode 
into  the  camp  like  conquerors,  and  were  received  with  every  mark  of 
respect,  which  I  attributed  more  to  the  influence  of  the  black  bottle 
that  I  held  in  my  hand,  than  to  our  dignified  personal  appearance. 
Even  the  women  condescended  to  welcome  us  with  looks  of  encourage- 
ment, and  one  of  them  spanked  her  baby  when  it  cried,  because  the 
wee  tiling  was  frightened  at  strangers. 


CHAPTER    LXXX. 

JOURNEY  BACK  TO  BALLARAT. 

"You  are,  no  doubt,  strangers  in  the  country?"  said  Mr.  Brown, 
after  we  had  removed  the  saddles  from  our  horses'  backs,  and  suffered 
the  animals  to  roam  a  short  distance  from  the  camp  for  food. 

"  Faith,  ye  may  well  say  that,"  cried  the  leading  Hibernian,  with  a 
good-natured  smile. 

"  Where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  my  friend  continued, 

"  Ireland,  sir,   was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  I  know  that  without  your  telling  me.  I  mean  from  what  part  of  this 
country.  Sydney  or  Melbourne  ?  " 

"  Faith,  how  did  ye  know  we  come  from  Ireland  ?  "  queried  Pat,  with 
innocent  simplicity. 

"  By  your  brogue,  to  be  sure,"  was  Mr.  Brown's  prompt  answer. 

"  Bedad,  I  never  thought  of  that,"  grunted  the  Celt. 

"  We  came  from  Melbourne,  sir,"  one  of  the  men  said,  answering  Mr. 
Brown's  question,  and  casting  wishful  eyes  towards  the  black  bottle. 
"  We've  been  four  days  on  the  road,  and  it's  little  progress  we  make  at 
all,  bad  luck  to  the  horses  that  won't  draw  when  we  want  'em  to.  It's 
out  of  whiskey  we  got  the  first  day,  owing  to  the  swilling  of  Ned  Mul- 
loon,  who  was  drunk  as  a  baste  when  we  left  town." 

"  Faith,  it's  little  chance  I  had  while  yer  mouth  was  doing  its  work, 
Teddy,"  cried  Ned,  with  a  grin. 

"  We  will  make  a  bargain  with  you,"  Mr.  Brown  said  to  the  men. 
"  Give  us  a  share  of  your  potatoes,  and  we'll  divide  the  whiskey." 

"  Done,"  cried  all  hands,  with  remarkable  unanimity ;  and  the  pot  con- 
taining the  esculents  was  jerked  off  the  fire  and  placed  at  our  feet,  while 
we  treated  all  hands,  not  even  excepting  the  women. 

"  Well,  what  is  the  news  at  Melbourne  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown,  while 
We  were  satisfying  our  appetites. 

"  It's  loud  talk  they  have  about  the  miners,  and  their  dislike  to  pay 
the  tax,  glory  to  God  ;  and  the  artillerymen  were  getting  ready  to  march 
whenever  the  governor  tells  'em  to,  bad  luck  to  'em." 

"  Did  you  understand  at  what  mines  the  soldiers  are  to  be  stationed  ?  " 
I  asked. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.       537 

«  Yes,  I  did,"  replied  our  informant.     "  Tis  at  Ballarat." 

"  Then  there  must,  have  been  trouble  since  our  absence,"  remarked 
Mr.  Brown ;  "  and  the  sooner  we  are  home  the  safer  will  our  property 
be.  If  we  but  had  fresh  horses  we  could  start  at  once." 

"  And  carry  off  the  whiskey  ?  "  demanded  the  men,  with  rueful  looks. 

"No,  we  would  leave  it  for  your  use." 

"  Then  long  life  to  yez,  and  it's  prayers  ye  shall  have  for  fresh  horses 
without  delay  " 

Pat's  prayers,  if  indeed  he  prayed  at  all,  were  of  but  little  avail,  for 
the  fresh  horses  did  not  come  along,  and  we  were  compelled  to  remain 
inactive  until  near  midnight,  when  we  again  saddled  our  animals,  and 
bade  our  entertainers  farewell.  When  we  left,  the  company  was  very 
patriotic,  and  songs  of  Ireland's  greatness  and  England's  outrages  were 
hooted  loud  enough  to  awaken  every  one  within  a  radius  of  two  miles. 
They  gave  us  three  cheers  when  we  left,  and  one  of  the  party,  in  the 
excitement,  stumbled  over  the  potato  pot,  and  got  a  dose  of  hot  water 
on  his  person  that  caused  him  to  utter  the  most  frightful  cries,  which 
were  responded  to  by  shouts  of  laughter  instead  of  tears  of  condole- 
ment. 

"  We  have  accomplished  one  humane  purpose  in  giving  the  men  the 
whiskey,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  as  we  rode  in  the  direction  of  Ballarat. 
"  The  poor  horses  will  get  a  few  hours'  extra  rest." 

"  That  is  more  than  the  women  and  children  can  do,"  I  remarked. 

"  The  women  can  take  care  of  themselves,  I'll  warrant  you,  and  if  a 
fight  occurs,  look  after  their  children  at  the  same  time.  But  touch  up 
your  horse.  We' must  reach  Ballarat  by  daylight,  for  I  have  no  doubt 
that  stirring  times  are  occurring  there." 

The  air  was  quite  cool,  and  the  moon  sufficiently  bright  to  show  us 
the  right  road,  so  that  we  wasted  no  time  in  searching  for  it.  Not  a 
single  person  did  we  meet  until  just  before  daylight,  when  our  horses 
suddenly  shied,  and  an  examination  revealed  the  cause.  Under  a  tree 
by  the  roadside  was  a  team,  and  the  driver  fast  asleep,  snoring  most 
unmusically,  while  the  oxen  were  quietly  chewing  their  cuds,  chained  to 
a  wheel  of  the  cart. 

"  Let  us  rouse  him,  and  find  out  the  news  from  Ballarat,"  Mr.  Brown 
said. 

I  made  no  opposition.  My  friend  approached  the  sleeping  man,  and 
touching  him  lightly  on  the  shoulder,  caused  him  to  look  up.  The  fel- 
low rubbed  his  eyes,  and  stared  wildly  at  us  for  a  moment,  and  then 
began  to  beg  most  piteously. 

"  I  haven't  got  a  single  thing  about  me  that's  worth  stealing,"  he 
cried.  "  If  you  want  my  blanket  you  can  have  it,  but  it  ain't  a  very 
good  one." 

"  I  suppose  that  you  take  us  for  bushrangers  ?  "  quietly  remarked  Mr. 
Brown. 

"  I  certainly  do  —  ain't  you  ?  "  asked  the  man,  between  hope  and  fear. 

"  Not  quite  so  far  gone  as  that.  All  that  we  desire  of  you  is  news, 
and  that  you  can  soon  give  us  without  much  sacrifice." 

"  O,  is  that  all  ?  I  thought  that  somebody  had  been  blowing  on  me," 
tried  the  teamster,  considerably  relieved. 

"  How  are  matters  at  Ballarat  ?  "  I  demanded. 


538  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  Bad  as  bad  can  be,"  replied  the  stranger  promptly.  "  The  devil  has 
taken  possession  of  the  miners,  and  they  refuse  to  pay  gold  taxes  to  the 
government.  The  latter  don't  want  to  yield,  and  there  will  be  a  fight 
or  I'm  much  mistaken.  I  don't  want  to  hurry  you,  but  if  you  want  to 
be  counted  in,  you'd  better  be  moving,  or  the  whole  matter  will  be  de- 
cided before  you  arrive." 

"  I'll  bet  a  wager  that  you  are  a  Yankee,"  Mr.  Brown  remarked,  and 
I  thought  I  detected  the  man's  cuteness  before  my  friend  spoke. 

"  I  take  the  bet,"  was  the  prompt  reply.  "  Put  the  money  in  my 
hands." 

Mr.  Brown's  money  was  not  forthcoming,  at  which  the  stranger 
sneered. 

"  I  s'posed  that  I  had  picked  up  a  man  who  wanted  a  chance  to  make 
a  few  dimes,  but  you  don't  seem  inclined  to  come  to  time.  Here's  my 
specie,  and  there's  more  where  that  came  from." 

"  Never  mind  the  wager,"  I  said ;  "  you  don't  belong  to  the  New 
England  States,  I'll  take  my  oath,  so  you  can't  catch  us  in  that  trap." 

"  That's  so,"  replied  the  teamster,  with  a  chuckle ;  "  but  what  makes 
you  think  so  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  you  haven't  the  accent  of  a  genuine  Yankee,"  I 
replied ;  "  and  hi  the  next  place,  a  Yankee  would  not  have  exposed  a 
single  dollar  until  he  was  certain  of  the  company  that  he  was  in.  Am 
I  right?" 

"  Hang  me  if  you  ain't,  stranger,"  cried  the  teamster,  in  a  burst  of 
generous  enthusiasm.  "  If  you  ain't  a  Yankee,  there  ain't  one  in  the 
country." 

I  pleaded  guilty  to  the  charge,  and  got  a  warm  shake  of  the  hand  for 
my  nationality's  sake. 

"  I  ain't  a  Yankee,  that's  a  fact,"  my  new  acquaintance  said ;  "  but  I 
belong  to  Yankee  land,  and  that's  honor  enough,  by  thunder.  I'm  an 
Ohio  boy,  and  just  looking  round  the  world  to  see  how  it's  made  afore 
I  settle  on  dad's  farm,  and  tie  up  for  life.  If  I  can  pick  up  a  few  dimes 
afore  I  go  back  so  much  the  better,  and  if  I  don't  it  won't  break  my 
heart." 

We  talked  with  our  new  acquaintance  for  near  half  an  hour  for  the 
purpose  of  breathing  our  horses,  and  picking  up  all  the  news  that  had 
transpired  during  our  absence.  I  gave  him  some  good  advice,  and  in- 
formed him  that  sleeping  in  his  cart  while  travelling  was  not  the  safest 
plan  that  he  could  adopt,  and  after  a  few  moments'  reasoning  he  seemed 
to  think  so  himself.  We  bade  him  good  night,  and  resumed  our  journey, 
and  just  as  day  was  breaking  we  drew  up  our  tired  horses  before  the 
store,  which  looked  unchanged  since  our  absence.  All  was  quiet  and 
still  in  the  neighborhood,  but  we  observed  that  an  unusually  large 
number  of  police  were  on  duty  in  the  streets,  and  that  many  of  them 
were  strangers,  and  eyed  us  with  suspicious  looks,  as  though  not  certain 
which  party  we  belonged  to. 

"  I'll  hold  the  horses  while  you  rap  Fred  up,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  dis- 
mounting. 

I  was  too  impatient  to  see  my  friend  to  need  a  second  bidding.  I 
applied  my  foot  to  the  door,  and  gave  a  thundering  kick,  that  made  two 
or  three  suspicious  policemen,  who  had  followed  us  closely,  imagine  we 
were  starving  for  something  to  eat. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  539 

/ 

Hardly  had  I  touched  the  door,  when  a  hoarse  growl  showed  me  that 
Hover  was  still  alive  and  capable  of  doing  active  duty.  I  heard  the 
hound  spring  from  his  sleeping  place,  cross  the  floor,  and  throw  his 
solid  form  against  the  door  with  a  subdued  yell,  which,  after  a  moment's 
snuffing  changed  from  rage  to  joy.  He  uttered  cry  after  cry  of  wel- 
come, yet  still  Fred  did  not  seem  to  take  the  hint.  At  length  I  heard 
him  shuffling  along  the  floor  in  his  slippers,  and  presently  he  inquired,  ~- 

«  Who's  there  ?  " 

"  A  friend,"  I  replied,  disguising  my  voice  as  much  as  possible. 

"  What  is  wanting  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  A  cup  of  coffee  and  something  to  eat,"  I  replied. 

"  You  can  get  neither  here.     Go  to  one  of  the  coffee-houses." 

"  But  suppose  we  want  to  trade  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Then  come  during  trading  hours,"  was  the  brief  rejoinder. 

"  O,  don't  stand  there  talking  all  day,  but  let  us  in,"  cried  Mr.  Brown, 
who,  like  all  Englishmen,  couldn't  bear  to  joke  on  an  empty  stomach. 

"  Is  that  you,  Jack  ?"  Fred  demanded,  eagerly. 

"  Of  course  it  is,"  cried  Mr.  Brown,  impatiently. 

The  heavy  bar  was  removed  with  remarkable  rapidity,  and  the  next 
instant  the  door  was  thrown  open,  and  the  best  friend  that  I  possessed 
in  the  world  was  shaking  my  hand  and  patting  me  on  the  back,  as 
though  I  was  an  infant  strangling  with  lacteal  fluid,  while  Rover  circled 
around  us,  and  made  the  air  vocal  with  his  joyous  barks,  until  anxious 
to  distinguish  himself,  and  perhaps  thinking  that  Mr.  Brown  was  not 
getting  his  share  of  the  reception,  he  suddenly  welcomed  that  gentle- 
man with  a  slight  nip  on  the  seat  of  his  pantaloons,  that  caused  him  to 
utter  a  fierce  oath,  and  to  rub  the  place  with  remarkable  vigor. 

"  Come  in,  come  in,"  cried  Fred,  "  or  we  shall  have  all  the  green 
police  of  Ballarat  around  us,  thinking  a  manifestation  is  going  on.  I 
eee  three  of  the  fellows  peering  around  corners  as  though  uncertain 
whether  to  regard  us  as  madmen  or  conspirators." 

We  followed  him  into  the  store  and  closed  the  door ;  and  while  Fred 
was  busy  in  lighting  lamps,  for  the  store  was  dark  inside,  he  chatted  as 
though  his  tongue  had  had  a  fast  for  a  month,  and  was  now  making  up 
for  lost  time. 

"  I  had  near  about  given  you  up  for  dead,  and  next  week  should  have 
left  the  store  in  charge  of  Smith  and  started  in  search  of  you.  What 
detained  you  so  long,  and  couldn't  you  send  me  a  few  words  ?  " 

Then,  not  waiting  for  us  to  answer,  he  continued :  — 

"  I  began  to  think  that  you  had  fallen  victims  to  the  bushrangers,  foi 
they  are  very  bold  lately,  and  more  than  one  gang  has  ventured  near 
the  city  with  impunity,  while  the  troubles  are  continuing.  The  com- 
missioner has  been  asked  to  despatch  a  force  against  them,  but  he  has 
declined,  on  the  ground  that  he  can't  spare  the  men." 

"  Then  troubles  continue  to  exist  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Never  more  serious  than  at  present ;  and  I  expect,  that  open  war 
will  be. declared  every  day.  The  miners  have  flatly  refused  to  pay 
their  thirty  shillings  per  month  for  mining,  and  government  insists  that 
they  shall.  Neither  party' feel  like  retreating  from  its  position,  although 
I  candidly  believe  that  if  a  good  man  was  at  the  head  of  affairs  this  dif- 
ficulty would  be  settled  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  in  a  way  satisfactory 
to  the  government  and  the  miners." 


540  LIFE  IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

Even  while  Fred  was  entertaining  us  with  news  he  was  busily  en- 
gaged in  starting  a  fire  in  the  stove  for  the  purpose  of  preparing  our 
breakfast. 

"  It  is  too  late  to  hope  to  escape  bloodshed,"  Fred  continued,  "  unless 
concessions  are  made  on  the  part  of  the  government,  which  are  not 
looked  for.  I  am  informed  that  the  commissioner  sends  despatches  to 
the  governor-general  every  day,  in  which  he  represents  the  miners  as  on 
the  point  of  yielding,  and  that  energy  and  firmness  are  alone  required 
to  subdue  them  to  his  wishes,  and  prevent  further  outbreaks.  You  see 
how  shamefully  he  is  misleading  the  government,  for  there  are  not  two 
hundred  men  in  Ballarat,  exclusive  of  the  police  force,  but  who  will 
fight  against  the  tax." 

"  How  is  it  known  that  the  commissioner  sends  such  despatches  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  Why,  to  tell  you  the  truth,"  said  Fred,  sinking  his  voice  to  a  whis- 
per, "  a  party  of  men  ambushed  the  courier  day  before  yesterday,  and 
rifled  his  despatches.  The  letters  contained  a  request  for  more  men  and 
plenty  of  ammunition,  and  a  hope  to  have  the  rebels  suing  for  mercy 
in  less  than  two  weeks." 

"  And  how  are  our  countrymen  acting  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  are  not  so  backward  as  I  could  wish,"  replied  Fred ;  "  for  they 
should  remember  that  we  are  on  a  foreign  soil,  and  that  an  active  part 
is  not  required  of  us.  But  few  can  withstand  the  flattery  that  has  been 
brought  to  bear  upon  them,  and  as  a  general  thing  they  are  all  arrayed 
with  the  miners.  Their  rifles  are  wanted,  and  dreadful  havoc  they  will 
make  if  blows  are  exchanged." 

"  And  you  have  taken  no  part  in  the  question  as  yet  ?  "  Mr.  Brown 
asked. 

"  No  ;  although  offers  in  abundance  have  been  made  by  government 
agents  and  the  leaders  in  the  revolutionary  movement.  We  have  too 
many  thousand  dollars  at  stake  to  trifle  with  public  affairs,  although 
if " 

Fred  paused  while  pouring  out  the  coffee,  and  looked  hard  at  Mr. 
Brown. 

"  Go  on,"  said  that  gentleman.  "  Treat  me  as  though  I  was  a  counv 
tryman  and  a  brother." 

"  If  the  people  were  about  to  enter  upon  a  struggle  for  liberty  and 
independence,  I  would  not  mind  sacrificing  all  the  property  that  I  pos- 
sess to  help  secure  so  desirable  a  blessing.  But  the  word  liberty  is 
never  mentioned.  It  is  only  a  question  of  money,  and  therefore  I  shall 
stand  aloof." 

"  By  the  way,  how  has  business  been  while  we  were  absent  ?  "  I  asked. 

"Never  better.  The  sales  have  been  large  and  the  profits  good. 
We  are  out  of  many  things,  but  Smith  should  be  along  this  afternoon, 
and  he  will  supply  the  deficiency.  Now  tell  me  of  your  trip.  Of  course 
you  didn't  find  the  buried  treasure,  and  you  have  returned  a  little  poorer 
than  when  you  went  away." 

"  That  depends  upon  the  estimation  in  which  you  hold  this  kind  of 
coin,"  I  replied,  emptying  my  pockets  upon  the  table,  and  throwing 
down  a  good  sized  bag  of  gold  dust. 

Fred  opened  his  eyes  in  astonishment. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  541 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  have  been  successful  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  As  far  as  getting  the  gold  is  concerned  we  have ;  but  if  you  ask  us 
if  we  have  had  smooth  sailing  during  our  cruise,  I  shall  tell  you  that 
it  has  been  rough,  and  at  times  extremely  tempestuous.  Especially 
did  we  find  it  so  when  the  rascally  bushrangers  attempted  to  smoke  us 
out,  and  also  when  we  threw  them  off  the  trail  by  means  of  a  first  class 
ghost." 

"  A  ghost ! "  replied  Fred,  looking  first  at  Mr.  Brown  and  then  at  me, 
as  though  we  were  quizzing  him. 

"  Yes,  he  was  a  first  class  ghost,  and  no  mistake,"  replied  Mr.  Brown, 
without  moving  a  muscle  of  his  face. 

"  Bah ! "  ejaculated  Fred,  with  disdain. 

"  This  is  the  very  expression  that  we  used  when  we  were  satisfied  that 
the  ghost  was  disposed  to  help  us,"  I  replied. 

"  Will  you  explain  yourselves,  or  must  I  resort  to  extremities  ?  "  Fred 
exclaimed. 

"  Well,  put  the  money  in  the  safe,  and  then  we  will  light  our  pipes, 
and  repeat  the  history  of  our  journey." 

Fred  hastened  to  comply,  and  while  we  were  in  the  act  of  filling  the 
store  with  tobacco  smoke,  we  heard  a  commotion  in  front  of  our  door, 
and  the  next  instant  the  police  commissioner  entered  without  the  for- 
mality of  knocking. 

"  Excuse  me,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "  for  my  early  visit,  but  I  have 
•weighty  matters  on  hand,  and  have  no  time  to  lose." 

We  offered  him  a  chair,  but  he  declined  the  courtesy.  We  saw  that 
he  was  ill  at  ease  in  the  presence  of  the  ex-inspector,  and  we  rather 
enjoyed  it  than  otherwise.  As  for  Mr.  Brown,  he  smoked  his  pipe  with 
most  admirable  nonchalance,  and  appeared  unconscious  of  the  presence 
of  his  enemy. 

"  The  fact  of  the  matter  is,  gentlemen,"  the  commissioner  went  on  to 
say,  "  government  has  need  of  all  its  friends  at  the  present  time,  for 
misguided  men  are  plotting  against  its  stability.  The  silly  things  will 
be  crushed  in  the  end ;  but  our  great  desire  is  to  make  such  a  show  of 
strength  that  no  blood  will  be  shed.  Humanity  dictates  such  a  course, 
and  I  think  that  it  will  meet  the  approval  of  the  governor  and  his  ad- 
visers." 

"  Go  on,  sir,"  remarked  Fred,  seeing  that  the  commissioner  paused, 
as  though  uncertain  what  to  say  next. 

"  I  thought  of  requesting  you  two  gentlemen  to  volunteer  your  ser- 
vices as  my  aids,  and  if  you  comply,  I  will  see  that  government  is  in- 
formed of  the  fact,  and  that  you  receive  some  substantial  reward." 

"  In  making  the  request  I  suppose  that  you  think  we  shall  be  the 
means  of  enlisting  a  large  portion  of  the  American  population  of  Balla- 
rat  into  the  service  of  the  crown  ?  " 

The  commissioner  acknowledged,  after  some  hesitancy,  that  such  was 
his  calculation. 

"  We  shall  have  to  decline  your  flattering  offer,"  Fred  said,  firmly. 
"  We  have  no  desire  to  incur  the  hatred  of  the  miners  of  Ballarat  by 
appearing  as  oppressors.  If  you  proposed  an  expedition  against  bush- 
rangers we  should  be  happy  to  comply  with  your  wishes.  As  it  is,  we 
cannot." 

46 


542  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

The  commissioner  did  not  say  a  single  word.  He  bowed  rather  stiffly, 
and  then  turned  and  left  the  store,  and  the  next  moment  we  heard  him 
urging  his  horse  through  the  street  as  though  he  was  in  a  hurry  to  reach 
a  certain  point  without  loss  of  time. 


CHAPTER     LXXXI. 

STEEL  SPRING  IN  THE  FIELD. — ATTEMPT  OF  THE  COMMISSIONER  TO 

CONFISCATE   OUR   HORSES. 

"  I  DON'T  want  to  be  severe  in  my  language,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  as  he 
listened  to  the  receding  steps  of  the  commissioner,  "  but  in  my  opinion 

a  more  thorough  d d  scoundrel  don't  exist  than  that  same  coinmis- 

sioner,  who  just  set  a  trap  for  you,  and  caught  nothing." 

"  In  that  opinion  I  will  agree  most  heartily,"  replied  Fred ;  "  he 
imagines  that  we  possess  some  influence  over  our  countrymen,  and  he 
wished,  by  a  little  flattery,  and  a  lucrative  position,  to  attach  us  to  his 
party.  We  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  quarrel,  but  endeavor  to 
take  care  of  our  property  and  our  lives  by  keeping  out  of  the  fight,  if, 
unfortunately,  there  is  one." 

While  Fred  was  speaking,  a  smart,  intelligent  man,  named  lloss,  who 
was  regarded  as  the  head  of  the  rebellious  movement,  entered  the  store. 

" I  have  made  an  early  call,"  he  said,  "but  not  for  the  purpose  of 
trading.  The  fact  of  it  is,  I  heard  it  reported  last  night — in  what  man- 
ner is  of  little  consequence — that  you,  gentlemen,  were  to  be  offered  an 
official  position  under  the  commissioner.  I  chanced  to  see  that  gentle- 
man when  he  left  your  premises,  a  few  minutes  since,  and  I  thought 
that  there  might  be  color  for  the  rumor.  It  is  for  the  miners'  interest 
and  your  own  that  the  report  should  be  contradicted,  or  else  confirmed. 
I  come  to  you  as  a  friend,  to  ask  which  side  you  espouse.  If  you  think 
that  the  miners  are  wrong,  do  not  hesitate  to  say  so,  for  I  may  then  be 
enabled  to  render  you  some  assistance,  not  by  advice  alone,  but  in  a 
practical  manner." 

"  If  we  thought  your  party  was  wrong,  be  assured  that  we  should  say 
so  without  equivocation,"  replied  Fred ;  "  we  do  not  wish  to  take  part  in 
the  struggle  that  is  about  to  take  place,  and  rest  satisfied  that  we  shall 
not,  unless  obliged  to  defend  our  property.  If  the  commissioner  has 
made  a  proposition  to  us  —  and  I  don't  say  that  he  has  —  be  assured 
that  we  have  not  accepted  it,  and  would  not  under  any  consideration 
whatever.  If  a  similar  offer  was  made  by  your  party,  it  would  meet 
with  the  same  consideration.  We  are  Americans,  and  strangers  to  the 
soil,  and  if  we  can  remain  neutral  we  shall.  Our  countrymen  are  their 
own  masters,  and  can  do  as  they  please.  If  our  advice  was  asked,  we 
should  tell  them  to  keep  to  work,  and  out  of  harm's  way.  Is  our  posi- 
tion explicit  enough  ?  " 

"  I  am  satisfied,  and  will  so  state  to  those  with  whom  I  am  connected," 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  543 

Mr.  Ross  replied,  offering  his  hand  in  token  of  his  friendship ;  "  I  must 
say  there  was  some  talk  of  the  rash  and  ignorant,  last  night,  to  set  fire 
to  your  store.  I  managed,  by  conciliating  measures,  to  induce  them  to 
postpone  all  action  until  I  was  satisfied  that  you  were  with  the  govern- 
ment in  feeling." 

"  If  that  is  the  manner  in  which  the  struggle  is  to  be  carried  on,"  re- 
marked Fred,  "be  assured  that  you  will  fail  in  your  endeavors  to 
obtain  justice.  No  cause  ever  yet  prospered  where  the  torch  of  an 
incendiary  was  invoked  to  burn  and  destroy  wantonly.  Hearts  that 
sympathize  with  you  now  would  soon  become  alienated,  and  turn  to  the 
government  for  protection." 

"  I  feel  the  force  of  your  remarks,"  replied  Mr.  Ross,  in  a  sorrowful 
tone,  "  and  I  am  aware  that  they  are  just ;  but  what  can  I  do  ?  I  am 
considered  at  the  head  of  the  dissatisfied  miners,  yet  I  have  no  more 
real  control  over  them  than  I  have  over  you  at  this  moment.  They  are 
undisciplined,  and  fierce  as  young  bears  anxious  for  a  taste  of  blood. 
If  I  counsel  honorable  resistance,  I  am  laughed  at ;  if  I  request  moder- 
ation, I  am  accused  of  cowardice.  What  can  I  do  with  such  men 
as  these  ?  " 

"  We  cannot  advise,  for  our  advice  would  not  be  taken,"  replied  Fred ; 
*  but  if  I  was  placed  in  your  position  I  know  what  I  should  do." 

"  Name  it,"  said  Ross,  eagerly. 

"  Enforce  discipline,  or  resign,"  was  the  reply. 

"But  the  miners  refuse  to  drill,  or  to  be  governed  by  military 
laws." 

"  Then  let  them  look  to  themselves,  and  tell  them  so  boldly.  My 
word  for  it,  that  will  bring  them  to  reason,  for  where  can  they  find 
another  leader  that  commands  the  confidence  that  you  do  ?  Remember, 
with  a  mob,  a  very  few  words  sways  them  for  bad  or  good.  Try  the 
good,  and  await  the  result." 

"  Your  advice  shall  be  taken,  although  I  have  but  faint  hope  of  suc- 
ceeding with  the  men.  I  can  make  an  attempt,  and  if  I  die  in  seeking 
to  secure  the  freedom  of  the  miners,  it  shall  never  be  said  that  I  coun- 
selled extreme  measures  against  those  who  wished  to  remain  neutral." 

Again  he  shook  hands  with  us,  and  then  left  the  store  in  a  sorrowful 
and  thoughtful  mood,  as  though  he  felt  a  foreboding  of  his  coming 
death,  yet  determined  to  yield  his  life  for  the  benefit  of  his  brother 
miners. 

"  There  goes  a  man  who  is  thrusting  his  head  into  the  lion's  mouth, 
and  in  less  than  a  week  he  will  meet  a  traitor's  death,  or  suffer  impris- 
onment for  life  at  the  hulks.  He  has  been  marked  and  watched  for 
months,  and  be  assured  that  the  commissioner  will  not  let  him  escape. 
Well,  it  is  no  business  of  mine."  And  Mr.  Brown  refilled  his  pipe,  and 
threw  his  weary  form  upon  a  mattress,  an  example  that  I  was  not  slow 
to  follow. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when  we  awoke,  refreshed  and  ready  for 
work,  but  as  business  was  not  very  brisk,  we  walked  about  the  town 
until  supper  time. 

Mr.  Brown  and  myself  strolled  towards  Gravel  Pit  Hill,  and  to  our 
surprise  saw  a  large  body  of  men,  armed  with  rifles,  shot  guns,  and  old 
muskets  of  the  most  antique  description,  going  through  a  dress  parade, 


644  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

as  military  men  would  call  it,  although  candor  compels  me  to  confess 
that  the  costumes  were  not  of  the  most  recherche  description,  as  no  two 
were  dressed  alike,  and  no  two  held  their  guns  in  the  same  position. 

"  What  is  going  on  ?  "  I  asked  of  a  fellow  who  stood  looking  at  tha 
scene  with  open  mouth. 

"  Can't  you  see  for  yourselves  ? "  was  the  prompt  reply,  and  the 
answer  was  delivered  without  deigning  to  turn  his  head. 

"  You  might  be  civil,  at  any  rate,"  I  replied,  half  a  mind  to  kick  him 
for  his  impertinence  to  us. 

"  Don't  come  round  'ere  bothering  me,  young  men,"  said  the  fellow, 
with  a  wave  of  his  hand,  as  though  desirous  of  cutting  short  the  conver= 
sation. 

I  thought  that  I  recognized  the  voice,  although  I  was  not  certain. 
Neither  had  I  seen  the  fellow's  face,  except  by  profile,  so  I  just  laid  a 
hand  upon  his  shoulder,  gave  him  a  whirl  and  brought  him  to  the  right 
about  face.  My  suspicions  were  verified ;  I  stood  face  to  face  with  my 
old  rascally  friend,  Steel  Spring. 

"  Why,  you  scamp,  where  did  you  come  from  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  That's  the  vay  vid  the  vorld,"  the  fellow  said,  putting  one  hand  to 
his  eyes  as  though  overcome  by  the  unexpected  interview ;  "  a  covey 
tries  to  be  honest,  and  get  a  honest  livin',  but  up  comes  somebody  vo\, 
has  been  concerned  vid  him  in  the  grab  line,  and  insists  upon  being 
acquainted.  I'll  leave  this  'ere  country,  I  vill." 

"  Why,  you  rascal !  "  exclaimed  the  ex-inspector,  "  I've  a  good  mind 
to  lock  you  up  until  you  eat  humble  pie  for  six  weeks  to  come." 

"  No,  you  don't,"  replied  Steel  Spring,  with  a  chuckle,  "  'cos  you 
ain't  inspector  no  more,  no  how,  and  you  can't  lock  a  covey  up,  and  you 
know  it" 

"  He  has  you  there,  Mr.  Brown,"  I  remarked,  and  it  pleased  Steel 
Spring  so  much  that  he  condescended  to  regard  us  with  a  little  more 
fevor. 

"  If  he  has,"  replied  Mr.  Brown,  "  I've  got  him  on  another  tack  thai 
would  give  him  trouble.  Come,  tell  us  what  you  are  doing  here." 

"  Can't  you  see  ?  "  he  answered,  impudently.  "  I'm  looking  at  that 
awkward  squad  of  miners  drilling,  and  pretty  bad  vork  they  make 
of  it." 

"  But  are  you  in  the  breaking  and  entering  line,  or  the  pickpocket 
business  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  asked. 

"  I  don't  answer  any  questions  vot  reflects  on  my  honor  as  a  gentle* 
man,"  Steel  Spring  replied. 

"  But  you  can  tell  us  what  occasioned  you  to  leave  the  service  of 
Lieutenant  Murden,  can't  you  ?  "  I  remarked. 

"  I  could  tell,  but  I  don't  choose  to." 

"  Very  well,"  was  the  significant  remark  of  my  friend,  "  I  know  of  a 
few  knucks  who  are  in  town,  and  whom  you  were  the  means  of  burning 
out  a  few  months  since.  I  am  not  in  the  police  department  at  present, 
and  can't  harm  you,  but  I  will  hint  to  a  few  friends  that  you  are 
in  town." 

We  turned,  as  though  about  to  leave  him,  but  Steel  Spring  was  not 
desirous  of  having  a  horde  of  desperadoes  at  his  heels,  as  he  inferred 
that  he  would  have,  if  he  suffered  us  to  leave  hini  displeased. 


A  GOLD  HUNTEK'S  ADVENTURES.  545 

"  O,  don't  quit  a  covey  that  vay,"  he  cried,  in  an  abject  manner ;  "  1 
Jton't  vant  to  'ave  lots  of  henemies  varever  I  goes,  and  you  knows  it." 

"  Well,  then,  tell  us  what  made  you  quit  Murden's  service  ?  "  I 
asked. 

He  hesitated  for  a  moment,  as  though  almost  resolved  to  tell  a  lie. 
bat  thought  better  of  it  and  told  the  truth. 

*  Veil,  if  ye  must  know,  I'll  tell  ye.  There  vas  a  trifling  sum  of 
money  missed  from  the  police  office  one  day,  and  I  vos  suspected. 
That's  all." 

"  Of  course,  you  took  the  money,  eh  ?  "  Mr.  Brown  remarked. 

"  I  vish  that  you  vouldn't  ask  me  such  strange  questions.  You  is 
enough  to  confuse  any  one,  I  say." 

"  Did  you  take  the  money  ?  "  demanded  Mr.  Brown. 

"  Veil,  yes,  I  s'pose  I  did.  At  leastwise  it  vas  found  on  me,  although 
how  it  came  in  my  pocket  I  don't  know,"  and  the  fellow  chuckled  at 
his  falsehood. 

"  And  I  suppose  Murden  told  you  that  he  had  no  further  occasion  for 
yow  services,"  I  remarked. 

"  I  think  that  he  said  something  of  the  kind,  but  I  vas  so  confused 
that  I  don't  remember  all  that  took  place.  I  know  one  thing,  though, 
that  I  ain't  forgot." 

"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"  Vy,  a  slight  kicking  that  I  got,  and  a  request  never  to  show  my 
head  in  Melbourne  again ;  "  and  the  fellow  rubbed  his  person  as  though 
it  was  still  sore. 

"  Now,  one  question  more,"  Mr.  Brown  said ;  "  what  brought  you  to 
this  part  of  the  country  ?  " 

Steel  Spring  hesitated  for  a  moment,  and  then  requested  us  to  prom- 
ise secrecy  before  he  divulged.  We  readily  complied,  when  he  asked 
us  to  step  one  side,  and  where  we  could  be  sure  not  to  be  overheard. 
We  withdrew  from  the  stragglers  who  were  loitering  about,  followed  by 
Steel  Spring. 

"  I've  got  something  to  do  that  pays  better  than  vaiting  on  Lieutenant 
Murden,"  he  whispered. 

"  Is  the  occupation  honest  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  If  it  hadn't  been  you  vouldn't  have  caught  me  connected  vid  it," 
Was  the  prompt  reply. 

"  That  we  can  tell  after  we  have  heard  what  you  are  uoing.     Go  on." 

"  I'm  engaged  by  the  commissioner  to  endeavor  to  find  out  the  feel- 
ings of  these  misguided  men,"  Steel  Spring  said,  still  whispering. 

"  In  other  words,  you  are  a  spy,"  I  remarked. 

"  Veil,  I  don't  know  about  that,"  he  said ;  "  I'se  promised  to  get  all 
the  facts  that  I  can  hear,  and  let  the  commissioner  know  'em.  If  that 
is  vot  you  call  a  spy,  I  s'pose  I'm  one  on  'em." 

"  And  the  pay  is  large,  I  suppose  ?  " 

"  Veil,  I  can  find  no  fault  in  that  line  yet.  I  s'pose  that  I  shall  earn 
my  money,  no  matter  'ow  'igh  the  wages  is." 

"  Well,  I  don't  envy  you,  if  these  rough  miners  get  an  inkling  of 
your  profession.  Look  out  for  them,  for  they  don't  understand  practi- 
cal joking,"  I  remarked. 

"  That  for  'em ! "  ejaculated  Steel  Spring,  snapping  his  fingers.  "  1 

46* 


546  LIFE    IN    AUSTRALIA,   OB 

know  something  that  vill  take  the  edge  off  of  'em,  if  they  show  any  of 
their  spite." 

"  That's  all  talk,"  I  replied. 

"  Perhaps  it  is ; "  and  Steel  Spring  shook  his  head  with  mysterious 
silence. 

"  Give  us  the  information,  and  let  us  see  how  important  it  is,"  Mr. 
Brown  remarked. 

"  Veil,  then,  vot  do  you  think  of  a  company  of  artillery  comin'  'ere  ?  " 

"  Impossible ! "  I  replied ;  "  there's  been  no  artillery  ordered  here  as 
yet.  There's  soldiers  and  policemen  enough." 

"  The  commissioner  don't  think  so,  for  four  days  ago  he  sent  word  to 
Melbourne  for  a  company  to  come  up  and  bring  their  guns  vid  'em,  and 
the  coveys  is  already  on  their  vay." 

"  Then  he  must  have  sent  despatches  that  the  miners  know  nothing 
about,"  remarked  Mr.  Brown,  in  a  musing  tone. 

"  Lord  bless  you,  I  should  'ope  so,"  returned  Steel  Spring,  with  some 
disdain ;  "  he  is  von  of  'em  for  doing  things  up  secret  like,  and  vot  he 
don't  know  ain't  vorth  knowing." 

"  This  is  news  of  some  importance,"  I  whispered  to  Mr.  Brown ; 
"  the  miners  should  know  it,  or  they  will  be  cut  to  pieces." 

"  We  are  to  remain  neutral,  you  know,"  Mr.  Brown  said,  suggest- 
ively, and  I  felt  that  if  I  interfered  I  could  no  longer  maintain  my  char- 
acter as  friend  to  both  parties. 

I  turned  to  bribe  Steel  Spring  to  give  the  miners  a  hint  of  the 
approaching  company,  but  that  worthy  had  suddenly  disappeared  in  the 
crowd,  and  all  efforts  to  find  him  were  fruitless. 

For  half  an  hour  we  remained  upon  the  ground  watching  the  evolu- 
tions of  the  miners,  as  they  went  through  various  military  manoeuvres, 
and  then  we  returned  to  the  store  to  find  that  Smith  had  arrived  dur- 
ing our  absence,  and  had  brought  with  him  a  large  stock  of  goods,  and 
that  he  and  Fred  were  hard  at  work  unloading  them. 

I  of  course  joined  them  without  delay,  and  by  sundown  the  carts 
were  unloaded,  and  the  oxen  secured  for  the  night.  We  were  all  glad  to 
see  our  partner,  and  innumerable  were  the  questions  with  which  we  plied 
him,  both  before  and  after  supper,  and  gladly  did  he  answer  them,  and 
then  produced  for  our  perusal  a  pile  of  newspapers  from  Yankee  land, 
which  were  worth  more  than  ten  times  their  weight  in  gold. 

While  we  were  sitting  around  our  rude  table,  making  up  accounts 
and  conversing  about  business,  Steel  Spring  entered  the  store  with  as 
much  assurance  as  a  first  class  customer.  Fred  and  Smith  both  wel- 
comed him  with  a  few  remarks,  but  Steel  Spring  seemed  somewhat  hur- 
ried, and  declined  to  be -seated.  At  length  he  gave  me  a  signal  that  he 
wished  to  communicate  something  to  me  in  private,  and  I  followed  him 
to  the  door. 

"  I  thought  that  I  vould  come  and  give  ye  a  bit  of  news,  'cos  ye 
alvays  treated  me  veil,"  he  said,  in  a  low  whisper,  and  after  a  careful 
glance  around  to  see  if  there  were  listeners  near  at  hand. 

I  acknowledged  the  remark,  and  he  continued :  — 

"I  heerd  the  commissioner  give  orders  to-night  that  your  'osses 
should  be  seized  in  the  morning  for  the  sogers  to  ride  on,  and  I  think 
te  is  doing  it  out  of  spite." 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  547 

"  But  he  has  no  right  to  touch  private  property,"  I  remarked. 

"  Vot  does  you  s'pose  he  cares  for  the  right  ?  He  vill  say  that  they 
is  needed,  and  that  is  'nough.  You  can't  help  yourselves,  you  can't. 
Vot  is  the  use  of  talking  ?  " 

"  But  we  will  talk,  and  to  some  purpose,"  I  replied,  indignant  at  the 
outrage  that  was  to  be  committed  upon  us. 

"  No,  don't  you  say  one  vord,  'cos  it  vouldn't  help  the  matter,  and  hft 
could  hinjure  you  more  than  the  'osses  is  vorth.  Do  you  take  ana  sell 
'em.  Don't  you  know  some  covey  vot  has  got  the  ready  tin  vould  buy 
'em  ?  " 

"  We  had  an  offer  this  very  morning  for  all  three  of  the  animals  by 
the  American  stage  company." 

"  Vas  the  hoffer  a  good  one  ?  "  asked  Steel  Spring,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Yes ;  all  that  the  animals  are  worth." 

"  Then  do  you  go  at  vonce  and  get  the  tin,  and  tell  the  coveys  that 
you  vant  them  taken  off  now  —  this  werry  evening.  The  commissioner 
von't  interfere  vid  the  stage  company.  He  knows  better." 

I  thanked  Steel  Spring  for  his  information,  and  then  whispered,  while 
I  placed  some  gold  coins  in  his  hand,  — 

"  Don't  you  think  that  you  could  contrive  to  let  Captain  Ross  know 
something  in  regard  to  the  artillery  company  ?  " 

"  I  s'pose  you  have  some  veighty  reasons  for  axing  me  to  do  it  ?  "  the 
spy  replied. 

"  So  weighty,  that  ten  sovereigns  will  be  given  to  the  man  who  con- 
veys the  information." 

"  Ten  sovereigns,"  repeated  the  fellow,  slowly,  as  though  considering 
of  the  matter ;  "  you  don't  know  how  it  vould  hinjure  my  conscience  to 
sell  the  secrets  of  the  commissioner." 

*'  I  will  make  them  fifteen,  then,"  I  answered. 

"  That  is  somethin'  like.  The  vork  is  done,  and  no  mistake.  The 
captain  vill  have  the  information.  To-morrow  I  vill  come  for  the 
shiners." 

He  left  me  suddenly,  and  stole  silently  away  in  the  darkness,  just  as 
a  policeman  halted  in  front  of  the  store  and  scrutinized  the  building  as 
though  it  was  a  resort  for  traitors,  and  he  was  determined  to  keep  his 
eye  upon  our  movements.  I  knew  the  man,  and  he  knew  me,  so 
I  stopped  to  exchange  a  few  words  with  him. 

"  How  goes  the  war  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  officer  glanced  hastily  around  to  see  if  he  was  watched  before  he 
replied,  — 

"  The  times  are  hard,  when  we  have  to  look  after  old  acquaintances." 

"  Why,  who  are  you  watching  for  now  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Why,  I  hope  that  your  honor  won't  be  offended,  but  I  have  got 
orders  to  report  all  who  go  into  the  store,  and  examine  all  who 
leave  it." 

"  The  commissioner  is  carrying  matters  with  a  high  hand,"  I  replied, 
"  but  we  can  afford  to  submit  to  some  inconvenience,  and  still  disregard 
his  petty  malice.  Do  your  duty,  and  don't  be  fearful  of  offending  us." 

"  I'll  do  what  I  am  compelled  to,  and  no  more,"  was  the  response  ; 
"  if  the  commissioner  thinks  I'm  going  to  act  the  spy  on  your  move. 
ments  he's  damnably  mistaken,  I  can  tell  him." 


648  LIFE   IN    AUSTRALIA,   OE 

The  officer  passed  along  on  his  beat,  and  I  rejoined  my  friends  and 
communicated  Steel  Spring's  information.  Every  one  expressed  sur- 
prise, and  protested  against  such  high-handed  proceedings.  But  we 
x  were  powerless  to  resist,  for  the  commissioner  was  supreme  in  his 
authority,  and  there  was  no  appeal,  except  through  the  government  at 
Melbourne. 

We  resolved,  however,  to  defeat  his  machinations,  and  I  lost  no  time 
in  visiting  the  agent  of  the  stage  company,  stating  that  we  wished  to 
dispose  of  our  horses,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  the  money 
for  them  that  evening. 

The  agent  desired  that  the  horses  should  remain  in  our  possession 
until  morning,  but  he  agreed  to  assume  all  the  responsibility,  and  even 
smiled  when  I  ventured  to  hint  that  perhaps  the  commissioner  would 
visit  us  at  an  early  hour. 

"  Give  me  a  bill  of  sale,  signed  by  your  firm,"  the  agent  Baid,  "  and  I 
will  risk  all  attempts  at  confiscation." 

I  did  as  he  requested,  and  got  two  or  three  respectable  men  to  wit- 
ness my  signature,  and  the  delivery  of  the  money,  and  then  I  went 
back  to  the  store  and  chuckled  at  the  thought  of  the  disappointed 
commissioner  next  morning. 

We  did  not  retire  very  early,  but  sat  up  with  closed  doors  and  dark- 
ened windows,  and  read  our  papers  and  talked  until  long  past  midnight. 
Our  business  affairs  were  prosperous  —  we  were  free  from  debts  of  any 
kind  —  we  had  ready  money  enough  on  hand  to  take  advantage  of  the 
markets,  and  buy  low  and  sell  dear  —  and  to  crown  all,  we  had  many 
thousand  dollars  lying  idle  in  the  Melbourne  bank,  which  we  could 
resort  to  in  case  of  necessity.  Our  position  was  good,  but  a  few  losses 
by  bad  management  would  have  made  us  as  pecuniarily  poor  as  when 
we  reached  the  country,  therefore  the  little  trouble  which  we  had  with 
the  commissioner  gave  us  considerable  annoyance,  for  in  various  ways 
he  could  injure  us. 

We  went  to  bed  that  night  with  considerable  anxiety  on  our  minds, 
but  with  a  firm  determination  that  if  we  were  imposed  upon  we  would 
resist,  and  even  carry  our  grievances  before  the  governor,  if  we  could 
obtain  redress  in  no  other  way.  We  were  anxious  for  daylight,  yet 
dreaded  the  disagreeable  results  which  it  would  bring  forth. 

No  sooner  had  the  sun  shown  its  hot  face  than  we  heard  a  commo- 
tion in  front  of  the  store,  but  we  remained  seated  at  our  table  leisurely 
eating  breakfast,  and  pretending  that  we  cared  but  little  for  the  excite- 
ment in  the  street.  Presently  a  police  officer  put  his  head  in  at  the 
door  and  shouted  out,  — 

"  I  say,  you ! " 

"  Well,  what  say  you  ?  "  asked  Fred,  without  moving. 

"  The  commissioner  wants  to  speak  to  you  instantly." 

"  Well,  tell  him  to  come  in,"  I  responded. 

"  He  can't ;  he's  'ossback." 

"  And  we  are  at  breakfast,"  Fred  cried. 

"  He's  in  a  hurry." 

"  So  are  we." 

"  Will  you  come  ?  " 

"  Certainly ;  after  we  have  finished  eating  our  breakfast." 


A    GOLD    HUNTER'S   ADVENTURES.  549 

The  feLow  uttered  an  oath,  and  withdrew  his  head  to  report  to  his 
superior  officer.  In  a  few  minutes  afterwards  we  heard  the  heavy  steps 
of  men  approaching  us,  and  looking  up  we  -saw  the  dark  face  of  the 
commissioner,  and  the  bull-dog  countenance  of  Colonel  Kellum,  who 
had  command  of  the  military  in  Ballarat. 

"  Good  morning,  gentlemen,"  Fred  said,  rising,  and  placing  chairS  fol 
our  visitors. 

A  brief  nod  was  the  only  sign  of  recognition  that  was  returned,  but 
the  chairs  were  not  accepted. 

*'  To  what  are  we  indebted  for  this  early  visit  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  We  have  come,  sir,  for " 

The  commissioner  had  proceeded  thus  far,  when  he  seemed  confused, 
and  stopped.  He  may  have  felt  that  he  was  about  to  commit  an 
unjustifiable  outrage,  and  wished  the  colonel  to  share  half  of  the  respon- 
sibility. 

"  The  fact  is,  sir,"  the  military  man  exclaimed,  most  pompously,  "  wo 
want  your  horses  in  the  name  of  the  government." 

"  Our  horses,  did  you  say  ?  "  Fred  asked,  with  a  sweet  smile. 

"  That's  what  I  said,  sir,"  the  colonel  replied,  swelling  with  bad  blood 
and  dignity. 

"  I  think  that  you  are  mistaken,  sir,  as  we  are  not  the  owners  of  any 
such  kind  of  animals,"  Fred  answered. 

"  Why,  what  do  you  call  them,  sir  ?  "  the  colonel  cried,  triumphantly, 
pointing  to  the  unconscious  brutes,  who  were  eating  their  provender  in 
the  stable  which  we  had  built  just  adjoining  the  store. 

"  Those  are  horses,  certainly,  sir,  but  they  don't  belong  to  us." 

His  face  was  a  picture  when  he  replied,  it  was  so  gentle,  and  appeared 
so  bland  and  courteous,  as  though  he  would  not  offend  for  the  world. 


CHAPTER     LXXXII. 

SAME  CONTINUED.  —  DEATH  OF  Ross. 

"  YOUNG  man,"  cried  the  colonel,  his  face  swelling  as  though  the  hot 
blood  would  burst  through  its  thin  covering,  "  do  you  mean  to  tell  ma 
that  those  animals  do  not  belong  to  you  or  your  partner  ?  " 

"  In  the  first  place,"  answered  Fred,  with  quiet  dignity,  "  my  name  is 
Frederick  ,  and  I  desire  to  be  addressed  as  such  in  our  commu- 
nications, and  not  by  the  ambiguous  title  of '  young  man.'  In  the  next 
place,  as  I  told  you  before,  we  are  not  the  owners  of  those  animals." 

"  It's  a  trick  to  cheat  us,"  muttered  the  commissioner. 

"  Did  you  address  a  remark  to  me  ?  "  Fred  asked,  turning  to  the 
police  officer. 

The  commissioner  declined  to  reply,  but  he  seemed  to  feel  what  he 
had  uttered. 

"  The  animals  are  wanted,  and  we  shall  take  them,  sir,  for  the  use  of 


LITE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

the  government ;  for  the  use  of  the  government,  sir,  I  suppose  that  you 
understand,"  the  colonel  cried. 

"  That  is  something  that  we  have  no  control  over,  and  are  not  inter- 
ested in.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  owner  or  owners  of  the  animals 
know  how  to  protect  their  own  property,  and  will  do  so." 

The  commissioner  made  a  signal  to  his  men,  and  three  or  four  of 
them  started  for  the  stable  to  remove  the  animals.  Just  at  that  moment 
the  agent  of  the  stage  company  entered  the  store,  and  his  presence  was 
never  more  desirable. 

"  Hullo,"  he  cried,  "  what  the  devil  are  you  doing  with  my  horses, 
Fred?" 

"  We  are  doing  nothing  with  them,  but  these  gentlemen  seemed  to 
think  that  government  was  in  want  of  them,  and  therefore  are  about  to 
confiscate  them.  I  am  glad  that  you  have  arrived  in  time  to  make  terms 
of  sale." 

"  Terms  of  the  devil ! "  the  agent  shouted ;  "  here,  you,  sirs,  take 
those  animals  back  to  the  stable,  or  I'll  break  you  finer  than  a  piece  of 
quartz  after  it  has  passed  through  a  mill ! " 

The  men  stood  irresolute,  and  looked  towards  their  chief. 

"  We  want  the  animals,"  the  colonel  said. 

"  And  will  have  them,"  the  commissioner  exclaimed. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  the  agent  of  the  stage  company,  "  these  animals 
belong  to  me ;  I  have  paid  for  them,  and  have  a  bill  of  sale,  and  the 
man  who  dares  to  detain  them  does  so  at  his  peril." 

"  Let  us  see  the  document,"  the  military  man  said,  after  a  whispered 
Consultation  with  the  commissioner. 

The  agent  handed  the  paper  to  the  colonel,  and  he  studied  over  it 
carefully. 

"  Why,  this  document  was  signed  last  night,"  he  exclaimed,  with  a 
sour  look  at  Fred. 

"  What's  that  got  to  do  with  the  question  ? "  the  agent  asked,  ab- 
ruptly. 

"  Because  I  believe  that  it's  a  d — n  trick  to  cheat  the  government ! " 
shouted  the  colonel,  boiling  over  with  rage. 

"  Do  you  dare  address  such  words  to  me,  sir  ?  "  cried  Fred. 

"  Or  to  me,  either  ?  "  demanded  the  agent. 

"  Your  uniform  shall  be  no  protection,  unless  you  unsay  what  you 
have  uttered,"  Fred  continued,  advancing  in  a  menacing  manner  towards 
the  colonel. 

"Don't  be  rash,"  I  whispered,  laying  a  hand  on  Fred's  shoulder j 
"  remember  that  he  is  high  in  rank,  and  won't  meet  you." 

"  But  I  will  post  him  in  every  town  in  Australia,  unless  he  apologizes 
or  fights." 

"  When  the  government  solicited  our  company  to  establish  a  daily 
line  of  stages  between  Ballarat  and  Melbourne,  we  were  promised  all 
the  assistance  that  officials  could  afford,  and  no  interference  was  to  be 
allowed ;  I  see  that  the  commissioner,  and  you,  Colonel  Kellum,  are 
desirous  of  driving  us  from  the  town,  and  compelling  us  to  abandon 
our  enterprise.  I  shall  take  immediate  steps  to  let  the  government 
know  the  reason  of  our  refusal  to  continue  the  contract." 

The  speech  of  the  agent  was  a  telling  one  on  the  colonel  and  com- 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  55\ 

missioner,  for  they  knew  that  government  would  never  pardon  interfer- 
ence with  a  line  that  cost  so  much  money  to  establish,  and  which  was 
carrying  information  through  the  country  at  an  unprecedentedly  rapid 
rate.  No  wonder  they  stopped  to  consider,  and  changed  their  fierce 
aspect  for  one  of  conciliation,  for  they  knew  that  suspension  from  duty 
would  probably  follow  a  remonstrance  from  the  company. 

"  If  you  have  bought  the  horses  we  have  nothing  further  to  say,"  the 
commissioner  remarked,  turning  to  the  agent ;  "  it  was  a  mistake  on 
our  part  in  supposing  that  they  belonged  to  these  gentlemen,  whom  we 
are  proud  to  call  friends,  and  to  whom  we  now  desire  to  state  that  we 
only  proposed  to  borrow  the  animals  for  a  short  time,  and  return  thenj 
after  these  unhappy  troubles." 

"  If  the  d d  brutes  were  not  killed,"  muttered  the  colonel,  sotto 

voce,  and  with  a  look  of  the  most  intense  hatred. 

"  Colonel  Kellum,  you  accuse  me  of  acting  unfairly  in  this  business, 
and  I  desire  an  explanation,"  Fred  said,  the  matter  still  rankling  in  his 
mind. 

"  I  have  given  the  only  explanation  that  I  shall  give,  and  with  thai 
you  must  rest  satisfied,"  was  the  reply  of  the  red-faced  Briton. 

"  Then  I  suppose  that  you  will  favor  me  with  a  meeting  at  an  earl5 
hour  ?  "  Fred  asked. 

"  What ! "  cried  the  military  man,  with  some  surprise,  "  a  colonel  in 
her  majesty's  army  meet  a  dealer  in  tea  and  coffee?  You  must  be 
mad ! " 

The  red  face  of  the  military  man  grew  purple  as  he  thought  of  the 
indignity. 

"  Then  I  can  only  suppose  that  you  are  a  coward,  and  that  even 
a  blow  would  not  induce  you  to  fight.  Is  that  the  case,  sir  ?  " 

The  colonel  smiled  with  bitter  scorn,  and  turned  to  leave  the  store. 

"  You  refuse  me  an  apology,  do  you  ?  "  Fred  demanded,  springing  in 
front  of  Kellum,  and  barring  his  way  to  the  door. 

"Out  of  my  way,  grocer,"  the  colonel  shouted,  with  a  laugh  so 
insulting  that  Fred  could  contain  himself  no  longer.  He  raised  his 
hand  and  struck  his  opponent  a  light  blow  across  his  face. 

Kellum  swelled  until  I  thought  that  every  vein  in  his  body  would 
burst  at  the  indignity.  He  muttered  a  few  inaudible  words,  and  then 
rubbed  his  forehead  as  though  he  did  not  half  comprehend  the  insult, 
and  wished  to  recall  his  scattered  senses  to  know  whether  it  was 
real. 

"  Now,"  said  Fred,  "  you  can  go.  I  have  repaid  you  insult  for  insult, 
and  we  are  even-handed.  If  you  desire  satisfaction  for  the  blow,  you 
know  where  to  find  me." 

"  Yes,  I  can  find  you  now ! "  Kellum  hissed,  with  an  oath  of  some 
magnitude ;  "  you  have  struck  me,  and  have  sold  your  last  pound  of  tea 
on  earth." 

"  Look  out ! "  shouted  the  stage  agent ;  and  his  words  of  caution  were 
none  too  soon,  for  the  colonel  drew  his  sword  suddenly,  and  made  a 
desperate  lunge  at  Fred,  which  he  avoided,  and  the  point  of  the  blade 
struck  against  a  nail  keg,  and  broke  short  off. 

"  A  brave  man,  to  refuse  to  meet  a  grocery  dealer,"  my  friend  said, 
sarcastically ;  "  I  hope  that  the  British  army  is  not  composed  of  such 


652  LIFE  nr  AUSTRALIA,  OB 

noble  spirits  as  you ;  if  it  is  assassination  must  be  held  in 
wherever  there  is  a  regiment." 

The  colonel  was  too  angry  to  reply,  but  I  thought  that  he  seemed 
ashamed  of  his  late  attempt  on  the  life  of  my  friend,  for  he  sheathed 
his  sword  without  seeking  to  again  use  it. 

"  You  shall  hear  from  me  in  the  course  of  the  day,"  Kellum  said,  and 
without  looking  to  the  right  or  left  he  marched  from  the  store,  mounted 
his  horse,  and  left  our  part  of  the  town  in  peace. 

"  He  is  the  most  unscrupulous  colonel  in  the  English  army,"  the 
agent  said,  after  we  had  got  rid  of  our  unwelcome  visitors ;  "he  is 
feared  by  his  men,  and  disliked  by  his  officers,  and  he  was  never  yet 
quartered  in  a  town  without  finding  cause  to  quarrel  with  some  of  the 
inhabitants.  He  has  been  sent  here  to  crush  this  rebellion,  and  unless 
you  shoot  him  he  will  do  it,  even  if  he  has  to  shed  torrents  of  blood. 

"  By  the  way,"  the  agent  said,  as  he  turned  to  leave  the  store,  "  the 
miners  must  have  employed  our  countrymen  to  chop  wood  for  them 
last  night,  if  I  might  judge  from  appearances." 

"  How  so  ?  " 

"  Why,  haven't  you  heard  the  news  ?  "  he  asked,  in  surprise. 

"  No  ;  what  has  transpired  ?  " 

"  Why,  the  miners  are  building  fortifications  on  Gravel  Pit  Hill,  and 
last  night  the  sound  of  axes  was  heard  from  dark  until  light.  A 
thousand  trees  were  felled  and  trimmed,  and  cut  into  suitable  lengths 
for  a  palisade,  and  even  now  men  are  at  work  digging  holes  in  the  sand 
to  insert  the  ends  of  the  timber.  The  miners  mean  mischief,  and  we 
shall  have  a  hot  fight  before  long." 

"But  why  don't  the  commissioner  interfere,  and  prevent  the  men 
from  continuing  the  work  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  That  is  something  that  I  cannot  explain,  although  I  have  endeav- 
ored to  solve  the  mystery.  The  miners  think  that  he  is  frightened,  and 
therefore  count  on  an  easy  victory." 

The  agent  bade  us  a  good  morning,  and  walked  off  to  attend  to  his 
duties. 

"  Can't  you  see  through  this  seeming  indifference ?  "  asked  Mr.  Brown; 
"  the  commissioner  has  sent  for  artillery,  and  expects  the  arrival  of  the 
company  in  a  day  or  two  at  farthest.  The  palisade  will  afford  but 
trifling  resistance  to  a  twelve  pound  cannon  ball.  Besides,  there  is 
more  glory  for  the  officers  if  the  miners  are  fortified.  Be  assured  that 
the  commissioner  winks  at  the  operations  of  the  disaffected,  simply  be- 
cause he  can  crush  them  more  effectually  if  cooped  up,  than  displayed 
upon  the  plain." 

"  But  if  the  artillery  were  cut  off  and  sent  back  to  Melbourne  with 
the  loss  of  their  guns,  the  miners  would  have  the  best  of  the  bargain," 
I  suggested. 

"  By  the  Lord  Harry,  I  never  thought  of  that,"  cried  Mr.  Brown, 
with  enthusiasm  ;  "  that  would  be  worth  a  careful  consideration  if  Ross 
only  could  get  the  idea.  I've  half  a  mind  to  suggest  it  to  him." 

While  he  was  speaking  Steel  Spring  entered  the  store,  ostensibly  to 
buy  a  plug  of  tobacco,  but  in  reality  not  to  pay  for  it. 

"  Well,"  I  whispered,  while  serving  him,  "  did  you  convey  the  infor- 
mation to  Rosa  ?  " 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  553 

"  Of  course,"  he  replied,  promptly. 

"  And  what  did  he  say  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  That  he  now  knew  his  friends,  and  would  take  measures  to  prewent 
the  sogers  from  getting  here  in  a  hurry." 

I  had  no  time  to  talk  farther  with  Steel  Spring,  for  he  seemed  impa- 
tient to  be  gone,  so  I  slyly  slipped  the  money  into  his  hand,  and  he  left 
the  store  with  a  chuckle  of  such  intense  delight  that  a  tall  policeman 
near  the  door  asked  him  where  he  got  his  swipes. 

Trade  was  remarkably  good  that  day.  There  was  a  steady  stream  of 
gold  dust  pouring  in,  in  exchange  for  many  articles  which  were  usually 
slow  of  sale.  A  large  portion  of  our  stock  of  liquors  was  sold  in  bot- 
tles and  demijohns,  and  there  were  many  inquiries  for  powder  and  lead, 
but  we  were  not  allowed  by  the  authorities  to  deal  in  such  articles,  and 
even  if  we  had  been,  we  should  have  declined  to  sell  them  under  the 
circumstances,  knowing  that  the  ammunition  was  intended  for  the 
especial  benefit  of  the  soldiers  and  police  officers,  and  in  the  latter  force 
we  had  many  friends. 

We  closed  the  store  earlier  than  usual  that  night,  for  there  was  an 
agitation  pervading  the  working  class  that  showed  that  the  eventful 
hour  was  approaching  when  the  miners  were  to  measure  their  strength 
with  the  disciplined  soldiers  of  their  country.  The  red  coats  were 
under  arms  at  their  barracks,  and  a  man  informed  me  that  he  had 
seen  each,  soldier  served  with  ball  cartridges,  and  that  afterwards  they 
loaded  their  guns  carefully,  as  though  determined  to  make  every 
shot  tell. 

Two  or  three  times  during  the  evening  we  were  on  the  point  of  ven- 
turing into  the  streets,  but  a  fear  of  getting  embroiled  with  the  military 
prevented  us. 

We  heard  the  heavy  tramp  of  men  as  they  marched  through  the 
street,  and  each  moment  expected  to  listen  to  the  roar  of  musketry. 
While  we  were  thus  expectant,  a  light  rap  at  the  door,  and  a  voice  with 
which  we  were  familiar,  attracted  our  attention. 

I  unbarred  the  door  and  let  in  Steel  Spring. 

"  Things  is  vorking,"  he  said,  rubbing  his  hands  with  glee ;  "  'fore 
morning  we'll  'ave  a  fight,  and  I  don't  care  vich  vins,  I  don't." 

"  How  do  the  miners  remain  ?  "  I  asked ;  "  are  they  firm  ?  " 

"  Veil,  vot  there  is  of  'em  is  brave  'nough,  but  that  'ere  lloss  has  sent 
avay  'is  best  men,  and  let  others  go  'ome  for  the  night.  He  vill  catch 
it  afore  mornin'." 

"  The  man  is  mad,"  remarked  Mr.  Brown.  "  He  should  have  kept 
every  miner  under  arms  through  the  night.  The  commissioner  means 
mischief,  I'll  warrant." 

"  Don't  he,  though ! "  exclaimed  Steel  Spring,  winking  both  his  eyes 
violently. 

"  What  are  his  plans  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Veil,  'tain't  hardly  right  in  me  to  tell  'em,"  the  fellow  said,  as  though 
he  didn't  want  to  reveal  all  that  he  knew,  although  I  could  see  that  he 
was  anxious  to,  "  but  the  commissioner  has  sent  out  men  to  mislead  the 
party  vot  has  gone  to  stop  the  artillery,  and  they  vill  get  on  another 
road  and  not  come  back  for  two  or  three  days.  The  Yankee  chaps  vid 
their  rifles  'ave  gone  vid  the  green  vons,  and  now  the  colonel  don't  care 

47 


554  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OB 

an  old  button  for  the  rest.  An  attack  vill  be  made  to-night  at  one 
o'clock,  but  don't  tell  that  I  said  so." 

We  did  not  promise  a  compliance  with  his  request,  and  after  a  liberal 
drink  of  whiskey  Steel  Spring  left  us  to  plot  mischief,  and  to  steal 
whatever  he  could  lay  his  hands  on  during  the  melee. 

We  held  a  short  counsel,  and  then  resolved  that,  as  the  time  was  near 
at  hand  when  the  attack  was  contemplated,  we  would  risk  our  lives  in 
witnessing  it,  and,  if  possible,  render  some  assistance  to  the  injured, 
whether  miners  or  soldiers.  We  locked  up  our  gold  hi  the  safe,  and 
then  started  for  Gravel  Pit  Hill.  The  streets  were  silent  and  deserted. 
Not  a  policeman  wearing  a  blue  coat  was  to  be  seen  until  we  entered 
the  square  where  the  palisades  were  erected,  and  there  we  found  about 
five  hundred  men  drawn  up  in  line,  silent  and  immovable,  their  muskets 
gleaming  by  the  starlight,  awaiting  but  the  order  to  open  a  volley  upon 
the  poor  feflows  who  were  cooped  up  behind  the  timber,  full  of  pluck, 
yet  hardly  prepared  to  meet  so  many  disciplined  men,  and  hoping  that 
only  a  menace  was  intended. 

"  Who  comes  there  ?  "  shouted  a  sentry,  as  we  approached. 

"  Friends,"  I  replied. 

"  Well,  friends,  stand  back  and  keep  out  of  sight,  or  you'll  lose  the 
number  of  your  mess,"  the  soldier  added,  jocosely. 

We  had  no  desire  for  such  a  calamity,  and  therefore  retired  to  another 
part  of  the  hill,  and  managed  to  secrete  ourselves  from  observation  by 
keeping  within  the  shadow  of  a  friendly  tree. 

We  had  not  been  in  our  position  more  than  fifteen  minutes  when  we 
heard  a  clash  of  arms,  and  the  sound  of  many  feet  in  motion.  The 
soldiers  were  formed  in  two  columns,  and  were  rushing  with  headlong 
speed  towards  the  palisades. 

The  movement  was  so  sudden  that  the  miners  were  entirely  unpre- 
pared. Many  of  them  were  asleep,  and  others  had  laid  their  guns 
aside,  and  were  at  work  strengthening  the  fortifications  when  the 
soldiers  commenced  the  attack.  A  number  of  the  bravest  raised  a 
shout  and  discharged  their  muskets  at  the  approaching  columns,  but  the 
soldiers  did  not  falter.  They  answered  the  cheer  of  the  miners  with  a 
yell,  at  the  sound  of  which  many  of  the  young  men  became  panic- 
ftricken,  threw  down  their  arms,  and  fled  for  their  lives. 

Amid  the  uproar  I  could  hear  the  loud  voice  of  Ross  urging  his  men 
to  stand  to  their  posts  firmly  and  fight  to  the  last,  and  a  few  obeyed, 
and  poured  straggling  volleys  upon  the  red  coats.  Occasionally  I  could 
hear  the  sharp  crack  of  the  American  rifle,  and  I  felt  sorry  to  think 
that  my  countrymen  were  fighting  against  men  who  would  show  them 
no  mercy  if  victory  perched  upon  the  banner  of  the  government 
officials. 

Cheer  after  cheer  both  parties  gave,  and  then  there  was  heard  the 
sound  of  axes  and  the  placing  of  scaling  ladders,  as  the  soldiers  gained 
the  palisades. 

"  On  them,  bullies ! "  shouted  a  voice,  which  I  recognized  as  Colonel 
Kellum's ;  "  show  the  d d  rebels  no  quarter !  Kill,  kill,  kill ! " 

The  soldiers  had  got  their  blood  up,  and  responded  to  the  barbarous 
orders  with  a  yell  like  famished  tigers  on  the  scent  of  blood.  The  tim- 
bers were  torn  away,  and  in  rushed  the  disciplined  men,  firing  volley 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  555 

after  volley  upon  all  who  met  their  view.  We  could  hear  the  groans 
of  the  wounded,  and  shrieks  of  the  dying,  until  at  last  the  firing  ceased 
for  the  want  of  victims,  many  having  made  their  escape. 

"  Do  you  surrender  ?  "  we  heard  the  colonel  shout ;  and  although  we 
could  not  see  whom  he  addressed,  we  suspected  that  Ross  and  his  bold- 
est adherents  were  making  a  stand  in  the  enclosure. 

"  Let  us  try  and  save  them,"  cried  Fred ;  and  without  listening  to  our 
warning,  he  started  towards  the  palisade,  followed  close  by  Mr.  Brown, 
Smith,  and  myself. 

The  soldiers  took  but  little  notice  of  us,  thinking  that  we  were  gov- 
ernment officials ;  so  we  worked  our  way  by  them  until  we  reached  the 
spot  where  Colonel  Kellum  was  standing,  surrounded  by  his  officers. 

"  Do  the  d d  rebels  surrender  ?  "  the  colonel  repeated,  just  as  we 

could  witness  the  proceedings. 

"  Here's  the  leader  of  'em,  sir,  that  says  he  will,"  cried  two  or  three 
soldiers,  escorting  Ross  towards  the  colonel. 

"  The  leader,  hey !     Bring  him  here,"  was  the  command. 

Ross  walked  firmly  towards  his  conqueror,  and  stopped  when  within 
a  few  paces. 

"  Are  you  the  leader  of  these  ragamuffins  ?  "  demanded  Kellum,  ar- 
rogantly. 

'  I  was  the  leader  of  the  miners,  sir,"  Ross  replied,  firmly. 

'  You  own  it,  do  you  ?     Hand  me  your  gun." 

iloss  complied  with  the  command. 

'  Is  it  loaded  ?  "  the  colonel  asked. 

'  Yes,  sir,"  was  the  brief  response. 

'  Then  I  will  discharge  it  for  you,"  the  military  despot  said. 

He  cocked  the  piece,  placed  it  within  two  feet  of  the  Canadian's 
breast,  and  fired.  The  unhappy  man  sprang  into  the  air,  threw  his 
arms  wildly  over  his  head,  and  fell  a  corpse,  a  bullet  having  entered 
his  heart. 


CHAPTER    LXXXIII. 

ARREST  OF  FRED.  —  TRIP  TO  MELBOURNE,  AND  ITS  RESULTS. 

THERE  was  a  cry  of  horror  at  the  atrocity  of  the  deed ;  not  from  any 
of  the  officers  who  were  present,  but  from  the  soldiers,  who  were  not 
used  to  warfare  of  that  description. 

"  O,  cowardly  deed,"  cried  Fred,  who  could  not  prevent  giving  ex- 
pression to  his  feelings. 

"  Ha  !  what  was  that  ?  "  roared  the  colonel,  turning  towards  us. 

I  endeavored  to  drag  Fred  from  the  scene,  but  he  resisted  my  efforts 
stoutly. 

"  I  say  that  to  shoot  a  prisoner  in  cold  blood  is  murder,  and  none 
but  a  base  coward  would  resort  to  such  an  act,"  cried  Fred,  raising  his 
voice. 


556  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OK 

"  Secure  that  man,"  roared  the  colonel ;  but  not  a  soldier  stirred  to 
enforce  the  order. 

"  In  the  name  of  God,  make  your  escape,"  whispered  Mr.  Brown ;  but 
Fred  disdained  to  fly. 

"  Will  no  one  obey  me  ?  "  roared  the  colonel,  turning  to  his  officers. 
"  Do  you  refuse  to  do  your  duty  ?  By  G — ,  I'll  break  every  man  in  the 
regiment,  unless  you  are  a  little  more  prompt.  Arrest  that  man,  sirs, 
and  bring  him  before  me,"  he  continued,  turning  to  his  officers. 

They  obeyed,  but  unwillingly,  and  moved  so  slowly  that  Fred  could 
easily  have  escaped  had  he  been  so  disposed.  I  sought  to  urge  him  to 
dodge  behind  the  soldiers,  but  he  sternly  refused ;  and  when  the  officers 
surrounded  him,  he  walked  with  a  firm  step  towards  the  tyrant,  and 
without  suffering  a  hand  to  be  laid  upon  his  shoulder. 

"  You  find  fault  with  the  method  which  I  resort  to  to  punish  rebel- 
lion, do  you  ?  "  demanded  the  colonel,  with  a  savage  laugh. 

"  If  it  was  with  my  last  breath,  I  would  protest  against  so  cowardly 
an  outrage,"  replied  Fred,  with  all  the  contempt  that  he  could  assume. 

"  Hullo  !  I  know  that  voice,"  cried  Kellum,  starting  forward,  and 

pulling  Fred's  cap  from  his  face.  "  D n  me,  if  I  didn't  think  so," 

he  continued.  "You  are  the  grocer  that  dared  to  raise  your  hand 
against  me  yesterday  morning.  Iron  him,  and  away  with  him  to  the 
barracks." 

"  For  what  crime,  sir  ?  "  I  asked,  starting  forward. 

"  For  rebellion,"  shouted  the  colonel.  "  He  has  dared  to  interfere 
with  the  army  of  Her  Majesty,  while  suppressing  treason." 

"  He  came  here  to  assist  the  wounded,  and  had  no  intention  of  inter- 
fering with  the  soldiers,"  I  said. 

"  Away  with  you,  or  I'll  lock  you  up,  and  send  you  to  Melbourne  for 
trial,  with  your  partymen.  Go." 

"  Don't  provoke  him,"  whispered  an  officer.  "  Obey  him,  and  we  will 
do  all  that  we  can  for  your  friend." 

"  Will  you  allow  me  to  exchange  one  word  with  your  prisoner  ?  "  I 
asked  of  Kellum. 

"  What,  not  gone  yet  ?  "  he  roared.  "  Ready,"  he  shouted,  address- 
ing his  soldiers,  "  aim,"  and  the  word  to  "  fire,"  was  trembling  on  hia 
lips,  when  the  officers  forced  us  from  the  presence  of  the  brute,  and  we 
heard  the  cries  of  the  wounded  as  they  were  roughly  handled  by  the 
soldiers,  for  the  purpose  of  securing  them  and  conveying  them  to  the 
barracks. 

The  soldiers  were  also  employed  in  attending  to  their  own  wounded, 
several  of  whom  had  fallen,  and  while  I  carefully  picked  my  way  through 
the  crowd  I  stumbled  over  a  prostrate  body,  which  caused  us  to  stop, 
and  see  if  we  could  be  of  any  assistance.  I  stooped  down  and  placed 
my  hand  upon  the  man's  head,  and  felt  his  hot  blood  gush  from  a  wound 
in  his  heart.  I  removed  the  poor  fellow's  broad  rimmed  hat,  and  saw, 
to  my  surprise,  that  it  was  Steel  Spring. 

"  Why,  it  is  our  old  companion,"  I  cried,  feeling  really  sorry  at  his 
misfortune.  "  Help  me  to  lift  him  up,  and  we  will  carry  him  to  the 
store." 

"  It's  no  use,"  gasped  the  wounded  man.  "  Got  a  ball  in  my  breast  ; 
all  over  vid  me  —  sorry  I  came  'ere  —  didn't  mean  to  —  didn't  get  pay 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  557 

for  this  —  don't  disturb  me.     I  shall  die  in  ten  minutes  —  know  it — vill 
bet  all  the  money  I've  got  that  I  do — I'm  sorry  for  -all  my  rascalities." 

He  ceased  to  speak,  and  placing  his  hand  upon  his  breast,  groaned 
as  though  suffering  terrible  pain.     The  blood  from  his  wound  flowed 
*on  unceasingly. 

"  Cheer  up,  old  friend,"  I  said,  encouragingly.  "  There  is  life  still 
left,  and  we  can  get  you  on  your  feet  in  a  few  weeks  by  the  aid  of  a 
doctor.  We  will  get  a  litter,  and  carry  you  to  the  store." 

Smith  started  in  search  of  one,  and  left  Mr.  Brown  and  me  to  look 
after  the  wounded  man. 

"  'Tis  werry  kind  of  you,  but  'tis  no  use,"  Steel  Spring  whispered. 
"  I've  got  a  load  here  that  vill  keep  me  quiet  arter  I'm  dead.  I  shan't 
be  able  to  steal  then,  'cos  gold  vould  be  of  no  use  to  me  vere  I'm  going." 

"  If  you  want  to  save  that  covey's  life,  you'd  better  make  him  hold 
his  gab,  and  get  him  off  the  ground  as  soon  as  possible,"  an  English 
soldier  said,  stopping  for  a  moment  to  examine  our  old  companion's 
wound,  and  then  passing  on  with  as  much  indifference  as  it  was  possible 
to  manifest. 

Luckily  the  litter  arrived,  and  we  managed  to  get  Steel  Spring  on  to 
it,  and  carried  him  to  the  store.  There  was  but  little  life  in  him,  and 
that  little  we  tried  to  retain,  and  consulted  with  the  best  doctor  in  Bal- 
larat  fgr  that  purpose.  The  physician  said  that  the  ball  would  have  to 
be  extracted  first,  when  the  wound  would  heal  of  itself,  if  nothing  in 
the  shape  of  inflammation  intervened,  and  to  prove  that  he  was  right, 
probed  the  wound,  started  the  bleeding  afresh,  and  in  less  than  an  hour 
after  the  spy  was  carried  to  our  store  he  was  a  corpse,  and  the  doctor 
had  sent  in  his  bill  for  medical  attendance,  and  charged  in  proportion  to 
his  ignorance,  which  was  immense. 

Leaving  Smith  to  manufacture  a  coffin  out  of  the  spare  boards  and 
boxes  which  the  store  contained,  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  started  for  the 
head  quarters  of  the  commissioner  for  the  purpose  of  seeking  an  inter- 
view, and  obtaining  the  release  of  Fred,  who,  I  doubted  not,  would  be 
set  free  in  the  morning,  as  no  charge  could  be  brought  against  him  of 
a  rebellious  nature. 

We  found  a  guard  of  soldiers  stationed  around  the  house,  and  an 
eager  and  excited  crowd  was  kept  at  a  distance  by  a  line  of  bayonets. 
I  saw  that  the  miners  were  anxious  to  learn  if  any  of  their  friends  were 
wounded  or  taken  prisoners,  yet  could  obtain  no  satisfactory  informa- 
tion, as  all  intercourse  with  those  in  custody  was  denied. 

"  Stand  back,  sir,"  cried  a  sergeant,  as  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  pressed 
forward  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  the  entrance  to  the  building. 

"  Hullo,  Richards!  is  that  you?"  Mr.  Brown  exclaimed,  extending  his 
hand. 

"  Ah,  excuse  me,  sir ;  I  didn't  recognize  you.  Sorry  to  be  obliged  to 
stop  you,  sir,  but  have  got  positive  orders  to  admit  only  those  having 
business." 

"  Then  we  are  just  the  ones  to  pass,  for  we  have  business  of  impor- 
tance with  the  commissioner." 

"  Ah,  that  alters  the  case.  Pass  in,  gentlemen  ; "  and  as  the  soldiers 
lowered  their  bayonets,  we  slipped  past  them,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
found  ourselves  in  the  ante-room  of  the  commissioner. 

47* 


558  LIFE   IN  AUSTRALIA,   OB 

"  You  had  better  go  in  alone,  for  I  can  be  of  no  service  to  you," 
whispered  Mr.  Brown ;  and  I  felt  the  truth  of  the  remark. 

I  boldly  followed  an  officer  into  the  commissioner's  room,  and  soon 
found  myself  in  the  presence  of  Kellum,  the  commissioner,  and  half  a 
dozen  captains  and  lieutenants. 

"  I  tell  you,  that  every  dog  of  them  should  be  shot,  and  then  you'll 
hear  no  more  of  taxes  and  rebellion.  That's  the  way  I'd  punish  treason, 
and  it  will  be  effectual.  We  should  have  no  more  meetings  and  po- 
litical speeches  by  men  who  don't  know  what  they  are  ranting  about. 
We  have  got  the  rebels  at  our  feet.  Let  us  trample  upon  them." 

"  It  will  not  do,"  replied  the  commissioner,  mildly,  with  his  usual 
crafty  calculation.  "  The  home  government  will  hear  of  the  matter, 
and  rake  us  over  the  coals  for  it.  Besides,  the  newspapers  would  raise 
a  prodigious  row,  and  then  Parliament  will  have  to  appoint  a  commis- 
sioner of  inquiry.  No,  no ;  I've  thought  the  matter  over  carefully,  and 
I'm  convinced  that  we  should  get  awfully  blackballed  if  we  shoot  the 
rascals,  although"  —  and  he  smiled  and  rubbed  his  hands  with  glee — "I 
should  like  the  sport." 

"  Say  but  the  word,  and  in  fifteen  minutes  every  dog  of  them  shall  be 
dead,"  cried  the  colonel,  who,  having  tasted  blood,  wished  for  more. 

"  No,  no ;  let  us  send  them  to  Melbourne,  where  a  long  imprisonment 
and  low  diet  will  be  the  fate  of  each." 

The  colonel  was  about  to  make  some  observation,  when  an  officer 
touched  his  elbow,  and  called  his  attention  to  me. 

"  Hullo,  by  G— d,  sir,  how  long  have  you  been  in  this  room  ?  "  he 
roared. 

"  I  should  judge  about  five  minutes,"  I  replied,  calmly. 

"  Ami  your  business  here  ?  "  he  demanded,  fiercely ;  and  I  saw  that  hs 
had  not  forgotten  the  blow  which  Fred  dealt  him  the  day  before. 

"  My  business  is  not  with  you,  sir,  but  with  this  gentleman,"  I  replied, 
turning  to  the  commissioner. 

"  Well,  transact  it,  and  be  off.  If  that  sergeant  admits  another  gro- 
cer, I'll  hang  him  before  morning." 

I  did  not  notice  the  sneer,  but  turned  towards  the  commissioner,  upoiv 
whom  I  hoped  to  make  a  favorable  impression. 

"  I  have  called,  sir,  to  see  if  I  could  not  make  arrangements  for  the 
release  of  my  friend,  who  was  taken  into  custody  to-night,  and  who  is 
innocent  of  any  connection  with  this  rebellion." 

"  What  arrangement  do  you  wish  to  make  ? "  the  commissioner 
asked. 

"I  will  give  bonds  to  a  large  amount  for  his  appearance  at  any  time 
that  you  may  appoint." 

"  Why,  the  grocer  thinks  that  he  is  in  a  court  of  law,"  the  colonel 
said,  with  a  most  insulting  sneer. 

"  No,  sir,"  I  replied,  "  I  thought  that  I  was  in  the  presence  of  gentle- 
men." 

"  None  of  your  insolence  here,"  the  bully  roared,  not  liking  the  smile 
which  he  saw  upon  the  faces  of  his  officers. 

"  Insolence  is  but  a  poor  weapon  to  gain  a  cause,  and  a  gentleman 
should  never  use  it  unless  to  rebuke  presumption,"  I  replied. 

"  We  cannot  take  the  bail  that  you  offer,"  the  commissioner  said. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  559 

"  Your  partner  was  arrested  for  giving  vent  to  treasonable  expressions, 
and  after  he  was  taken  into  custody,  on  his  person  was  found  a  danger- 
ous weapon,  in  the  shape  of  a  revolver." 

"  Don't  say  that  the  pistol  was  dangerous  to  any  one  but  himself," 
the  colonel  cried.  "  I  dare  say  that  if  he  had  attempted  to  shoot  any 
one,  he  would  not  have  known  how." 

"  There  is  where  you  do  the  gentleman  an  injustice,"  an  officer  re- 
marked. 

"  If  you  did  not  think  him  dangerous,  you  should  have  met  after  the 
scene  in  our  store,"  I  said,  addressing  the  colonel,  and  alluding  to  the 
blow  which  Fred  had  struck  him. 

"  I  am  not  accustomed  to  meet  every  pauper  that  presents  himself  for 
battle.  I  don't  wish  to  place  him  on  a  level  with  myself,  and  therefore 
will  wait  until  he  proves  himself  a  gentleman." 

"  There  is  where  you  are  mistaken,  colonel,"  said  a  young  gentleman 
dressed  in  the  uniform  of  a  captain.  "  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
both  of  these  gentlemen  at  a  levee  of  the  governor's,  and  I  know  that 
he  spoke  very  highly  of  them,  and  offered  to  reward  them  with  lucra- 
tive positions  for  their  services  in  destroying  two  or  three  bands  of  bush- 
rangers, who  had  long  been  a  terror  to  travellers.  It  does  not  require 
a  patent  of  nobility  to  make  them  gentlemen." 

"  Why,  Captain  Fitz,  you  had  better  offer  to  defend  the  prisoner,  you 
speak  so  warmly  in  his  behalf,"  sneered  the  colonel. 

"  I  am  not  a  lawyer,  sir,  although  if  I  am  called  upon  to  give  my  tes- 
timony, I  think  that  I  shall  say  what  I  please  regarding  the  slaughter 
of  twenty-two  miners,  whose  only  crime  was  protesting  against  an  un- 
just tax." 

"  Say  what  you  please,  and  welcome ;  but  while  you  are  under  my 
command  you  must  obey  my  orders  or  else  stand  the  chances  of  a 
court-martial.  I  don't  think  that  the  miners  agree  with  you,"  the  mili- 
tary despot  continued,  after  a  moment's  consultation  with  the  commis- 
sioner ;  "  I  desire  that  you  take  command  of  the  escort  which  is  about  to 
start  for  Melbourne  with  the  prisoners.  You  will  lose  not  a  moment, 
but  report  yourself  ready  in  an  hour's  time." 

"  I  do  not  require  even  a  moment's  time,"  replied  the  young  man ;  "  I 
am  ready  now,  and  am  only  too  anxious  to  start." 

"  As  for  you,  sir,"  the  colonel  said,  turning  to  me,  "  you  can  see  your 
friend  after  he  reaches  Melbourne,  but  not  before.  He  is  charged  with 
a  serious  crime,  and  those  higher  in  power  than  myself  must  deal  with 
him." 

I  left  the  apartment,  uncertain  what  to  do  or  where  to  go.  Mr. 
Brown  joined  me  in  the  ante-room,  but  read  the  result  of  my  mission  in 
my  face. 

"  There's  no  hope  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  None ;  he  goes  to  Melbourne  to-night." 

"  So  much  the  better,"  answered  Mr.  Brown,  promptly;  "now  we 
shall  have  a  fair  chance  for  his  freedom ;  for  great  things  can  sometimes 
be  accomplished  in  that  city." 

"  But  Fred  will  suffer  on  the  route,"  I  remarked,  "  and  unless  he  is 
cared  for,  will  never  reach  the  city  alive." 

"  Don't  give  yourself  any  uneasiness  on  that  score,"  Captain  Fitz 


660  LIFE    IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

said,  he  having  heard  my  last  remark ;  "  I  will  take  care  that  he  is 
treated  with  as  much  consideration  as  the  circumstances  will  admit  of, 
and  see  that  he  wants  for  nothing." 

I  uttered  a  few  hurried  thanks,  and  the  captain  was  about  to  pass, 
when  I  detained  him. 

"  Is  there  any  means  by  which  we  can  obtain  an  interview  with  my 
friend  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  fear  not,"  he  answered,  in  a  hesitating  manner,  which  inspired  me 
with  some  hope. 

"  Only  a  few  words,"  I  pleaded. 

"  If  the  colonel  or  commissioner  should  know  that  I  ever  listened  to 
the  suggestion,  there  would  be  a  pretty  row,"  muttered  the  captain,  still 
hesitating. 

"  But  they  need  not  know  it,"  I  repeated. 

"  Come,  Captain  Fitz,  for  old  acquaintance  sake,  let  us  see  the  young 
man.  No  harm  will  come  of  it,  and  you  will  be  doing  a  good  service," 
said  Mr.  Brown,  who  knew  the  officer  while  quartered  at  Melbourne. 

"  Well,  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  for  you ;  but  remember,  I  shall  give 
you  only  five  minutes." 

"  That  will  answer  our  purpose,"  I  replied. 

"  Then  wait  here  a  few  moments,  until  I  report  myself  ready  for  the 
march.  The  prisoners  are  being  mustered,  and  preparing  for  the  long 
tramp,  for  we  have  got  to  get  them  out  of  Ballarat  before  daylight,  for 
fear  of  an  attack  and  rescue." 

He  spoke  hurriedly,  and  then  entered  the  commissioner's  room,  where 
he  remained  ten  minutes,  when  he  again  joined  us. 

"  All  right,"  he  whispered ;  "  put  on  these  overcoats  and  caps  —  you 
must  pass  for  officers,  or  there  will  be  an  end  to  all  attempts  at  an  in- 
terview." 

We  were  too  glad  to  comply  with  the  request  to  waste  words,  and  as 
soon  as  we  had  donned  the  disguise  we  followed  the  captain  out  of  the 
front  door,  passed  double  lines  of  soldiers,  still  on  duty,  but  resting  on 
their  arms,  and  at  length  reached  a  strong  building  where  the  prisoners 
were  confined,  and  where  preparations  were  being  made  for  their  re- 
moval. 

A  dozen  or  twenty  soldiers  guarded  the  door ;  but  at  the  sight  of  the 
captain  and  his  uniform,  arms  were  presented,  the  door  was  unlocked, 
and  we  passed  into  a  room  thirty  feet  square,  where  we  found  about 
twenty-five  of  the  most  prominent  miners,  lounging  about,  talking,  and 
apparently  entirely  indifferent  to  their  fate.  We  cast  our  eyes  over  the 
crowd,  and  soon  saw  Fred,  holding  a  conversation  with  a  soldier,  whom 
he  was  endeavoring  to  bribe  to  get  writing  materials,  so  that  he  could 
indite  a  few  lines  to  us  before  he  left. 

"  Step  this  way,  my  man,"  I  said,  disguising  my  voice,  and  address- 
ing my  friend. 

He  looked  somewhat  astonished,  but  as  he  could  not  see  my  face,  he 
did  not  know  me. 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  what  is  your  pleasure  ?  "  he  asked,  as  he  followed 
us  to  the  most  remote  part  of  the  room. 

"  To  see  you  before  you  left,  and  to  convince  you  that  we  will  make 
every  exertion  to  secure  your  release,"  I  whispered. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  561 

"  Ah,  Jack,"  my  friend  said,  squeezing  my  hand,  "'I  knew  that  you 
would  not  let  me  leave  without  making  an  effort  to  see  me.  A  thousand 
thanks  for  this  kindness." 

"  Don't  be  discouraged,"  I  continued ;  "  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  are 
going  to  Melbourne  in  the  morning,  and  we  will  use  all  our  influence  to 
get  you  clear.  Is  there  any  thing  that  you  desire  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know  of  any  thing,  unless  you  can  send  me  a  few  clothes, 
so  that  I  can  have  a  change  after  reaching  the  city." 

"  We  will  await  your  arrival,  and  while  we  are  away,  Smith  must  ]ook 
after  the  business. 

"  Time  is  up,  gentlemen,"  Captain  Fitz  said,  approaching  us. 

"  One  moment,  sir.  —  Have  you  any  gold  in  your  pockets  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  A  few  shilling  pieces  —  nothing  more,"  Fred  replied. 

"  Then  take  these  sovereigns ; "  and  I  slipped  a  dozen  into  his  hand. 

"  I  must  again  remind  you,  gentlemen,"  the  captain  remarked. 

"  We  are  all  ready  to  leave,  and  have  only  one  more  favor  to  ask. 
Let  us  have  a  moment's  conversation  with  the  orderly  sergeant,  who  will 
have  the  immediate  care  of  the  prisoners." 

"  There  he  stands,"  the  captain  replied,  pointing  to  a  six-footer,  who 
was  ironing  the  men,  and  who  was  waiting  to  handcuff  Fred. 

The  captain  smiled  to  see  the  eagerness  with  which  I  rushed  towards 
the  man,  and  then  very  wisely  turned  his  back  upon  us.  He  suspected 
what  I  intended  to  do. 

"  You  have  the  immediate  charge  of  the  prisoners  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  he  replied,  with  some  show  of  respect,  for  we  wore  the 
overcoats  of  officers. 

"  Will  you  see  that  my  friend  there  has  every  comfort  that  it  is  possi- 
ble to  obtain  on  the  route  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  must  all  share  alike,  sir,"  he  answered. 

"  But  will  you  promise  not  to  iron  him,  and  accept  his  word  of  honor 
that  he  will  not  attempt  to  run  away  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Couldn't  think  of  such  a  thing,  sir.     I'm  responsible  for  every  man." 

"  But  he  is  a  gentleman,  and  will  keep  his  word,  let  what  will  hap- 
pen," I  pleaded. 

Another  reproval  was  springing  from  his  lips,  when  suddenly  his 
face  underwent  a  remarkable  change,  and  a  smile  took  the  place  of  a 
frown. 

"  Fifty  more  when  I  meet  you  in  Melbourne,  if  you  strictly  comply 
with  my  requests,"  I  whispered. 

The  soldier  put  his  hand  into  his  pocket  with  wonderful  dexterity, 
and  I  heard  gold  chink  as  he  withdrew  it. 

"  All  right,  sir  —  rely  upon  me.  The  gentleman  shall  have  my  bed 
and  grub,  and  ride  beside  me  in  the  ambulance.  I  must  keep  an  eye  on 
him,  you  know,  'cos  I'm  'sponsible  for  his  safe  keeping." 

"  Watch  him  as  close  as  you  please,"  I  replied,  "  although  I  assure 
you  that  he  would  not  escape  after  he  has  once  passed  his  word  for  all 
the  gold  in  the  mines  of  Australia." 

"  Them's  the  kind  of  coveys  I  likes,"  responded  the  soldier.  "  He 
shan't  feel  the  touch  of  the  irons,  and  shall  fare  like  a  grenadier.  But 
you  won't  forget  the  other  fifty." 

I  assured  the  man  that  the  money  should  be  forthcoming ;  and  just 


562  LIFE   IN   AUSTRALIA,   OR 

then  the  shrill  notes  of  a  trumpet  were  heard  outside,  followed  by  the 
roll  of  a  drum. 

"  You  must  leave  instantly,"  cried  Captain  Fitz,  hurriedly.  "  The 
prisoners  are  about  to  be  led  out." 

We  rushed  towards  Fred,  gave  him  a  hearty  shake  of  our  hands, 
•whispered  a  few  words  of  encouragement,  and  then  were  compelled  to 
leave  the  building. 

"  Pass  this  way,  gentlemen,"  the  captain  said ;  "  I'll  escort  you  through 
the  lines,  as  you  might  find  some  difficulty  in  answering  the  sentry's 
challenges." 

We  followed  the  kind-hearted  officer,  and  were  soon  outside  the  lines, 
\vhen  we  thanked  him  for  his  kindness. 

"  Some  other  time  we  will  talk  of  the  matter,"  he  answered.  "  I 
must  now  hasten  back  to  my  command ;  but  one  word  before  we  part. 
Don't  think  that  all  British  officers  resemble  Colonel  Kellum.  Now,  I 
will  thank  you  for  the  overcoats,  or  my  brother  officers  will  scold  worse 
than  a  dragoon.  Adieu.  We  shall  meet  in  Melbourne." 

He  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and  we  walked  silently  to  the  store, 
where  we  found  Smith,  who  was  so  overcome  by  the  arrest  of  Fred  that 
he  had  drank  six  or  seven  glasses  of  whiskey,  and  announced  his  inten- 
tion of  continuing  to  imbibe  until  he  was  lost  to  all  reason.  A  few 
words  of  comfort,  however,  and  an  announcement  that  we  should  leave 
for  Melbourne  in  the  morning,  and  require  him  to  look  after  the  store 
until  our  return,  sobered  him,  and  he  vowed  not  to  touch  another  glass 
of  spirits  until  Fred  was  released. 

Mr.  Brown  promised  to  accompany  me,  and  before  morning  we  packed 
up  our  clothes,  and  at  daylight  we  were  on  our  way  in  the  stage,  rolling 
along  at  the  rate  of  ten  miles  an  hour ;  and  in  two  days  after  leaving 
the  mines  we  were  in  Melbourne,  and  closeted  with  Murden,  who 
proved  himself  our  friend  in  adversity,  as  he  was  in  prosperity.  . 

"  I  will  do  all  that  I  can,"  he  said,  after  listening  to  our  story.  "  The 
commissioner  has  so  magnified  matters  that  the  governor  and  council 
really  think  a  most  formidable  insurrection  has  occurred,  and  that  he 
has  displayed  great  power  in  putting  it  down.  To  make  the  affair  as 
complicated  as  possible,  the  governor  seems  to  think  that  the  Americans 
were  at  the  head  of  the  conspiracy,  and  have  urged  the  English  on  to 
action.  I,  of  course,  know  better,  and  will  endeavor  to  have  him  put 
right  on  the  subject." 

Murden  appointed  an  interview  in  the  afternoon,  and  then  left  us  to 
lay  our  case  before  a  few  of  the  most  influential  members  of  the  coun- 
cil, while  we  visited  old  acquaintances,  and  explained  to  Smith's  wife, 
who  was  living  in  a  very  pleasant  house  in  the  city,  the  reason  why  her 
husband  would  not  return  for  a  week  or  two.  The  lady  was  heartily 
glad  to  see  me,  and  at  her  request  Mr.  Brown  and  myself  took  up  our 
quarters  in  her  house  during  our  stay  in  the  city. 

In  the  afternoon  we  called  on  Murden,  and  found  that  he  had  accom- 
plished his  object.  The  governor,  on  his  representations,  had  ordered 
a  discharge  to  be  immediately  made  out,  and  sealed  by  the  broad  seal 
of  the  colony,  and  intimated  that  a  most  thorough  investigation  should 
be  instituted  regarding  the  conduct  of  both  the  commissioner  and  Col- 
onel Kellum  at  Ballarat. 


A  GOLD  HUNTER'S  ADVENTURES.  563 

"  And  now  to  conclude  a  long  story,"  said  Murden,  "  here  is  a  dis- 
charge which  states  that  your  friend  was  unjustly  arrested,  and  that  he 
be  released  from  custody,  no  matter  under  whose  jurisdiction  he  may 
be,  forthwith.  His  excellency  also  bade  me  state  that  he  should  be 
pleased  to  see  you  before  your  departure  from  the  city,  and  requests 
Mr.  Inspector  Brown  to  repair  to  Ballarat  and  report  for  duty." 

"  Ah,  Murden,"  Mr.  Brown  exclaimed,  "  I  am  indebted  to  you  for  thia 
re-appointmen  t." 

"I  thought  that  I  might  as  well  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone,  as  the 
saying  is,  and  faith  I've  done  it.  But  I  see  that  both  of  you  are  impa- 
tient to  leave  my  pleasant  company,  which  is  ungrateful ;  but  I  overlook 
it  with  Christian  meekness.  You  can't  go  though  until  you  have  dined 
with  me,  and  then  called  to  thank  his  excellency." 

The  proposition  was  accepted,  and  after  dining  with  the  lieutenant 
we  visited  the  palace,  and  were  most  heartily  greeted  by  the  governor 
and  his  council,  and  at  their  request  we  explained  our  views  at  consid- 
erable length  in  relation  to  the  affairs  of  Ballarat  and  the  mining  tax, 
and  the  means  by  which  future  troubles  could  be  avoided.  We  were 
listened  to  with  attention,  and  I  sincerely  believe  that  what  we  uttered 
that  day  did  considerable  towards  inducing  the  government  to  abolish 
all  excepting  a  mere  nominal  tax,  and  to  once  more  restore  order  in  the 
mines. 

After  leaving  the  palace  we  engaged  seats  in  the  stage,  and  that  night 
were  rolling  towards  Ballarat,  with  the  expectation  of  meeting  the  mil- 
itary not  more  than  thirty  miles  from  Melbourne,  and  we  were  correct 
in  our  supposition,  for  just  at  daylight  the  driver  stopped,  and  pointed 
out  the  company  just  striking  their  tents  and  getting  ready  for  their 
morning  march.  We  induced  the  driver  to  await  our  return,  and  to 
the  extreme  surprise  of  Captain  Fitz  we  presented  ourselves,  and  re- 
quested the  release  of  Fred,  and  after  a  brief  examination  of  the  docu- 
ment the  captain  complied  with  our  demand. 

Our  meeting  with  Fred  was  of  a  joyous  description,  but  we  had  but 
little  time  to  waste  in  explanations.  The  driver  was  impatient,  and  the 
soldiers  ready  to  march.  I  had  but  time  to  reward  the  sergeant  for  his 
kindness,  and  to  assure  Fred's  fellow-prisoners  that  I  would  use  all  the 
exertion  that  I  could  to  obtain  their  pardons,  when  the  rolling  drum 
gave  the  signal  for  moving,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  military  were  lost 
to  view  in  a  cloud  of  dust. 

But  I  must  here  draw  my  long  narrative  to  a  close,  not  because  we 
did  not  afterwards  meet  with  adventures  worthy  to  be  recounted,  but 
because  a  lengthy  absence  from  the  country  precludes  the  idea  of  fur- 
ther continuing  the  series  of  sketches,  which  I  am  glad  to  find  have 
found  favor  in  the  eyes  of  the  public. 

For  the  satisfaction  of  the  reader,  I  will  state  that  for  three  years  we 
remained  in  Australia,  and  then  when  we  left  that  country  it  was  with  a 
solid  conviction  that  we  had  been  repaid  for  our  toil  and  trouble,  out 
sufferings  and  pleasures. 

Before  I  bid  farewell  to  my  readers,  I  will  state  that  the  miners  who 
were  arrested  and  marched  to  Melbourne  were  all  discharged,  and  that 
after  the  mining  tax  was  reduced,  all  further  trouble  ceased. 

In  many  instances,  in  the  course  of  the  narrative,  I  have  used  ficti- 


664  LIFE   IN   AUSTEALIA. 

tious  names ;  but  the  reader  will  pardon  me  when  I  state  that  most  of 
those  introduced  are  still  alive,  and  employed  by  the  Australian  govern- 
ment, and  it  would  hardly  be  right  to  expose  their  good  or  bad  actions 
to  the  world.  With  these  few  words  I  am  happy  to  inform  the  readel 
tnat  my  sketches  are,  for  the  present,  brought  to  an  end,  but  I  hope  at 
some  future  time  to  resume  them,  and  publish  a  second  series  of  "  Ad- 
ventures in  Australia." 


REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A     000  606  569     2 


B&K 

m 


